Explore The Aquarium Of The Pacific

Are you searching for things to do in Long Beach, California? Why not head to the Aquarium of the Pacific? Whether you're a giant family or a party of one, it's a sensational spot to spend a few hours marveling at Mother Nature's underwater creations.

What Is the Aquarium of the Pacific?

Located on Rainbow Beach, across from the Long Beach Convention Center and Shoreline Village, the five-acre facility is home to about 11,000 animals representing over 500 different marine, mammal, and bird species. As accredited members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the facility and its staff are properly trained and participate in practical conservation work.

What’s at the Aquarium of the Pacific?

The aquarium has six galleries and one garden feature.

Southern California & Baja Gallery

The Southern California & Baja Gallery highlights underwater habitats surrounding Catalina Island. There's also an Amber Forest exhibit filled with giant kelp, Garibaldi, and California scorpionfish. Other gallery highlights include:

• Cortez rainbow wrasse
• Mexican lookdowns
• Porcupinefish
• Seals
• Sea lions
• Ray touch pool
• Shorebird sanctuary

Northern Pacific Gallery

A celebration of the Bering Sea, the Northern Pacific Gallery is home to sea otters, octopi, puffins, auklets, Japanese spider crabs, sea anemones, and jellyfish.

Tropical Pacific Gallery

The Tropical Pacific Gallery focuses on fish and marine life from the western Pacific, specifically the ecosystems in Palau's waters. It contains the aquarium's largest tank, clocking in at 350,000 gallons, and holds a tropical reef. Olive Ridley sea turtles, zebra sharks, and other indigenous swimmers live within.

Other tanks in the Tropical Pacific Gallery house leafy seadragons, sea kraits, weedy seadragons, and big-belly seahorses.

Explorer’s Cove

Explorer's Cove is the aquarium's main outdoor exhibition space, featuring Shark Lagoon and Lorikeet Forest. The former is home to over 150 sharks and rays. The latter is a walk-through aviary with five lorikeet species and violet-necked lories.

June Keyes Penguin Habitat

The Aquarium of the Pacific has a waddle of Magellanic penguins who live in a habitat named after June Keyes. It features an underwater crawl-in space so guests can observe the flightless birds from within the tank.

Pacific Visions

The newest wing of the facility, Pacific Visions boasts a 4D theater with 266 seats and a 180-degree, wraparound screen. All guests can enjoy an eight-minute-long film that runs in the auditorium multiple times a day. The wing also features touch tanks and other interactive installations.

Earth-Friendly Garden

Measuring 4,700 square feet, the Aquarium of the Pacific's Earth-Friendly Garden sits on the facility's front lawn. The gigantic growing patch features drought-resistant plants native to California and a state-of-the-art irrigation system. Its purpose is to highlight possible solutions for the state's ongoing water shortage challenges.

Keeping Up With the Aquarium

If seeing pictures and videos of adorable animals and gorgeous fish brighten your day, then consider following the Aquarium of the Pacific on social media. They maintain active accounts on all the major platforms, and the content can brighten an otherwise gloomy day.

• Aquarium of the Pacific on TikTok
• Aquarium of the Pacific on Instagram
• Aquarium of the Pacific on Twitter

Ocean life is incredible, and you can enjoy a front-row seat at the Aquarium of the Pacific — one of the best things to do in Long Beach, California!