The Seattle Aquarium, located right on the Seattle Waterfront adjacent to the Waterfront Park. The Aquarium is spread over 3 buildings; the historic Pier 59 and Pier 60 Buildings as well as the new state of the art Ocean Pavilion.

Guests can start at Pier 59 which is connected to Pier 60 internally or start by the Ocean Pavilion and then continue on to the other building using the same ticket.

We started at the historic Pier 59. We entered into what felt like a mix of historic and contemporary. The building had an historic feel but the exhibitions had a contemporary feel.

Upon entering the first exhibit we encountered was the 120,000-gallon fish tank with a huge 20×40 foot viewing window. There are rows of benches to sit and watch the fish and sea life. There are guides at the tank who offer explanations and we also saw a diver in the tank as well. We continued on to the area where we were able to lean into a pool and touch starfish, sea urchins, hermit crabs and other sea life.  We made sure to pass through the clear 12-foot ring which has jellyfish floating around. We continued to the historic Pier 60 building where we go to see the Marine Mammals, the Bird habitats, the Puget Sound exhibit and so much more. We especially enjoyed the underwater dome with all the fish swimming above and around us.

The new and modern Ocean Pavilion is a completely different vibe. It also has a large tank with a huge glass window for viewing. This tank hosts the reef, sharks and fish. The reef can also be viewed from above on the upper floor.

The Ocean Hall, in the center of the building, has 360 degree video and interactive displays that spotlight marine ecosystems from around the world with images projected on the walls, ceiling and floors creating an immersive feel.

The animal care lab area and discovery lab were interesting to see but the Jelly Nursery was my favorite. We got to see tiny baby jellyfish.

The aquarium is definitely an interesting blend old and new and all the different fish, mammals and sea life.

Posted: January 18, 2026