Aquarium of the Bay

Experience the wonder of San Francisco Bay at Aquarium of the Bay, where thousands of local aquatic animals are waiting to greet you. Located at the world famous PIER 39 and on San Francisco’s iconic waterfront, Aquarium of the Bay provides an unmatched window to the Bay’s amazing marine life. With over 700,000gallons of water within its galleries, Aquarium of the Bay is home to over 20,000animals, including sevengill sharks, bat rays, jellies, river otters, and more. Much of the Aquarium’s marine life can be seen through its magnificent, 300-foot long crystal clear acrylic tunnels, offering an unparalleled view to thousands of fish and other animals. Guests are also treated to a hands-on experience in the Touch the Bay gallery, where they can touch sharks, bat rays, sea stars, and anemones; and no trip to Aquarium of the Bay would be complete without a visit to the North American River Otter gallery, where frisky river otters romp, swim, sleep, and play.

Discover the Bay introduces visitors to San Francisco Bay. This gallery highlights animals that are commonly found closest to the shore and near San Francisco’s docks where fish tend to be juvenile and smaller. Here, guests will find green moray eels, wolf eels, juvenile swell sharks, and the bright orange garibaldi, the marine state fish of California. Guests can also learn about some of the critical issues facing San Francisco Bay in this gallery, including marine debris and Marine Protected Areas.

Under the Bay is the Aquarium’s largest and most iconic exhibit area, featuring two-massive tunnels that total 300-feet, holding more than 700,000-gallons of carefully maintained water from San Francisco Bay, and are home to more than 200 species of animals.

When visitors first enter Under the Bay, they step into “Go With the Flow,” a tranquil environment featuring various species of mesmerizing jellies.

Much of San Francisco Bay is 15-20 feet deep. The first tunnel, called the Nearshore Tunnel, represents animals found in these depths such as giant sea bass, a rainbow of colored rockfish, swirling schools of anchovies, and many more species.

The Offshore Tunnel represents animals from the deeper waters of San Francisco Bay, where guests will find bat rays, skates, sturgeons, and multiple species of sharks, including the Bay’s largest predator, the sevengill shark.

Touch the Bay offers a hands-on tactile experience for Aquarium visitors.

Guests can touch juvenile bat rays, skates, and even sharks in the exhibit’s large touchpool. A second touchpool that resembles California’s rocky coastline enables guests to gently graze over sea stars, sea anemones, and sea cucumbers.

The Bay Lab features land-dwelling animals serving as ambassadors for climates around the world. Through hands-on presentations and activities, the Bay Lab demonstrates the effects of climate change on these animals and their natural habitat.

River Otters: Watershed Ambassadors -The Aquarium’s fourth gallery lets guests encounter the amusing antics of its furriest residents: river otters. Featuring North American river otters romping, swimming, sleeping, and playing in a serene environment that combines land and water habitats, guests can learn all about these adorable animals during special presentations, feedings, and trainings led by Aquarium biologists. This gallery helps to teach the public about the importance of the health and conservation of the rivers, streams, and other watersheds that flow into the Bay.