What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Seaside Aquarium

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Seaside, OR
Seaside Aquarium

Seaside Aquarium is one of the oldest aquariums on the West Coast.

Seaside Aquarium
Connecting people of all ages to the wonders of Pacific Northwest marine life through engaging, interactive experiences to inspire learning and stewardship. Founded in 1937, the aquarium is privately owned and the descendants of some of the founders are still active in the aquarium operation. The Aquarium is proud to be involved in public awareness programs: Marine Mammal Strandin

g Network, Seaside Beach and Estuary Discovery Program, Sea Week, and other marine education tours and activities for school children.

05/31/2026

Happy birthday, Princess Pinni! Our beautiful baby girl turns 13 today. Stop in and wish her a happy birthday.

She will definitely be getting extra birthday fish today!

05/29/2026

Happy birthday Cosmo! This sweet girl is turning 27 years old today. Love you to the moon and back!

05/28/2026

The surf has been pretty big the last few days, generating sneaker waves and unearthing skin-breathing sea cucumbers (Leptosynapta clarki). It has also begun breaking apart the whale skeleton near Ave K.

Skin-breathing sea cucumbers can be seen littering the tideline on Seaside beach.
Lacking tube feet, these strange animals look more like worms than sea cucumbers.

They live just past the surf and burrow into the sand for protection. Most of the time, they are just fine, nestled down in the sand, but certain ocean conditions, such as heavy surf combined with low tides, can dislodge them, leaving them stranded along the shoreline, sometimes by the thousands. These stranding events provide a nutrient source for shore birds and small scavenging invertebrates.

05/26/2026

Time flies when you're having fun! We can't believe Greta is 30 years old today. Happy birthday our beloved old lady.

Fun fact about Miss Greta: Greta talks to us every morning. In fact, she is quite the chatterbox but once we open our doors she zips her lips.

She was named after the original owners of the Seaside Aquarium. George and Greta Smith opened the Seaside Aquarium on May 25th, 1937.

05/23/2026

Our baby boy is turning 13 today!
It feels like just yesterday he was a tiny 20 pound pup. Drop by and wish Damian a happy birthday. While you're at it throw him a fish, he's working on his summer body.

04/27/2026

Snowy Plovers are back!

There are currently around 500 adult Western Snowy Plovers that breed along the Oregon coast every year. While that may not sound like a lot, it's a significant improvement from a measly 50 birds back in the early 90’s.

📸Sam Heroux

04/16/2026

Look what the wind brought in, again!

Velella velella are beautiful when they first hit the beach, but soon they turn into smella- velella. Did you know that their blue pigment protects them from UV rays while they float on the surface of the ocean?

04/14/2026

A 40-foot, male Gray whale washed ashore on the south end of Seaside Beach this morning. A necropsy has been scheduled for later this week. While the goal of any necropsy is to determine the cause of death, every necropsy is unique, and we learn from each one.

So, what happens during a necropsy? First, a wide array of measurements and photographs are taken. Any obvious signs of trauma or abnormalities are documented. Then, the team peels back the blubber layer to look for signs of trauma like hemorrhage (bruising), measures the blubber thickness, and examines the overall “health” of the blubber (color, oil content, texture, etc.). Samples of the blubber are taken and sent to a lab for further analysis. This may sound easy, but it can be quite a task. The blubber is thick and heavy. It can be hard to cut through and even harder to peel down due to the weight. A necropsy is all about teamwork, so while one portion of the team tackles the blubber, another team takes a closer look at the whale’s head. Samples of baleen and tongue are taken. Next, the team dives deeper into the whale looking for parasites, cancers, or other signs of disease. Next is the daunting task of getting samples from any organ the team can access. This varies for each whale depending on its size and position. In some whales, only their intestines are accessible, while in others the team is fortunate enough to sample the kidneys, lungs, liver, and stomach content (did you know that Gray whales have three stomachs?). Once all the samples have been taken and observations documented, the conversations begin. Each team member brings a unique perspective or insight into each necropsy, so everyone shares notes and overall thoughts. While the cause of death cannot always be determined, the team can come together and theorize what may have caused the animal's death.

So, what happens now? It depends. Though smelly, it is best for the environment for the whale to remain unburied on the beach. The whale provides food for a wide range of scavengers, and as it decomposes, nutrients are transferred into the surrounding sand. However, there are times and places where a whale cannot simply remain on the beach. In those cases, the whale is buried or removed.

04/13/2026

Welcome Back Puffins!

Puffins are officially back at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. Join Friends of Haystack Rock and the Haystack Rock Awareness Program on Saturday, April 18th, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for the Welcome Back Puffins Celebration. The celebration will be on the beach in front of Haystack Rock. Spotting scopes and binoculars will be available along with kid-friendly activities. After the celebration, visit the 12 Days of Earth Street Fair from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Address

200 N Prom
Seaside, OR
97138

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15037386211

Website

http://www.seasideaquarium.com/

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