Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is an aquarium in Santa Monica, California, located beneath the Santa Monica Pier, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. Since 2003, it is operated by Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization. It was formerly known as the Ocean Discovery Center and was operated by UCLA. As Heal the Bay’s marine education facility, it is open to the general public and attracts more than 65,000 visitors from around the world per year (approximately 15,000 are students). This facility offers educational programs, activities, and special events dedicated to marine conservation, pollution prevention, and environmental education. Species on display include: Chordata Sarcastic Fringehead Swell Shark Horn Shark Leopard Shark Round Stingray Thornback Ray Black Sea Bass Garibaldi California Moray Eel Giant Kelp Fish California Halibut Shiner Surfperch Blacksmith Cabezon Sargo California Scorpionfish C-O Turbot Treefish Arthropods Sheep Crab Kelp Crab Hermit Crab California Spiny Lobster Molluscs California Two-Spot Octopus Red Abalone Chestnut Cowrie Kellet's whelk Giant Keyhole Limpet California Mussel Norris's Top Snail Echinoderms Bat Star Ochre Sea Star Brittle Star Purple Sea Urchin Sand Dollar California Sea Cucumber Cnidaria Club Tipped Anemone Tube-dwelling Anemone