Our less-visited times are in the fall and winter months other than during holidays. At other times of the year, you’ll find fewer visitors between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. During the peak summer months, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days to visit.
Wheelchairs are available free for use during an Aquarium visit; ask at the information desk inside the main entrance. The Aquarium is fully accessible to the disabled.
We do not usually offer any discounts through the Aquarium.
Local hotels and the American Automobile Association sometimes offer tickets at a discounted rate. In order to receive the AAA savings and express entry, tickets can only be purchased at a participating AAA travel office. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is unable to sell AAA at the gate. Additionally,
companies and
military bases sometimes provide discounted tickets to their employees. These special rates are not available through the Aquarium itself, but must be purchased directly from these institutions.
An average visit to the Aquarium lasts two to three hours, but you can easily spend the whole day here and still have more to see! Be sure to check our
Aquarium Exhibits section before you come to preview some of the highlights.
Program guides are available at the information desk in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Many staff and volunteers speak other languages. Look for special nametags that indicate what languages they speak.
There are lockers for personal use located on Hovden Way, just past the Member Entrance. From September through May, the lockers on the left are reserved for school groups. Guests are welcome to use the lockers on the right. Each locker costs one dollar and will only accept quarters. Locker dimensions are 16x23x30 inches.
Only trained service animals are permitted in the Aquarium. Pet-sitting services are available within walking distance of the Aquarium. Call the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (831) 657-6400 for recommendations.
During your visit, you're welcome to take photos and video for your personal use only. Commercial photography is allowed only with prior written permission from our
Public Relations department. For your safety and the safety of other visitors, we prohibit the use of tripods and monopods in the Aquarium.
Flash photography can hurt some animals—like sea dragons, octopuses and others. Before you click the shutter, please look for signs asking you not to flash the animals. You'll find professional photo postcards of many of our animals in our gift and bookstores.
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For the health and safety of our guests and animals, smoking is prohibited anywhere on Aquarium property, including outdoor areas.
Strollers are permitted throughout the Aquarium, except in our aviary and on the mezzanine of our sea otter exhibit. We ask that you be considerate of other visitors as they're navigating dark galleries to see the exhibits.
The coastal areas of Monterey County usually enjoy temperatures averaging 57°F year-round. It is a good idea to dress in layers as temperature and wind conditions may vary throughout the day and it can get cool, even during the summer.
Prepaid and complimentary ticket holders may enter at the Main Entrance and will be directed to the Advance Tickets line.
These items are available in our Gift & Bookstore, along with a full selection of merchandise including natural history books, Aquarium logo clothing, educational toys and much more. You can reach our merchandising staff by phone at( 877) 665-2665 toll-free in U.S. or via
e-mail.
The Aquarium provides an onsite picnic area reserved for visiting school groups. Individual guests may use the outside seating at the end of Hovden Way. Please note that no food or drink brought into the Aquarium may be consumed inside, and seating in the Monterey Bay Aquarium Cafe & Restaurant is reserved for restaurant patrons. There are a number of great picnic sites within walking distance from the Aquarium, including Lovers Point, Berwick Park and San Carlos Beach.
Wireless internet is available at the Aquarium free of charge. You can browse the internet with your i-Fi-enabled cell phones, tablets and other devices. For more information, please visit our information desk.