Heal the Bay Aquarium

Heal the Bay Aquarium is a small marine-education aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier, at 1600 Ocean Front Walk, beneath the historic carousel building. It shows over 100 local species from Santa Monica Bay, with touch tanks and hands-on programs. Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for kids 4 to 12. While the Pier Bridge is rebuilt, Heal the Bay has paused its regular weekend public hours, as of October 19, 2026.

Visiting During the Pier Bridge Work

Heal the Bay says that from October 19, 2026, it has temporarily paused its regularly scheduled weekend public hours and birthday parties while bridge construction is under way. School programs and other aquarium programs continue. In place of weekend drop-in hours it is holding special events and open houses, which it posts on its events calendar and Instagram.

So before you go, check Heal the Bay's events page for the next open house. Do not plan on simply dropping in on a Saturday.

What You Will See

The aquarium focuses on the animals that live in Santa Monica Bay, including the ones right under the Pier.

• Touch tanks, where staff and volunteers help you handle local invertebrates.
• Under the Pier, an exhibit of life beneath the Santa Monica Pier. Look closely at the sand: the halibut like to lie flat.
• Horn sharks and swell sharks in an open-top exhibit, with staff explaining why they are harmless.

Tickets

• Adults and teens 13 and up: $12
• Kids 4 to 12: $5
• Kids 3 and under: free with a paying adult (an adult must come with children)
• Students and adults 65+: $10
• EBT cardholders: $6
• Active-duty military, retired military and veterans: free
• Groups: $10 each for 5 or more adults; $3 each for 10 or more children

A Heal the Bay membership gives 12 months of free visits.

Getting There

The entrance is at beach level on Ocean Front Walk, under the carousel building, not up on the deck. Heal the Bay notes its loading zone is closed during bridge work. You can still park in Lot 1 North, though construction may block parts of it; Lot 1 South stays fully open. See parking.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: young kids, rainy or foggy beach days, and anyone curious about what lives under the Pier.

Maybe skip if: you want a big aquarium with large tanks. This is a small education center, and during bridge work it opens mainly for scheduled events.

Heal the Bay and Water Quality

Heal the Bay is the same nonprofit that publishes the Beach Report Card, the A-to-F water-quality grades for California beaches. See swimming and water quality for how to check Santa Monica's grades before you go in the water.