Alaska SeaLife Center

On a whim my husband and I decided to make a trip from Anchorage to see the sea life center for a fun winter date. It was really nice coming in winter because it wasn't busy, we were able to take our time looking at all the critters. So many cool invertebrates, fish, birds, and even seals and sea lions. I really liked the hallway with the brittle and basket stars, and all the tanks with different sized young salmon. And all the flounder! So fun to watch how they swim, they were much more active than I would have expected. It took us about an hour and a half to go through. The only bummer is that all the lights were off inside the hospital area so we couldn't see inside through the viewing window, we were curious about the rehabilitation part but there wasn't much to view or read about that part of the sea life center. They did have some free seafood recipe pamphlets from the Alaska Seafood Institute too which was neat. They also had 3 different activity stations set up for kids so if you're looking for a fun activity for the family this would be a great place!

This is an excellent place to take the little ones! There’s a must see observation deck in the second floor. The sea lion viewing tank is amazing! I’ve never seen a sea lion so big up close. I’d actually visit this place every time I venture to Seward. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to touch the starfish. There’s a lot of fun facts to learn here, and you should definitely check it out.

Had some time in the morning before we rode the bus out of town and decided to support this establishment. It isn't an overly large aquarium but it has a nice diversity of animals and is laid out in an easy to follow format. It would be a fun place to take the family for a few hours.

Learning about the types of ducks, stellar the sea lion swimming in rounds, touching sea anemone, shrimps etc is worth your time. Appreciating sealife, the Lake and Mountain view is what highlights Seward.

It's one of the must visit places in Seward. It's not huge and would not take a lot of time to see around, but there is a lot to learn about the conservation efforts underway. The people who work there are passionate about their work and are always willing to chat about what the center is working on. The bird enclosure is especially nice where you can get a closer look at puffins and other species of birds seen around the region.

We visited in October on our honeymoon and enjoyed a bit more free space at about noon. This was a very nice aquatic center, with plenty of exabits to look at for several hours. The general areas and bathrooms were well cleaned. The gift shop was big and had a nice variety of merch to support the cause. Hope to be back one day!

What a fantastic aquarium! I especially love the area with the puffins. You can finally photograph one and watch them bathe themselves. I could have stayed there forever. The tanks were so clean. I was really impressed. The touch tanks were spectacular. Where else can you touch a shrimp???? So many beautiful sea stars and sea cucumbers to feel. Watching the sea lions swim was very beautiful. I also loved the red octopus. The staff are so kind and they answer all your questions. Another wonderful aspect is that they rehab and release some of the animals. I was hoping to see the Beluga Whale but it was released back into the wild. That is so cool!

Located on the shores of Resurrection Bay. The aquarium is a premier rehabilitation Center for the sea life. They had lots of aquariums to see all species of fish.. Harbor seals, walrus, etc. My favorite exhibit was seeing the puffins! The facility has several levels so you can view the animals at top and also underwater in the basement area. They also have an exterior viewing platform that overlooks Resurrection Bay. Great place to visit on a rainy day. They did have a lovely gift shop and restrooms. It was nice that they had a free coat check when you entered. You can spend a little bit of time or a whole day there reading and seeing everything.. Great for all ages! They did have elevators for people with disabilities.

5 months ago Really enjoyed our visit! Learned a lot about the amazing work that the SeaLife Center does with animals throughout Alaska and the country. My favorite was the aviary. Being in by the puffins was a great experience! Seeing a Stellar Sea Lion up close really put their size into perspective. The harbor seals made the visit worthwhile! If you find yourself in Seward, Alaska, it's definitely worth a visit if you enjoy aquariums and conservation

The center has two amazing experiences: 1. The touch and feel some of the sea life. You'll be able to interact with starfish and shellfish. It's a great opportunity to teach your kids about some of the animals close to shore. 2. The open puffin, duck and bird area. I don't think I would have ever been this close to a puffin! They have a few different variations and a diverse bird community. The reason I gave it a 4, it's mostly cause of the price. I think they could have added more interactive sections because everything else was a big bland compare to the aquariums I've traveled too. Still 20x better than the Houston one.

I really enjoyed seeing all the sea animals being rehabilitated here. Especially the puffins!!! I could've spent all day with them. Absolutely loved seeing them up close & personal. Definitely worth the visit plus it's for a great cause!!

We stopped here after the northbound Alaska cruise. It was an interesting place. It was full of sealife knowledge. The gift shop had a plethora of books on the different wildlife in Alaska, for purchase. It was clean and orderly. I highly recommend people see this exhibit.

It's not a mega aquarium like Georgia or Monterey, but it's a very well done presentation focusing on Alaskan sea based wildlife. The touch pool was outstanding, huge and definitely included things I hadn't touched before. Great bird enclosure with no barriers. I imagine when a cruise ship is in town it gets super crowded, but was very relaxed for my visit. The only thing holding me back from a fifth star is the high price considering the modest size...especially since I kept hearing it had been funded by the Exxon oil spill.

First of all, I'm a tourist from Minnesota. We drove here from Anchorage. It's very scenic. The listed admission was $34, then tax added so it was $38 something. Yikes, it better be worth it. There are literally 2 floors here. I touched the starfish and anemoes. I took some photos of sea lions and watched spotted seals swim. The view of Resurrection Bay was nice outside. There really wasn't much here besides some salmon aquariums also. Alaskan Residents get a discount. Hopefully my admission was used to feed fish and maintenance of tanks. Very underwhelming and expensive. Not a good value. It was OK, meh.

The Alaska Sealift Center is really a wonderful place to take the kiddos! I was disappointed in the admission cost, and not being a cross-admission discount with any other aquarium/zoo memberships. It is only 2 floors, it's not huge but very well done and lots of things for the kiddos to enjoy. The $38 for admission is outrageous. The center itself is well taken care of, clean and staff are friendly. I think maybe $15 is reasonable for the exhibit. I don't think it'd a good value.

Absolutely LOVED this place. Took free trolley around town and ended up here the day before our cruise. We loved it so very much. Lots to see and learn but best of all, the staff was so nice! And the place was so clean.

The Alaska SeaLife Center is Alaska's premier public aquarium and Alaska's only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility. It was so wonderful to be amongst these adorable wildlife creatures. It's a good reminder of how important it is to protect our planet.

Great place to check out for tourists and locals alike! Outstanding exhibits, animals, customer service and gift shop.

Right on Resurrection Bay... you can't miss it. hahaha! (It's at the other end of town from the boat harbor and and where you take the day cruises.) My favorite part was the Puffin exhibit. You got to see the Puffins up close which was much better than on the day cruise where we saw Puffins at a distance. (These birds are smaller than Eagles so they are much harder to see at a distance.) Oh... and my other favorite part was the touch tanks. (If you have littles, this is a good time to teach them how to touch softly or gently.) Note, I don't know why I was surprised, but I was.... the water was icy cold. The facility is well laid out and organized. All in all, I'd say plan on 1.5 to 2 hours to take your time and enjoy the exhibits and the different tanks. And if you're like me... and it happens to be a beautiful day.... you may want to bask in the beauty that is Alaska and Resurrection Bay on their outdoor deck.

The Alaska SeaLife Center is one positive result from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, in that the settlement largely paid for this world class public aquarium and marine mammal rehabilitation facility. The facility is located on the water in Downtown Seward and was also easily accessible to me and Gayle via a shuttle bus that also stopped at our Hotel. We probably spent a couple hours here (our usual upper end for museums) and especially enjoyed watching the puffins (and other sea birds) and the marine mammals. The staff we interacted with were friendly and happy to be here at this very well organized non-profit and kid-friendly complex. The gift shop (including the Lobby kiosk) is also cut above.

This place is nice, they offer a local discount so i am in. I am a fan and love this place but it is small compared to other sealife centers i know this is due to being in freaking Alaksa and a million miles from people, crowds and other support. It would be hard to have a larger center with little no no visits during winter. I do love a lot here and will continue to come back and support. I think they can improve in a few areas. This would make it a 5 star for me more audio options. buttons to push and hear about the think i am sitting in front of. That way you don't have to pay an employee to do this and it's short and sweet. Viva the robot Revolution! Just kidding but in some areas where you don't have employees this would be nice. Your lobby is large and i feel could have more interaction in it. donate to here donate to there. this could be a normal thing but covid ruined everything. i saw the one spot with the sea lions but maybe a larger interactive donation buckets where people can donate to vote for your favorite creature today? I am not saying supper large but have photos of the animals and below maybe put some stats of wheee the money will go. an example of this did you know one meal for mr sea lion cost $x the octopus eats only the finest X and it cost X anything educational but also help me understand where my donation is going. just food for thought. i would feel better paying more if i knew it cost $Xxx per day to run the place. This is probably coming from my new found fear of donating to places that pay the top executives more than they are worth to do next to nothing. not saying this place is like that but help me know where my money goes.

Wonderful! Had lots of fish, birds and a huge sea lion. A hands-on pool allowed us to touch sea urchins, starfish, sea anemones and more. Marine educators talk about the creatures and answer questions. There is an elevator and a very nice large gift shop. Nice restrooms. Is worth your time.

Very nice aquarium / sealife center focused on Alaska. Yes, there are bigger aquariums elsewhere, but not in Alaska focused on the flora and fauna of Alaska. This was also built with a lot of money from the Exxon Valdez settlement, so that's a plus.

If you have a free afternoon head on over to the Alaska Sealife Center. The center offers one of the best views of this glorious bay and her mountains! The center is a sanctuary for all sorts of birds, fish and other marine life creatures. Plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions. Dip your hands in the section that allows you to feel the marine life. Watch the Sea Lions get fed. High quality center to learn about the marine life and fisheries of Alaska. Plan at least an hour. Close to several restaurants too. Be sure to walk the first mile of the Iditarod Trail since you are "in town". BTW Seward was "established" on 8/28.

Great spot to learn about sealife in Alaska. The staff are all extremely friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. My friend and I learned so much about the birds (from Shana) and fish in their outdoor part. It's a wonderful experience! We had so much fun.

It's a really cute aquarium. Tons of fish, seals, sea stars, birds etc. I always love a touch tank! The seals really looked well cared for and happy which is huge for me. There's tons of birds you can enter into the open fly area. It's a good engagement piece. My issue was that I love reading about different species but their electronic signs change too fast, and have very little information besides the origin of them and name. I was really bummed I was left really wanting more. Parking is just outside in a lot. The town is cute and the landscape is breath taking.

I was very happy to see some puffins up close! Also got to touch some live starfish and shrimps! They do provide clean towels and hand sanitizers. The sea lions and seals looks so happy and content swimming all day. The sealife center does good things here, but I just wish it was a bit bigger. Why were there no otters? I had set aside an afternoon to visit here, but we were done in about an hour since there are not much interactive activities. Show your AAA card and save a few bucks on the tax.

Loved this family friendly place and the interactive exhibits. We also appreciated the docents, they were informative and extremely knowledgeable. They also rehabilitate marine life. Enjoy

Love this place. Educational and fun. They have animals there that they are nursing back to health, and they provide homes for those that can't return to the wild. In the early afternoon we got to watch them feed the animals. Opportunity to interact with some animals at the touch station. Remember your camera!

Well run and kept up nicely. It's on the smaller side but don't let that deter you from going. They help injured animals and you can visit certain ones who are able to be in public spaces. It's a nice way to spend an hour while you're in Seward. Added pluses are the free photo booth (lots of fun!) and the beautifully curated gift shop.

We were very surprised by how much sea-life they had in the center. The staff seemed to be very interested in the care and wellness of their animals. Some animals are being rehabilitated while others cannot be released into the wild due to health issues. Our whole family throughly enjoyed this place. If you have time to spare, stop by this place. It was also within walking distance of Best Western Plus (half a block).

Definitely worth the visit. In the second floor exhibits/area there was a string urine odour and a lot of fans running which made it super cold. We got to see an otter get all cleaned up and dry with a worker through some windows. That was great to see. I really love how the place talks about our footprints and encourages you to use refillable water bottles and to reuse your grocery bags. This is very important. There was a giant octopus made from debris taken from a beach in Alaska also really cool to see. I loved all the information that you're provided throughout the facility. I wish I knew more about how they receive the animals and release the animals. I'm really hoping this isn't a sea world. Some of the fish "cages" were really small and seemed so sad.

Such a delight gem in the picturesque town of Seward. Everyone was so friendly and eager to help you here. The animals were so close and visible from many different angles and there was a touch place for those who like that. There was plenty of room to take your time at any exhibit without feeling like you were holding up others. Next time I'm in Seward i'll definitely be stopping by again!

Highly recommend the Puffin experience for up close and personal insights into Alcids! Overall experience is exceptional

Nice little aquarium. All the animals seem well cared for. Good focus on local wildlife. Good interpretive staff. Fairly extensive touch tanks. Pretty small (you can get through the space in an hour or so). Worth checking out if in area.

We loved this aquarium! So many cute animals! Such beautiful views! The aquarium has reciprocal admission policies with several zoos. We can't wait to be back.

After we were wet and cold with an very uneventful wildlife boat tour we decided to come here with kids and in-laws....what a bright light recovery to the trip!!! I really wish I could remember the young ladies name (employee of the center that was from California) she was awesome!! Super friendly and patient with all our questions. She was super insightful and amazing attitude (she made all the difference). The sea lions, seals, and informational exhibits allowed our family to see the majority of what we missed and hoped to see on our lengthy boat trip. Support a great cause and check out the center.

I couldn't have been happier!!!! :D I had the time of my life at the Alaska Sealife Center. I purchased the Marine Mammal Encounter and a tour to go behind the scenes to see their otter. The experience was beyond what I could have ever expected. I was smiling ear to ear HOURS after leaving... I was just so happy! I REALLY recommend doing the tours and encounters. It was really special to get so close to seals and their otter and learn so much about them. Next time I would like to Octopus encounter! As for the center itself, there are a lot of little surprises when you explore! I was so excited to see the baby walrus.... I could of stood there and watched him for hours! Overall, the team that work there are really passionate about animals and love sharing their knowledge with guests. I recommend coming here any day. It was one of the most memorable memories I've ever had in Alaska!

Such a magical place. Great habitats and rehab programs for wildlife. The experiences are well worth their price tag. There is so much to see and do here that you can easily spend a couple hours here.

Very well organized and fun to spend time here! Not too big but not too small. Admission seems to be a little bit of expensive but we had fun. Kids friendly.

This is a favorite place to visit in Seward. Lots of educational material about sea creatures present and past, a wonderful live seabird exhibit, sea lions and seals - and a glimpse of some of the animals they are rehabbing. We've been several times and enjoyed it all. The only disappointment this time was that the birds were only visible behind glass to keep them from bird flu. One of my favorite memories is of a small grandchild belly laughing at the puffins swimming (still visible, just not as close).

We were introduced to the ASC from a Disney+ show, so we were anxious to go here during our stay in Seward. Very expensive for such a short tour. There are a couple of aquariums with some neat critters, a fun section where you can pet the shrimp and starfish, and 1 exhibit each of seals and sea lions and water fowl. And that's pretty much it. The staff was friendly and courteous, but it was unfortunately not worth the $80 for about 20 minutes of viewing. I'll probably stick to watching it on TV.

Yes, as an Alaskan you must go. You'll be delightfully surprised at how nice the facility and exhibits are. I was. I haven't been to Seward for many years. But I decided on a staycation. Seward did not disappoint. The Sealife Center was really the best part of Seward. The exhibits are very good, the staff is excellent. I was happy to hear from a docent that Alaskans have really stepped up help the Sealife Center stay open since tourism has really dropped off this year. But sure to ask for the Alaskan resident ticket price, but consider paying the most so that this wonderful research facility can stay open. I loved seeing the octopus, of course the puffins, and the wolf eel. Nice exhibits on ocean debris and salmon. Unfortunately the cafe is closed, but we were able to get a nice meal in Seward. Definitely worth the visit.

I spent hours here several years ago. I took beautiful photos and enjoyed just watching at the large aquariums. I told a lot of people if they were in Alaska not to miss this place. I visited this month and was appalled at the conditions. The water in the large aquariums was so dirty you could not get good photos. I felt bad for the sea-life in them. I do not plan to return or recommend this place to others.

Small, yet Swimmingly Satisfying! Be warned, this place is NOT on the level of those large aquariums with whales & sharks & underwater tunnels. In fact, we completed it in about an hour (then went back for more puffin-time!) That said, it is NOT the sole reason to come to Seward, AK. IT IS, however, a VERY NICE CENTER that made yet another wonderful piece to our stay in Seward. The bird exhibit (FILLED WITH PUFFINS) was definitely a highlight of our vacation. TIP: Be flexible when to visit. Perhaps if rain is forecasted or on your travel day back (we visited before our 6pm train back to Anchorage.)

Such an incredible experience. Puffin room is my favorite. I've spent an hour just hanging out with the birds. Definitely a must stop when in Seward. Spent time chatting with Jewels one of the animal caretakers and she is incredible

The kids really enjoyed it here today! The sea lion is massive and fun to watch. The large signs are informative and well made. The place is clean and soothing. Only down side was the cafe was closed with a ton of visitors here today and we felt the adult price was a little too high but it was a perfect stop on a rainy day.

Lots of awesome animals to see here & very educational. Seward is a beautiful town & the drive is gorgeous, this place was the cherry on top!

Everyone should probably go here once. But, I'm rapidly devolving into a grumpy old man lately and the price ($20*) is just too damn high for what this place offers. It's small. You could do everything there is to do in about 2-3 hours, and you'd be streeetching it. What is here, is definitely interesting and well done: The bird area: they are swimming and flying around, right up in your face. Very cool. I'm not even "into birds" and I was impressed by this area. Everyone loves Puffins, everyone. The salmon area: this was actually my favorite part. It's awesome to see real life examples of all the stages of metamorphosis of Salmon, right IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. (except for the adult stage, you need to go catch those yourself) Harbor Seals: these guys love to come right up to the glass and pretend they are going to ram you, then turn at the last second. Such a tease. Stellar Sealions: HUGE. (tank was a bit small though?) One big disappointment: where are the Sea Otters? These guys are practically the mascot of Seward yet they don't have an exhibit in the Sealife Center? Yes, I know you can see them in Seward If you know where to look, would've been great to see them really up-close and personal, though. *there is a small discount if you're an Alaska resident

The best part of Seward, although it is small and expensive. We paid $29.95/each as there was no senior discount, which is a first. While we enjoyed the Center, there wasn't any spectacular about it and it wasn't that large, so in my opinion it wasn't worth the almost $30 each we paid.

Great place for kids and adults. Very informative and all the staff we met were helpful. The kids in our group loved touching sea urchins, starfish, etc. -- So did a few adults. It takes about 11/2 to 2 hours to see everything. The gift shop is one of the better ones that we have seen.

Home of the nasty toilet. They won't let me give zero starts, so... The toilet self flushed itself twice while I was using it. The flush was excessive and spewed is content out of the bowl all over me and my clothing . I complained and got an "oh well I will tell someone". Not the right answer. Later asked for a refund for my ticket and was given one but no apology what so ever. They seemed to care more about they exhibit of marine wildlife than the people visiting. Not happy. Find something better to do in Seward.

The Sealife Center is the main attraction whenever I go to Seward. I've been here many times over the years and while little has changed, I still enjoy visiting. The atmosphere of the center and the town of Seward as a whole is very calming. Since this place is small, especially compared to other aquariums in the US, you can easily get through here between an hour and 90 minutes. There's some interesting information about sealife and ecosystems that is easy to read and understand. My favorite part is watching the seal lions and harbor seals swimming, which you can do from outside on the upper level or downstairs inside on the lower level. The gift shop is cute and a great place to pick up some Alaska souvenirs if you're visiting from out of state. There's also a small coffee/snack area near the gift shop, but they have shorter horus than the Sealife center and the gift shop. All in all a nice place to stop by whether you're an Alaska resident (you get a discount with proper ID) or a tourist and want to do something in Seward besides go on a cruise.

I love this place. Any time I come back to visit family, I try to go here. It's a smaller, intimate aquarium, with beautiful tanks and enclosures, and a great view of their research/recovery pens. The view outside of the center is breathtaking-- especially from their outside balconies. The staff at the front is always wonderfully friendly, helpful, and informative, always quick to let us know when the next shows are before we can even ask. The staff that are responsible for the "residents" are very knowledgeable as well, and it's clear everyone here loves their job. The place is kept clean, the animals are kept healthy and happy, and they are constantly improving their enclosures. The fact that the majority of these animals are rescues, and cannot be released back into the wild for very specific, very valid reasons-- asking any staff member will help you to understand this. I do agree with some reviews that the price is steep, but when it comes to the fact that the money you put into this goes towards the furthering education of the community, the research and efforts surrounding the rescuing of these animals and assisting in saving their populations, I'm not complaining. They have two Stellar Sea Lions now-- two!-- which may not seem significant to some, but in 2000 there were only 45k left. How many have you seen before up close? They're massive and beautiful and this place is one step further to helping them stick around for your children to see. Go visit--you won't regret it! Go for the center, see all the sights, and stick around for homey, friendly Seward in general. It's right down the street from shops and restaurants!

Do not compare this to other marine venues. Spawned by the Valdez oil spill, this organization is about the restoration, and preservation of marine wildlife. Supporting them is a privilege. And at the same time it gives you an up close and personal look at the critters in and around Seward. The bird area introduces you to puffins, gulls, and cormorants. I was spellbound. I didn't want to leave. Then go down a level to see all the underwater activity. Children were captivated by the touch area, and many of the displays. Certainly this is one of the most rewarding things you can do during a visit to Seward.

I was expecting a lot. I really love aquarium's! This one was like $21 so not that bad of a deal but the gift shop was crazy overpriced!! The place is acutally really small. I thought it would be much larger. Having said that, they do have some great displays. I liked the trash octopus and trash fish. Really puts things into perspective. STOP LITTERING like right now. They have a cool hands on tank. They had some crabs in it, the crab is so use to people he just sat still. It was kind of funny. They have a rather large Sea Lion! What is cool about his tank. They pump ocean water into the tank and let it back out to the ocean. Lots of stuff floating in the water.

I really enjoyed the center and all the exhibits. We had a baby with us and it was very baby friendly- she had a fantastic time.

Excellent aquarium! I took my family and friends here after our cruise ended. It looks like it's a small aquarium but there is ALOT inside. Very cool and active sea lions and seals exhibit. Their Puffin exhibit is incredible, you are so close to them that you could easily touch them, but we didn't. Alot more exhibits to see. Several interactive exhibits for the kids. I highly recommend this to everyone!