New: Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Get an insider’s view of the Aquarium. Each 50-minute tour will give you a chance to interact with our staff, discover the hidden life of animals and learn about our ocean research. Cost is $10 per person plus admission.

Come Sail with Us

Become a marine scientist for a day and work alongside Aquarium guides, or enjoy a spectacular sunset sail with wine and cheese. You’ll get a unique view of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary aboard the Derek M Baylis, a 65-foot sailboat designed for ocean research.

Cooking for Solutions 2008—Tickets on Sale Now

Join host Alton Brown and 16 Celebrity chefs from around the world for Cooking for Solutions 2008. It's a celebration of fine dining and environmentally sustainable living.

Jazz Sings! at the Aquarium

Join the internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Kim Nalley and six other musicians for a sultry night of jazz at the Aquarium. Start your evening off on a high note with a gourmet dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the Portola Restaurant. Space is limited and reservations are required.

Buy tickets now online or by phone (800) 840-4880.

New Stars of Splash Zone: Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers

Lumpsuckers are tiny animals, often described as “ping-pong balls with fins.” A giant lumpsucker can be five inches long, but most are closer to one inch. They are slow, inefficient swimmers, but they’re very good at attaching themselves to solid objects like rocks or kelp, thanks to a suction cup-like disk on their bellies. Come see our quartet of these cool creatures in the Enchanted Kelp Forest gallery.

Common Murres in Splash Zone

With their white bellies and dark backs, common murres look a lot like penguins. They swim like penguins too—“flying” under water with their short wings. But these amazing birds aren’t even related to penguins! They're pelagic seabirds that spend most of the year at sea. They live in the northern hemisphere, including the Monterey Bay. The next time you visit, be sure to check out the murres in their new Splash Zone home.

Splash Zone Returns with a Bigger Splash

Welcome back blackfooted penguins and other favorite animals, such as cuttlefish, clownfish, seahorses and sea dragons. Race to find hidden kelp forest animals and cuddle up in a giant clam. Discover a place where families can explore the ocean together.

Tagged White Shark Reports in from Mexico

The young white shark we released to the wild in February has made it past the southern tip of Baja California and is heading further south. The shark is carrying an electronic tag that lets us track his movement almost on a daily basis.

ARAMARK Partners with Seafood Watch

ARAMARK, one of the world’s leading professional facilities management and food service companies, is partnering with Seafood Watch to shift its U.S. seafood purchases toward sustainable sources over the next decade. It’s another big step toward creating market demand that will change fisheries and fish-farming practices around the world.

2008 Seafood Watch Pocket Guides Available Now

Our Seafood Watch pocket guides have been updated with the most current information, and are now available on www.seafoodwatch.org. Updates include the new blue + symbols for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries, and information on which king crabs to buy and which to avoid.

Center for Ocean Solutions

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have joined forces to create the Center for Ocean Solutions—a new collaboration that will bring together international experts in marine science and policy to find innovative ways to protect and restore the world's oceans.
www.centerforoceansolutions.org

Volunteer to Care for Otters and Birds

Become an Aquarium volunteer and help us care for and feed freshwater otters, shorebirds or penguins. You must be at least 18 years old and commit to one year of service. To learn more, attend the information meeting on Tuesday, May 6 (4 p.m.-6 p.m.) in our Education Building. For questions or information, please contact Volunteer Resources (831) 648-4867.

Portola on a Low Carbon Diet

Beginning Earth Day, April 22, our Portola Cafe and Restaurant will participate in a national campaign to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and help guests do the same. The Low Carbon Diet, led by Portola’s parent company, Bon Appétit Management Company, will include sourcing ingredients locally or domestically, reducing food waste and disposables, and eliminating air-freighted seafood. In addition, Bon Appétit will introduce the Low Carbon Diet Calculator—a fun, interactive tool to help people learn how their food choices affect climate change.

Coastal America Ocean Art Contest

Express your love for the oceans through art, and become a celebrity! The top entries will advance to the national competition in Washington D.C., and winners of the national competition will have their art work displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

For contest rules and guidelines, visit the Coastal America website.

New Plush Penguins for New Splash Zone

Calling all penguin fans—the Aquarium Gift & Bookstore is introducing new plush penguins made from 100% soy and Kapok, both ecologically sound alternatives to traditional fibers. These penguins can be found only at the Aquarium until June. Contact (877) 665-2665 or giftstore@mbayaq.org for more information or orders.

2008 Official Explorers Announced

Congratulations to Alexa Stefanko of Burlingame, California and Simon Willig of Redwood City, California for being named the Aquarium’s 2008 Official Explorers. Alexa has helped raise funds to save the Coyote Point Museum in San Mateo, California, while Simon is co-creating, “Save Our Seas,” a program for kids who want to teach other kids about ocean conservation.