Public Visitation
Hours Today: ClosedLaurena G. Chambers Gift Shop
Hours Today: Open 9:30am - 3:00pm
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General Admission
December 23, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Ocean Institute invites you to join us for General Admission!
10:00AM – 3:00PM
Ocean Institute’s general admission engages the public with our rotating monthly themes!
Our rotating monthly themes allow visitors to keep coming back to discover the ocean’s underwater world with our fun, interactive spaces and activities that indulge curiosity. Staff and volunteers stand ready to guide visitors through a wide range of experiences as they gain an understanding of their connection to the ocean!
January: Ocean Stewards
February: Love in the Ocean
March: Festival of Whales
April: April Showers Bring May Flowers (Weather)
May: April Showers Bring May Flowers (Native Plants)
June: Summer Kick-Off
July: Shark WEEKends
August: Back to School-ing Fish
September: Maritime Madness
October: Life in the Abyss
November: Invertebrate Investigation
December: Winter Solstice
General Admission Pricing:
Adult: $15.00 | Senior (55+ y.o)/Military: $10.00 | Child (3-13 y.o): $7.50| Toddler (0-2 y.o): $0
Ticket must be purchased for all individuals.
Ocean Institute Members receive complementary year-round general admission. Please claim at front desk upon arrival.
Not a member? Click here to join today!
Happy New Year!
Come celebrate the New Year with Ocean Institute!
Holiday Schedule
December 26 to 30: OPEN
December 31: CLOSED
January 1: CLOSED
January 2 to 7: OPEN
Now included with General Admission: Sailor’s Life Tours!
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a sailor’s life for me! Jump aboard the Spirit of Dana Point for a 30 minute tour of what life was like for sailors in the 1800s. Ring the bell, raise the sail, and explore living history with our sailors. Sailor’s Life Tours are great for all ages!
Tours will be from 10am to 12:30pm. Tours are 30 minutes long.
General Admission Add-on Experiences
Take a deep dive into the Ocean Institute’s offerings during your visit with these add-on experiences!
Squid Dissections
Dive into a hands-on experience suitable for all levels of curiosity with our squid dissections! Join our expert guides that will lead you through an exploration of anatomy and adaptations!
Tickets are $5. Dissections will occur at 10:30am, 11:30am, and 1:30pm.
Sea Star Feeding
Ever wanted to hand feed a sea star? Join us for this interactive feeding experience where you can prepare their food alongside our staff and hand feed a sea star with this up-close encounter you won’t forget!
WEEKENDS:
Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 PM – 12:35 PM
WEEKDAYS:
Tuesday & Thursday: 12:00 PM – 12:35 PM
Pricing: $10/Participant
Behind the Scenes: Spirit of Dana Point Tour
Come aboard the Spirit of Dana Point and learn all about her history along with the restoration process. This dockside guided tour will take you into the lives of those who work relentlessly to keep her sea worthy!
WEEKENDS:
Sunday: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
WEEKDAYS:
Monday/Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Pricing: $25 – Adults/ $20 – Kids/ $10 – Toddlers
Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Ocean Institute? Join us on our immersive Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour to learn all about what it takes to run an aquarium! This tour takes you beyond the eyes of the public to our husbandry prep kitchen, the quarantine lab, the life support yard, and then you’ll get to participate in a shark feeding!
WEEKENDS:
Saturday: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
WEEKDAYS:
Tuesday/Friday/Sunday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Monday/Thursday/Saturday: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Pricing: $35 – Adults/ $30 – Kids/ $10 – Toddlers
Hatch and Release: White Sea Bass Program Tour
Become a marine scientist for a day, contributing to valuable research on white sea bass while learning about their crucial role in ocean health.
This seasonal tour will allow you a behind the scenes look into our vital work with HUBBS- Sea World Research Institute on the white sea bass population.
As 1 of the 13 facilities on the California Coast who participates in this initiative, we invite you to “tag” along with our team for this hands-on tour.
Tours will be running from January 13 to February 29.
Saturday 11am-12pm
Sunday 2pm-3pm
Tuesday through Thursday 3:30pm-4:30pm
Your ticket includes general admission to the Ocean Institute. Those who buy tickets for weekday tours will be able to redeem their general admission on a weekend date directly before or after their tour date.
Adults: $25 | Children: $20 | Toddlers/Infants: $1
ABOUT: The Ocean Institute, founded in 1977, is a community-based 501(c)(3) organization that educates 100,000 children, teachers, parents, and visitors annually through over 60 marine science and maritime history programs. We are located on 2.4 acres in the Dana Point Harbor; adjacent to a Marine Life Conservation Area. The facility is an ocean education center that offers in-depth Marine Science and Maritime History. The Institute includes state-of-the-art teaching labs, the spectacular Maddie James Seaside Learning Center, a historic tall ship, and an oceanographic research vessel.