Aquarium of the Bay

Very nice and well maintained aquarium. Lots of fish and sharks to see, even though this aquarium is pretty small compared to some. Not sure if it was necessary worth the price, since we did the whole thing in less than an hour, but I’m still glad we visited. The little otters were our favorite! 🦦

Fell in love with this place. I've been to San Diego and I have to say this sweeps the floor with it. Warning it is small but the long viewing tunnel is extraordinary and you will love it as much as the other guests we were passing by saying how amazing it looked. The glass is maintained clean and clear. The amount of creatures is relatively low but I wouldn't worry about it... they got otters! Paying was a bit confusing because I didn't know whether I had to pay inside or by qr code that was outside. We paid inside. I have to add and big shout out to whoever designed the shirts and sweaters. I have never ever in my life bought merch from aquarium of the Pacific and I love that place but I bought one from here and if I was a girl damn there were some nice looking sweaters. Also the team here is great smiling and radiating happy vibes. Keep up the good work!

Nice variety of aquatic life viewing experiences. The tunnel is cool and a little unnerving when you first walk in and there's a shark swimming overhead. The couple of river otters they had at the time were a hit. And a fun opportunity to touch rays! Expect lots of little kiddos running around. The layout also pretty much forces you to visit each section of the aquarium in order, so if you want to revisit an exhibit you kinda have to swim upstream.

Great small aquarium. There are lots of things to see and it wasnt super crowded. We were actually able to stop and look at each tank. I loved the jellyfish exhibits and the stingray touch area. Otters were adorable and shark tunnels awesome!

This was a really fun aquarium. I highly recommend adding it to your Pier 39 or SF visit. It took about 2 hours to see everything. They had a touch pool where you could touch baby rays (we could've been there all day) and another with sea slugs, star fish, and anemones. Really enjoyed it, and we will be back again.

Great aquarium with a good amount of sea life. Some of the aquarium glass is starting to show its age but, coupling the aquarium with the other sites like the indoor rainforest and planetarium, there's hours of fun to be had for a family. It was worth the cost of entry and I enjoyed my visit.

This was a fun stop as we missed going to the San Diego aquarium. The tunnel was really cool as I’ve looked forward to this for years. Would recommend stopping here. Not very big but how big do you need?

The Aquarium of the Bay is one of the many tourist attractions at the popular pier 39. It consists of two floors. The first floor has a tank of herring, touch pools with rays and anemone, and a pair of sea otters. The highlight is the lower floor. A long underwater tunnel offers great views of native sea creatures, including several types of sharks. Overall, the aquarium is small and can get crowded. The fee for adults of $24 is rather steep. However, the underwater tunnel is quite an experience.

Very nice and well maintained aquarium. Lots of fish and sharks to see, even though this aquarium is pretty small compared to some. Not sure if it was necessary worth the price, since we did the whole thing in less than an hour, but I’m still glad we visited. The little otters were our favorite! 🦦

Fell in love with this place. I've been to San Diego and I have to say this sweeps the floor with it. Warning it is small but the long viewing tunnel is extraordinary and you will love it as much as the other guests we were passing by saying how amazing it looked. The glass is maintained clean and clear. The amount of creatures is relatively low but I wouldn't worry about it... they got otters! Paying was a bit confusing because I didn't know whether I had to pay inside or by qr code that was outside. We paid inside. I have to add and big shout out to whoever designed the shirts and sweaters. I have never ever in my life bought merch from aquarium of the Pacific and I love that place but I bought one from here and if I was a girl damn there were some nice looking sweaters. Also the team here is great smiling and radiating happy vibes. Keep up the good work!

Nice variety of aquatic life viewing experiences. The tunnel is cool and a little unnerving when you first walk in and there's a shark swimming overhead. The couple of river otters they had at the time were a hit. And a fun opportunity to touch rays! Expect lots of little kiddos running around. The layout also pretty much forces you to visit each section of the aquarium in order, so if you want to revisit an exhibit you kinda have to swim upstream.

Great small aquarium. There are lots of things to see and it wasnt super crowded. We were actually able to stop and look at each tank. I loved the jellyfish exhibits and the stingray touch area. Otters were adorable and shark tunnels awesome!

This was a really fun aquarium. I highly recommend adding it to your Pier 39 or SF visit. It took about 2 hours to see everything. They had a touch pool where you could touch baby rays (we could've been there all day) and another with sea slugs, star fish, and anemones. Really enjoyed it, and we will be back again.

Great aquarium with a good amount of sea life. Some of the aquarium glass is starting to show its age but, coupling the aquarium with the other sites like the indoor rainforest and planetarium, there's hours of fun to be had for a family. It was worth the cost of entry and I enjoyed my visit.

This was a fun stop as we missed going to the San Diego aquarium. The tunnel was really cool as I’ve looked forward to this for years. Would recommend stopping here. Not very big but how big do you need?

The Aquarium of the Bay is one of the many tourist attractions at the popular pier 39. It consists of two floors. The first floor has a tank of herring, touch pools with rays and anemone, and a pair of sea otters. The highlight is the lower floor. A long underwater tunnel offers great views of native sea creatures, including several types of sharks. Overall, the aquarium is small and can get crowded. The fee for adults of $24 is rather steep. However, the underwater tunnel is quite an experience.

This place is the first stop of our week long vacation! It was an Incredible place! With so much to see! It wasn't super big but there was a whole underwater section with two massive tanks with SO many fish, stingrays, sharks, starfish and more! There was many little tanks all over with jellyfish, snakes, starfish, and more to see! And every animal in the aquarium had little information panels for them! I do wish there was a Little more. It definitely was full of a lot of stuff, but, for how much the ticket was, I would have liked just a Little more!

I wish I could give 3.5 stars as that would be much more accurate. The tickets prices are high for what is offered- however I purchased mine through Groupon & saved quite a bit. Let me preface by saying I have not visited this aquarium since it was Steinhart at Golden Gate Park. I was in a fishery biology college class then and our instructor had an in. Which meant we were totally behind the scenes at this spectacular aquarium. We got to feed some of the really big fish which was way cool. So, fast forward to our visit yesterday at Aquarium of the Bay located at Pier 39.....no comparison whatsoever. However my granddaughter had not been to an aquarium so she was delighted. She wanted to take photos of every single fish. There were some nice displays but I was shocked we were in and out in 40 minutes.

The girl that was working the front desk was literally the rudest person to our party of 7 including a potty training toddler. I asked where the closest restroom was and she literally WOULD NOT answer the question until we told her how many passes we were gonna buy. I DIDNT WANT TO USE THE PAID AQUARIUM BATHROOM but my potty training toddler need a restroom immediately. Needless to say instead of buying 7 aquarium tickets we took a boat cruise with a staff that had respect and common courtesy. Tip to the brown haired girl working the afternoon of 5/8 Don't work in a customer support job if you're a b***h.

I had a great time at the Aquarium of the Bay! It was really cool to see such a variety of marine life, from the tiniest fish to the enormous ones. The highlight of the visit was definitely walking through the tunnel--being surrounded by sharks and fish all swimming together was an unforgettable experience. The layout is easy to navigate, and the staff was friendly. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that I wish the exhibits were a little bigger, and there were more exhibits in general but overall, it's definitely worth a visit!

Huh. That's it? Such a small aquarium, especially for the price. The cost is not commensurate with the experience. They have two small floors, and as of October 2024 multiple exhibits and then the gift shop were under renovation. Unless you have very young children who do well with short experiences, I'd skip it.

Would I come out of my way to go here? No. Is it worth the ticket price? Not really. Is it a good stop to kill some time in Pier 39? I guess so. But it takes me back to my first two questions and I'd rather spend my money and time elsewhere. We got through the whole aquarium in about 35 minutes. The coolest part was the walkthrough fish tank where you're surrounded by all the sea animals swimming around you, and the sea otter area was fun to watch too. Otherwise it's definitely a small aquarium and was not worth the $70 we paid for our tickets, but luckily our kids were still free.

I like to visit aquariums and museums during my vacation travels. As previous reviews mentioned, this aquarium is on the smaller side but fun, nonetheless. Given the size and time spent inside the aquarium, the admission fee should be adjusted as $35 is a bit much in my opinion. Thankfully, it wasn't too busy when I visited so I had ample space to walk around and view the areas comfortably. I enjoyed the variety of aquatic animals, and it was a delight to see. If it's your first-time visiting SF and you have the time and money to spend, it's worth the trip.

We took my daughter here for a birthday weekend fun. We went on a Saturday about an hour and a half before they closed. It was very crowded when we walked in and we had to stand in a line to get in. Once we got in we had to make a stop at the restrooms and they were very dirty. The floors were a light tile but they had a dark grey film of dirt on them and were wet near the sinks. The stall I went into had a broken latch and no seat covers. I understand they get busy but I didn't expect them to be this dirty since they aren't public bathrooms. I had my baby with me and the changing table was placed in a cramped corner. The exhibits were fun to look at and the water tunnels were our favorite part of the experience.

Tickets are a bit expensive for this small aquarium. We finished exploring in less than 2 hours. Highlights: Watching mesmerizing jellyfish. Walking through underwater tunnels of fishies. Petting starfish, sharks, and stingrays. Watching the river otters chase each other! Cute plushies in the gift store. The Aquarium of the Bay might be a good option to entertain the little ones :)

Def do not need to go. First, there was a line outside the door to check in. It was so crowded. They should def limit how many people go in at a time. You don't get the full experience when someone is in front of you and to the side of you. They have your usual fish, jelly fish, some sharks, star fish experience and sting ray experience. I feel like it's more for kids. It was very short. Can finish everything in like 20 mins, maybe faster if it wasn't for so many people in front of you. You have to take the elevator down and up during the walk, which was annoying because there was so many people the elevators got filled quick and you had to wait for the next one. It was wheelchair accessible which was nice. Overall, I definitely didn't don't recommend.

My boyfriend and I recently visited the aquarium at the bay as part of a city pass package, and it was an absolute delight! The first section, adorned with little fish and a charming robot guide, took us on a whimsical tour of the underwater world, sharing fascinating facts about each tank along the way. The interactive nature of this experience added an extra layer of enjoyment as we explored the aquatic habitats. However, the true highlights of our visit were the shark tunnel and the mesmerizing jellyfish exhibit. Walking through the tunnel, surrounded by a bustling school of fish and the occasional glimpse of a majestic shark, was an unforgettable experience. And the jellyfish! Oh, they were simply breathtaking, gracefully dancing in their illuminated tanks, casting an ethereal glow throughout the room. Overall, the aquarium at the bay is a must-visit for anyone who appreciates the wonders of the ocean and has a curious spirit. Whether you're a marine enthusiast or simply looking for a charming day out, this place promises an enchanting underwater adventure you won't soon forget.

The Aquarium of the Bay reps California very well. Located close to Pier 49, you'll easily find it when you see the 3 seal statues in front of the Aquarium. Tickets were $25 online, and are pricier in person. Order your tickets ahead! The Aquarium is relatively small, with an elevator taking you to different floors. You can see fish, sharks, otters and corals. The shop is quite nice as well My sister and I enjoyed the experience, but we wish there was more sea-life to observe. It would be nice to get an upgrade on the near future for such a nice Aquarium

Maybe it's just because I'm a local, but for the longest time, I always assumed that Aquarium of the Bay was a bit of a tourist trap. Not necessarily in a gimmicky sort of way (though, it was possible), but because of it's location in Pier 39, which is inherently touristy. Now, having been? I can definitively say it's not a gimmick (for the most part). However, it definitely feels like it's targeting tourists...and to possibly trap them. Now, just to be clear - Aquarium of the Bay actually is an aquarium, albeit far from a fancy one. The exhibits are actual exhibits, they do try to teach guests about marine life, especially as it pertains to the Bay/California's waters, and there's a mixture of hands-on activities for kids and adults alike, including an area to touch baby stingrays and anemones. The underwater walkway is pretty cool too, even if only to be more immersed in the environment of the various fish and sharks, but my favorite parts were easily the tanks with jelly fish and getting to watch the sea otters run around and play with each other in their enclosure. As for this place being a trap? It mostly has to do with value/price. At about $33 a pop for adults, tickets aren't exactly cheap, especially when you consider what you get. While what I mentioned above is great, that's also pretty much the bulk of what there is to see. For reference, we saw it noted that it takes about 2-3 hours to see everything, but we were pretty much in and out in a little over an hour. Granted, there weren't any kids in our group and we kind of glazed over certain parts, so that certainly would've added more time to our visit. Also, there are two separate points where workers will ask if you want to take a photo that you can buy at the end as a souvenir, whereas one is probably sufficient. For tourists visiting SF who might be limited on time, Aquarium of the Bay isn't awful if you're looking to visit an aquarium and already happen to be around Pier 39, particularly if you have kids, so long as you're okay with paying a premium. Otherwise, if come here expecting a facility and amenities as impressive and expansive as what the Academy of Sciences or Monterey Bay has to offer (which both cost more but offer a better value), you're inevitably going to be disappointed.

The Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco is an absolute gem! The staff here are amazing and incredibly knowledgeable, always ready to share fascinating facts about the marine life. Their passion and expertise make the experience even more enjoyable. Every visit is a fun time, with so much to see and learn. The exhibits are well-maintained, and the variety of sea creatures is impressive. It's a perfect outing for families, friends, or anyone looking to have a great time while exploring the wonders of the ocean. Highly recommend visiting!

Good experience. Not very big, but they have some interesting exhibits and a few fun interactive ones. Not the best aquarium I've been to, but it does make for a great date day out.

Cute little aquarium at pier 39. Agree with other reviewers that prices are on the higher end considering it' is a smaller aquarium. But coming from Hawaii, which has the tiniest aquarium we have much lower expectations. There are three different levels with its own theme, including a touch pool and a sea otter exhibit. My kids and I had a great time exploring and the staff was very friendly and interactive.

Why 5 stars? Because I had a personal tour guide! A Robot actually, who introduced me to the first round of exhibits.... Now that said, here is my story: I'm passing some time away at Pier 39 and part of my journey was to view the exhibits at the Aquarium of the Bay, Entrance is on the 2nd floor of Pier 39. Go through the Aquarium's Retail space to the ticket office and you are off! "put on your fins and let's go"!!! The first part of the exhibit introduces you to jelly fish and seaweed. Well, this robot (pardon me, I didn't get HER name) explains each fish, each living seaweed and anything you want to know (But you cannot touch HER, she's shy).. SHE takes you to 6 different tanks with different underwater living things.... does a great job of explaining and at the end of her tour, SHE politely reminds you to "put on your fins...." and then says goodbye. The world of robotics (I tell you!!!!) Take the elevator to level one which puts you into the aquarium where many deep sea creatures are living. I wonder, they must know us humans are in their arena as they literally swim to the glass and look you directly in your eyes... (No, I'm not imagining, No, I'm not exaggerating) At the end of the Aquarium tour is the above land creatures like turtles, snakes and the like. The explanation of each creature gave me a different take on life other than humans..... AND, There is an exhibit on eco concerns showing how many plastic bottles we humans use and how it can damage the other living creatures.... Informative at the very least! If you're in the area; do it!

The experience could have been better basically sums up walking out the door. A visit without using the City Pass would have felt like a bigger hit to the pocketbook. This is a tourist trap to boot. The exhibits are not as impressive as you may think. The layout can be claustrophobic and the interiors feel dirty and dated. There was a great lack of ventilation in most areas, and on my visit, some of the elevators were not functional. The only saving grace was the area where they simulate a tunnel under a large fish tank, but the selection of rockfishes, perches, sharks, sturgeons, and a couple of Giant Ocean Seabass felt meager. Towards the end of the tour, there are a couple of notable sea otters, but the exhibit was small and made me feel as if they were not very happy.

Amazing new world my 4tewr girl liked it alot.lots of different types of.fishesh nd water species. Must go

Good family activity! We enjoyed our visit. The tunnels are a fun way to view the sea life.

This is a decent aquarium for toddlers. My kids loved watching the fishes and the sharks swim by. The aquarium was quite small for my viewing pleasure. The tickets were quite expensive. It was approximately a little over $30 for adults. Children under 4 received free admission.

Not a great aquarium for the amount of money they charge. I wish I bought tickets on Groupon instead of at the front. Very small and limited amount of animals. We were done after 25 mins and spent $70. Unfortunately it was the worst aquarium I've been to out of a list of 10

It's smaller than most people think, but super cool :) don't expect something like the Monterey Bay aquarium and you will have a fun time. The tunnels are awesome. Did some and had a great time just looking at the fish.

I was on vacation in San Francisco. I thought I was check out this aquarium. I love aquariums! I got a good deal on Groupon! Even though this was a little smaller than want I'm used to I enjoyed myself. It had see through glass tunnels full of fishes & sharks. There was a cute squirrel. Did you know California squirrels live underground in burrows not in the trees? You can touch stingrays. The very last attraction is playful seals. It is located at a pier famous for seals. If you're ever in the San Francisco area check it out!

The Aquarium of the Bay is a very cool and unique experience right on Pier 39. It is a little pricey for the very small size, but it's hard to argue supporting wildlife conservation. I think it might be a little small for older kids, but it's easily walkable for smaller kids and toddlers. And still lots to learn about and see. A great stop during a day trip with multiple activities.

My wife, 6-yo, daughter, and I visited on a Wednesday afternoon in January. The tickets are a bit expensive for a small aquarium, but the shark tunnels made them worth it. There are two tunnels, and they curve around. It's very cool to walk through! Entrance to Pier 39 is just outside, making it convenient to visit the aquarium and then head to the pier (or vice versa).

I hadn't actually gone to the SF Aquarium at Pier 39 until today. Gray Lines had a promo and I was at the pier for a cruise. Then I arrived and was confused. There are two levels. One level has the tunnels with fish and sea life. There is another level with exhibits with turtles. There was a demo with the squid dissection. It says marine biology and they offer a volunteer program. It says documenting video with marine biology from a French researcher in 1890 oh ok. Then you can end with the otters and the otter you can spend some time to observe. I saw one. Otters are fun. Then they take photos and there is a gift shop. I like aquariums but I didn't even live near the water as a child. We were able to travel and drive to other places with water. I am glad that I have not been landlocked. Here's to the sea!

Went to the Aquarium of the Bay as part of my Go City Pass. I preface my review by saying that the only other aquariums I have ever been to is the in Georgia and Tennessee. So I was pretty disappointed to see how small this one is in comparison. The whole thing took about 45 minutes to walk through. Highlights: * Touching the stingray and sharks: They had one touch pool operating and we were able to roll up our sleeves and pet the sea creatures that swam by. * Watching the otters play: Entertaining to watch. They are super cute! Overall, I'm glad I didn't pay for these tickets. They're not worth purchasing. This place is probably OK/sufficient for kids, but as an adult, it leaves much to be desired.

Very small. Walkway broken. Elevator broken. Not worth the price they are charging. 45 min to an hour to see everything at a slow pace.

This aquarium is so amazing wonderful I ever been here before it was short but it was amazing we took our time and it wasn't that much people which I love it the one where we use to go to Monterey it was so crowed and I would come to San Francisco aquarium instead it's so amazing my children love it my self and my husband did too! My children were happy to see sharks in the tunnel and had performances in the water while they were cleaning and feeding to have customers entertainment also that's was wonderful to see

I been wanting to go to an aquarium because I have not been ever that I can remember this was my first time here. There is no person outside the stand you have to scan a bar code which I thought was weird. I went alone and it was $35 it's pricey but was worth it you can touch stingrays and snacks I didn't my allergies where bad I don't want to forget and touch my face. This place is clean they have great customer service. They do try to get you to spend more money when you leave I had never been and I took some pictures that they was trying to get me to buy which you also walk through a gift shop as well. I'll give it a 7/10 experience wise but it's pretty expensive I'm glade I went though

If you go into this experience with mid expectations then it's a fun little spot. It really only takes about 30 min to get through, and that's if you linger (at the river otters for instance, which was a highlight). Definitely not worth the $32 admission price but if you have another AZA zoo membership you get half off, which is great. The shark walkthrough was fun but nowhere near the Georgia Aquarium's, to compare. If you're in the city, go for Cal Academy instead. The vibe here is just too touristy for my taste. It felt a little empty overall, plus we could not spot the octopus.. Also, the gift shop kinda sucks.

My son had a blast nice little outting for the morning. It was smaller than expected. Some exhibits are empty. Didn't get to see otters.

While on vacay visiting SF (08/17/2022), I added a visit to the Aquarium Of The Bay to our itinerary & it definitely kept my 2 sons, hubby, & myself entertained for about 2 1/2 hrs just getting to see all the cool exhibits that included an otter exhibit, stingray exhibit (you even get to touch a live stingray! feels slimy who knew?!), go through a super cool tunnel w/ sharks, stingrays, fish, ect swimming all around you! (See pics & videos of the live action in this review ..enjoy! :) There were also a few different Jellyfish exhibits that glowed in the dark! The jellyfish exhibits were my favorite for sure! We did go during the week (Weds) so it wasn't crowded at all, & not only were we able to take our time w/ seeing each of the exhibits, we also got some really awesome photos & videos w/out the headache of trying not to capture other people in the shot! :) I definitely recommend you visiting during the week, if possible because for sure I can see how you would feel rushed seeing each exhibit w/ it being crowded w/ lots of people. Since "sharing is caring" here are a few more of my FYIs & HELPFUL TIPS when visiting the Aquarium Of The Bay: ~Buy your tickets online in advance & reminder the date/time chosen will impact how busy your visit will be. Mid wk will definitely be less crowded than weekends ~All ages will enjoy a visit to this aquarium. ~Parking: we found a metered street parking spot right across the way & had no issues w/ our rental car getting messed w/ (of course don't leave any valuables out for all to see) ~Location: The aquarium is located directly on Pier 39 so after our aquarium visit, we then walked along the pier to do some more sightseeing. The Musical Stairs, which are actual stairs painted like piano keys that play musical notes when stepped on are located nearby and Musee Mecanique, an antique arcade museum filled w/ antique games that still work is also located nearby. There are also plenty of food options to choose from located on the pier. We really did enjoy ourselves during our visit to the Aquarium Of The Bay but I did take a star off of this review because one of the tunnel exhibits had cloudy water & had a few fish that looked sick w/ frayed fins, very dark color to them, & sunk to the bottom. Hopefully, this isn't the norm for that smaller tunnel that didn't have the sharks & stingrays in it. Till next time, ~Rebecca

Highly underrated aquarium. This is part of reciprocity of Oakland zoo which allows half price for your family. Loved the exhibits and the place was very clean, well maintained. Location at pier-39 is a bonus and you can do many more things around. We went on a slow rainy day, so got lesser crowds, i enjoyed being inside the underwater area/tunnels. This is one of the longest i have ever seen, heck even monterey doesnt have this. Saw some interesting fishes like the leopard shark. We also got to experience touching some animals, such as sting rays and small sharks. Minus one star because of the size- cannot spend more than 2 hours here.

This place is horrible and ridiculous. Me and my fiancé drove 2 hour to surprise our 1 year old twins to the aquarium. We got there around 3:45 just to see that their elevator is not working and to go to another elevator around the corner. Just to find out that it's also blocked off and not working. Me and my fiancé spent over an hour trying to figure out where to go and by the time we got the aquariums gift shop they were already closed. When you call the aquariums phone number it states that they are open DAILY FROM 11AM TO 6PM. So then finding out they closed at 5pm shocked me. Yosemite (manager) stated that they updated their website with the new times and that I should have checked the website instead of calling the phone number. How could she tell me to check the website and have an attitude about me calling the phone number. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE UPDATE. I called to file a complaint regarding our experience. I talked to Yosemite (Manager) which she was EXTREMELY RUDE. I told her my situation regarding the whole elevator and that it was just ridiculous. Instead of her apologize for the inconvenience. She stated that I'm the first person to say this and it's not their fault that the elevator they sent us to was not working and that was the piers responsibility. And that I should contact the piers maintenance to report it. I said well why would you not check to make sure that the elevator that you guys are sending us to actually works. She then said that's not my problem and to call the pier. She then wanted to argue with me.. YOSEMITE IS NOT GOOD WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE at all. I would never go to this aquarium again. Tried to surprise my babies just for our whole day to be ruin due to lack of knowledge on what is working and what is not working by the aquarium. How can someone with a wheelchair or stroller get to the aquarium with no elevators working unless you go all the way to the end of the shopping stores just to turn around and go all the way back to the aquarium with no access to go straight there. Then to walk all the way back to end of the shopping stores just to get back into the car for another 2 hour drive home. They definitely lost my business... I would definitely not recommend going here anymore.

I would not recommend going on the weekend.It was overpriced, the elevators didn't work, and it was extremely crowded.

For $35, this place sucks. My wife and I should have done some more research before dropping the money on the tickets. We were in and out in less than 45 minutes. While the walk through tunnel part was cool, it didn't equate to the value of the ticket. Don't waste your time nor your money on this mediocre aquarium.

Came here yesterday as a gift to my little sister for her birthday. Her and I were both pretty excited about coming here. She has been wanting to go to the aquarium for the longest time and I finally decided that a trip to SF would be the perfect birthday gift/end of summer surprise before she heads back to school. Arrival: I don't know if it's just me or what but there's no clear signage of entry.... Maybe I wasn't paying too much attention. Speaking of access... The elevator was so confusing (you can start laughing.) So, there's two floors. You start off on the first floor and then when you use the elevator you end up on the "3rd floor." So, basically a 1st floor and a 3rd floor. No second floor. Tell me why I was really trying to find a second floor (I'm still laughing at myself) but anyways.... Staff: Staff were friendly and helpful. Attractions: So, this aquarium seemed so underwhelming and small. I don't know if it's because I've been to the Georgia aquarium (which happens to be the largest aquarium in the United States.) But this aquarium was extremely small in size and lacked attraction. Most of the animals were sleeping (the staff put up signs by their exhibits.) My little sister and I mostly enjoyed the touch pods with the rays and also the Sea Otters, who definitely put on such a cute show. I also liked that there was a little gift shop there, in case anyone wanted to purchase anything or check it out. Overall: I would give this aquarium a 2 or 3 stars rating, at best. I just really found it disappointing, lacking enough animals and attractions. Not to mention, there were several dead fishes as we walked through.... but I'm just happy that my baby had fun. I attached a couple pictures that I took yesterday.

I find that this aquarium is not as good as everybody who recommended it to me. I have been to five different aquariums around the United States and this one is on the bottom of my list. First the exhibits are small and hard to get to because of the crowds. The staff doesn't understand English. I ask where is the aquarium and her response is repeating my words Aquarium. And the big kick was when we ate at the Cafe Rays they wouldn't give us a straw for my daughter who is Autistic and only drinks with a straw or she makes a big mess. They told me we are trying not to use plastic to help the environment. But they told me I had to buy a souvenir mug to get a straw. The mug was another dollars. And guess what the souvenir mug was made of! Plastic

It's ok, but kinda ran down and lost AZA accreditation, so no longer make sense to get their membership.

It was my nephew's birthday gift to bring him to the aquarium!! That's all he asked for his birthday was to come to the aquarium so that's what I did! I loved seeing him all excited and happy to be at the aquarium especially seeing the sharks, he is obsessed with sharks. Bought my tickets online a family bundle of 4 was $85 with tax that includes 2 adults and 2 children (4-11). Children under 4 get in for free! An adult general ticket is $30 and for a child it $20. Right when I bought my ticket I was emailed my tickets and was sent a text message of the tickets with a link so I was able to show the people at the front desk my tickets! Super easy and very convenient!! Walking in there was no line, mind you it was the middle of the week so not as busy. The lady at the front desk helped me out and was able to get checked in and it was a breeze to get in. It was a cool experience and so many things to see and explore. So much to learn about all the animals under the "sea" and what lives under water. It was really nice being able to touch some sharks and stingrays! It was soooo cute the stingray popped it's head up taking a look at us!! Sooooo cute as you can see on one of the photos! Definitely a spot I would bring the kids to have a great time at the aquarium and then walk the pier right after and get some food! I gave this place a 3 out of 5 because I felt like there can been more to see. I also wish they had a better flow of walking thru the aquarium, a bit confusing.

We had fun celebrating Mother's Day. If you'd like to experience to be under the sea, this would be the right place to visit.

Me and my son enjoyed the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We drove down from the bay area and visited. We didn't realize how big the aquarium is. There are several levels to explore. After 2-3 hours, we did get a little bored. For the few hours we were there we enjoyed it. I was a tad bit disappointed that there wasn't much to do aside from the visuals. Nonetheless, we learned a lot and made a good time of it. We decided to take a hike after which made the trip even more enjoyable. Give this place a try. There's alot to explore not only in the aquarium but the city itself

A super fun place to visit! I went with my partner and it was a great time! I will definitely go again!

I know it's a tourist trap, but avoid this place at all costs. $30+ for an adult for what takes maybe 20-30 minutes to walk through. The only reason this is a 2 star review instead of 1 is that both my kids were free (4 and under are free). I can't imagine coming here with 4+ people over the age of 4. Absolute ripoff

This is a small aquarium compared to the Academy of Science but I liked the location and the ability to touch the sting rays or the sea life. The fan favorite is usually the jellyfish. There was a tour guide robot too. It was so cool to listen to what it said and follow it. This location is right at Pier 39. Before or after checking out the Aquarium, you can go to the Fisherman's Wharf Shops and Restaurants. It's also a nice stroll to see the locks, the bridge and water views and the sea lions. There are fewer sea lions now and it doesn't smell like it used to but I only saw a couple.

Its for those cute fishes (some enjoying cozy sleep time in the little nook), primarily the really nicely done room for the Jelly Fish and convenience in getting the tickets 1. Elevator for the entrance is really small but people crowd it anyway, even if there is a pandemic and there is no one or no notice of "restrictions on # of people" 2. They don't have a capacity cut like other places such as Sf zoo or other spots who would like folks to get online tickets based on capacity for that day. SO it gets crowded, insane!! During a pandemic, it's really ridiculous to see there are no rules except for face masks. 3. It is a pretty small space, also narrow passages. It gets really crowded around the elevator because it has a waiting line for the elevator, then people still touring around and then also some other people taking pictures, feels like stuck in a 2X2 space with 50 people. It is an okay place to go, better take that ride to Monterey!

The place is small but there are quite a few things for great watching. They have an underground aquarium with huge striped bass, sturgeon and other fish. Jelly fish is fascinating too.