Ocean Institute

General Admission
2024-11-02 10:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-03 10:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-05 10:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-09 10:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-10 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
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.
Explore marine mammal artifacts, interactive exhibits rotating monthly, and local aquaria. Interact with a shark and ray touch tank, an intertidal touch tank, and a bubble tank.
Bring history to life and step back in time with a Sailor’s Life Tour onboard the deck of Spirit of Dana Point.
Elevate your experience! Select add-ons at checkout!

Squid Dissection: $5

Sea Star Feeding: $10

General Admission Pricing:
Adult: $15.00
Senior (55+ y.o)/Military: $10.00
Child (19 months – 13 y.o): $7.50
Toddler (18 months and under): $0

Buy Tickets

Tickets must be purchased for all individuals.
Ocean Institute Members receive complimentary year-round general admission!
Not a member? Click here to join today!

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.

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Squid Dissections
2024-11-02 10:30 - 13:30, 2024-11-03 10:30 - 13:30, 2024-11-09 10:30 - 13:30, 2024-11-10 10:30 - 13:30, 2024-11-11 10:30 - 13:30
Squid Dissections

Squid Dissections

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 exploration of anatomy and adaptations. Each dissection is 30 minutes long.
Every dissector requires their own ticket and may be accompanied by 1 additional person. Each dissector will receive their own squid to dissect. Note: Children under 18 months do not require their own ticket to accompany a dissector.
Dissections will occur at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, and 1:30 pm.
Add-on Price: $5
Must have a General Admission ticket to participate. Add on experience ticket during check out.

Tickets

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Sea Star Feeding
2024-11-02 12:00 - 12:35, 2024-11-03 12:00 - 12:35, 2024-11-09 12:00 - 12:35, 2024-11-10 12:00 - 12:35
Sea Star Feeding

Sea Star Feeding

General Admission add-on experience!
Have you 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!
Every feeder requires their own ticket and may be accompanied by 1 additional person. Children under 18 months do not require their own ticket to accompany a feeder.
Add-on Price: $10
General Admission ticket purchase is required. Add experience to your cart at checkout!

Tickets

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour
2024-11-02 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-03 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-11-09 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-11-11 14:00 - 15:00
Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour

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!
Tickets are $35 a person.

Tickets

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Whale and Marine Life Tour
2024-11-03 10:00 - 12:30, 2024-11-09 10:00 - 12:30, 2024-11-10 10:00 - 12:30
Whale and Marine Life Tour at Ocean Institute!

Join our crew for an experience you will never forget.
Your 2-1/2-hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean Institute’s 65’ research vessel, takes you miles beyond the Dana Point Harbor jetty in search of marine mammals such as migrating blue whales; large schools of playful Dolphin; the impressive sunfish known as Mola; and sleek harbor seals and sea lions.
In addition, Ocean Institute’s professional naturalists are on hand to introduce you to the lifestyles of ocean creatures that frequent the waters off Dana Point. Hands-on activities include sorting through mud samples from the ocean floor, as well as trawling for Plankton.
Our cruises are safe and fun for the entire family, and everyone will learn something new about our ocean and the life within it.

Whale and Marine Life Tour Pricing:
Ticket: $40 | Infant/Toddler (0-18 months): $10
Whale and Marine Life Ticket includes access into Ocean Institute for General Admission. Please be aware that the boat leaves promptly at 10. We recommend arriving 30 minutes before departure.

Book Now!

Buy Now!

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.

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Tiny Tots: Mad Scientists
2024-11-05 09:30 - 10:30, 2024-11-07 09:30 - 10:30, 2024-11-12 09:30 - 10:30
Tiny Tots: Mad Scientists

Tiny Tots

Calling all Mad Scientists! Join us for this “Mommy & Me” style program dedicated to exploring your world through song, movement, and your senses. Enjoy new spooky and fun activities every session, with themes like bugs, physics, and the deep sea!

*Please note that a parent/guardian must participate and attend with their child. This is a “Mommy & Me” style class.

Fall Dates and Themes:
October 1, 3, 8, and 10 – Fun with Physics
October 15, 17, 22, and 24 – Mad Science Experiments
October 29 and 31 and November 5 and 7 – Creepy Crawlies
November 14, 14, 19, and 21 – Deep Sea Exploration
Classes are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 10:30am. Each class contains ~30-minutes of led activities & ~30-minutes of structured play time.

New Activities Every Class!

Audience: Recommended ages ~2-4 years old.
Location: Ocean Institute
Price: $20 (Ticket includes one child and one adult)

Build a Bundle and get 25% off!
When enrolled in 3 classes or more! When you have 3 or more different class dates in your cart you will get each class for $15 (regular price $20!).
Discount will auto-apply in the cart. All classes must be booked all at once to receive the discount. Discounts will not be retro-applied for single drop-ins. Classes must be on different dates, not multiple enrollments for the same date.

CALENDAR

TICKETS

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

Distinguished Speaker Series: Dean Sauer
2024-11-06 17:30 - 20:00
The Ocean Institute’s Distinguished Speaker Series, presented by the Nicholas Endowment, brings interesting innovations, real-world research, exotic experiences, and delightful discoveries to the surface through powerful presentations from an ocean of experts. Speakers present on a variety of topics ranging from ocean researchers, ocean authors, ocean artists, and ocean athletes.
Light snacks & Refreshments available for purchase at event.

Distinguished Speaker: Dean Sauer
The Disco Inferno in the Sea: The importance of phytoplankton and bioluminescence in our oceans

Description:
Join the Ocean Institute in welcoming Dean Sauer, the founder of PyroFarms, and dive into the vibrant world of oceanic bioluminescence. We’ll explore the vital role of phytoplankton, with a special focus on the bioluminescent species Pyrocystis fusiformis. Discover how these tiny marine plankton light up the seas and help support the entire ocean ecosystem and why they are far more than just glowing waves.

Wednesday, November 6, from 5:30 to 8:00
Doors open at 5:30pm, talk begins at 6:00pm
$10 – General
FREE – Members
FREE – Students (with Valid ID)

Tickets

About Dean:

Dean Sauer is an ocean lover, science enthusiast, entrepreneur, and proud dad of two. He’s fascinated by all things that glow and finds joy in watching bioluminescent plankton light up the night. After years of research and working in biotech, Dean decided to dive into the world of marine biology and founded PyroFarms, a company dedicated to cultivating and sharing bioluminescent phytoplankton. When he’s not tinkering with his latest project, you might find him lost in the mountains or roaming the beaches at night.

Community Beach Cleanup - Stand Up to Trash
2024-11-10 09:00 - 11:00
Community Beach Cleanup
in partnership with

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-11:00am Beach Cleanup and Lunch & Learn
9:00am-10:30am Beach Cleanup
10:30am Free Lunch & Learn at Ocean Institute

RVSP

Veteran's Day Whale and Marine Life Tour
2024-11-11 10:00 - 12:30
Whale and Marine Life Tour at Ocean Institute!

Join our crew for an experience you will never forget.
Your 2-1/2-hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean Institute’s 65’ research vessel, takes you miles beyond the Dana Point Harbor jetty in search of marine mammals such as migrating blue whales; large schools of playful Dolphin; the impressive sunfish known as Mola; and sleek harbor seals and sea lions.
In addition, Ocean Institute’s professional naturalists are on hand to introduce you to the lifestyles of ocean creatures that frequent the waters off Dana Point. Hands-on activities include sorting through mud samples from the ocean floor, as well as trawling for Plankton.
Our cruises are safe and fun for the entire family, and everyone will learn something new about our ocean and the life within it.

Whale and Marine Life Tour Pricing:
Ticket: $40 | Infant/Toddler (0-1 y.o): $10
Veteran’s Day Only: Free tickets for veterans and active service members! Use code vet24 at checkout. Must provide valid military I.D. to redeem.
Whale and Marine Life Ticket includes access into Ocean Institute for General Admission. Please be aware that the boat leaves promptly at 10. We recommend arriving 30 minutes before departure.

Book Now!

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.

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.

General Admission
2024-11-11 10:00 - 15:00
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.
Explore marine mammal artifacts, interactive exhibits rotating monthly, and local aquaria. Interact with a shark and ray touch tank, an intertidal touch tank, and a bubble tank.
Bring history to life and step back in time with a Sailor’s Life Tour onboard the deck of Spirit of Dana Point.
Elevate your experience! Select add-ons at checkout!

Squid Dissection: $5

Sea Star Feeding: $10

General Admission Pricing:
Adult: $15.00
Senior (55+ y.o)/Military: $10.00
Child (19 months – 13 y.o): $7.50
Toddler (18 months and under): $0
Veteran’s Day Only: Free tickets for veterans and active service members! Use code vet24 at checkout. Must provide valid military I.D. to redeem.

Buy Tickets

Tickets must be purchased for all individuals.
Ocean Institute Members receive complimentary year-round general admission!
Not a member? Click here to join today!

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.

Click here for our Refund and Ticket Transfer Policy.
