Public Visitation
Hours Today: Closed
Laurena G. Chambers Gift Shop
Hours Today: Open 7:00am - 4:30pm
Go behind the scenes with us! 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...
There’s a luminous underwater world just waiting to shine! Learn about the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark and witness this curiously beautiful phenomenon.* Come aboard the R/V Sea Explorer and join us off the coast of Dana Point at night to explore the nocturnal world of marine birds, sea lions, and bioluminescent plankton....
Explore the ocean with us! Join our semi-private guided snorkel tours and explore the stunning marine life of Shaw’s Cove! Meet at the beach where your expert guide will lead you through Southern California’s beautiful kelp forests. Enjoy 45 minutes in the water as our guide introduces you to the beauty of Southern California’s kelp...
Community Beach Cleanup in partnership with Stand Up to Trash Join us for a day of fun on the water, beach and surrounding areas to cleanup our natural world. New theme every month with a guest speaker on the Maddie James Seaside Learning Center Historical Wharf 9:00am-10:30am Beach Cleanup 10:30am Free Lunch & Learn at...
Join our crew for an experience you will never forget. Your 2 and a 1/2 hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean lnstitute’s 65′ research vessel, takes you miles beyond the Dana Point Harbor jetty in search of marine mammals such as migrating blue and grey whales; large schools of playful dolphin; the impressive sunfish...
Engage with our immersive, hands-on exhibits and rotating themes! Our rotating themes allow visitors to keep coming back to discover the ocean’s underwater world with our fun, interactive spaces and...
Add-on experience for General Admission! Dive into a hands-on experience suitable for all levels of curiosity with our squid dissections! Join our expert guides who will lead you through an...
General Admission Add-on Experience! Have you ever wanted to hand-feed a sea star? Join us for this interactive feeding experience at 12:00 pm where you can prepare their food alongside...
Go behind the scenes with us! Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Ocean Institute? Join us on our immersive Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour...
There’s a luminous underwater world just waiting to shine! Learn about the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark and witness this curiously beautiful phenomenon.* Come aboard the R/V Sea Explorer and join us off the coast of Dana Point at night to explore the nocturnal world of marine birds, sea lions, and bioluminescent plankton....
Explore the ocean with us! Join our semi-private guided snorkel tours and explore the stunning marine life of Shaw’s Cove! Meet at the beach where your expert guide will lead you through Southern California’s beautiful kelp forests. Enjoy 45 minutes in the water as our guide introduces you to the beauty of Southern California’s kelp...
