Aquarium of the Bay is a public aquarium located at The Embarcadero and Beach Street, at the edge of Pier 39 in San Francisco, California. The aquarium is focused on local aquatic animals from the San Francisco Bay and neighboring rivers and watersheds as far as the Sierra Mountains.
Explore below San Francisco Bay and get up close and personal with more than 24,000 local marine animals. The interpretive naturalists are always nearby to answer your questions and guide you through hands-on animal encounters. Get all the visitor information you need to plan your visit to Aquarium of the Bay.
Discover the beauty and diversity of Northern California aquatic life at Aquarium of the Bay. Located on the historic San Francisco waterfront at PIER 39, the Aquarium is home to more than 20,000 marine animals including sleek sharks and rays, secretive octopus, hypnotic jellyfish, sparkling anchovies, frolicking river otters, and many more.
A variety of San Francisco Bay living habitats house the diverse animal collection, including walk-through tunnel exhibits, and transparent touchpools. Nature enthusiasts have the opportunity to learn about the most important environmental challenges of the day like climate change, plastic pollution in the oceans, and habitat loss.
The Aquarium is a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and certified as a Green Business by the city of San Francisco.
General Hours of Operation
Monday – Sunday: 11:00am – 6:00pm
December 24: 11am – 3pm (Last ticket sold at 2pm)
December 25: closed
Parking
Public parking facilities are available at Pier 35 or across from the main entrance at the PIER 39 garage. The garage is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note that Aquarium of the Bay does not validate parking, but many PIER 39 restaurants do.
The aquarium is mostly accessible
There’s barrier-free access to the lower level with wide pathways through the acrylic tunnels, which can accommodate even the largest wheelchair. The Nearshore Tunnel features fish of the bay, while the Offshore Tunnel offers a collection of skates, rays and sharks. Try and schedule your visit at feeding time, as that’s when the fish are most active.
Top off your visit with a stop at the touch pools and ecological exhibits on the second floor. All in all this mid-sized aquarium presents a comprehensive overview of the marine inhabitants and ecosystems of the region.
