Seattle Aquarium

The Seattle Aquarium is a public aquarium in Seattle, Washington, United States, located on Pier 59 and 60 on the Elliott Bay waterfront. The aquarium opened in 1977 and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The aquarium consists of three buildings. Its original buildings at Pier 59 and Pier 60 have six major exhibits. A third building, named the Ocean Pavilion, opened in August 2024 and focuses on the ecosystem of the Coral Triangle. This aquarium consistently participates in educational and conservation programs.

Plans for a city aquarium, replacing an existing private aquarium, were approved by voters in a 1968 Forward Thrust ballot initiative. The Seattle City Council approved a site near Golden Gardens Park in Ballard in April 1971, but reversed its decision months later following public outcry. A site on the north side of Pier 59 was instead chosen the following year, necessitating the demolition of additional piers, and was originally expected to begin construction in 1974 but was delayed by design revisions. The new aquarium was part of a large redevelopment program for the Alaskan Way promenade, which also included Waterfront Park and viewpoints.

Construction began in early 1975 with the driving of piles into the seabed to support the future aquarium structure. The aquarium opened on May 20, 1977, and attracted 1,524 visitors on its first day. It cost $5.4 million to construct and was initially owned and operated by the City of Seattle's Department of Parks and Recreation. The opening ceremonies included the release of salmon fingerlings into Elliott Bay and a three-day festival on the waterfront. Bassetti/Norton/Metler/Rekevics were the architects for the building; the exhibits were designed in consultation with local scientists, including Pacific Science Center director and later governor Dixy Lee Ray.

The aquarium's first expansion was announced in 1979 and was followed by a new exhibit in 1986. A $25.4 million expansion was rejected by Seattle voters in 1988 after failing to reach a needed supermajority. On June 22, 2007, an 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m²) expansion added a 2,625-square-foot (243.9 m²) gift store and café to the aquarium, as well as two new exhibits: Window on Washington Waters and Crashing Waves. The nonprofit Seattle Aquarium Society—the official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the aquarium—assumed management of the institution from the city on July 1, 2010. The organization signed a 20-year operating agreement with the city government. The aquarium promotes marine conservation and educates over 800,000 visitors each year (including 50,000 students) on the impact of mankind on marine life. It also conducts research in these fields.

The Aquarium Society began planning for a major expansion in 2015 to coincide with the redevelopment of Alaskan Way and the Seattle waterfront following the forthcoming removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The expansion, named the Ocean Pavilion, was announced in 2019 and is centered around a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m²) exhibit building. The project includes a new waterfront promenade, which includes an overpass to Pike Place Market, and a 325,000-US-gallon (1,230,000 L) tank for sharks and stingrays. The Ocean Pavilion opened on August 29, 2024, and focused on the tropical Coral Triangle region of the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia. The building was designed by LMN Architects and uses a yellow cedar exterior that mimics driftwood. The facility was modified to add sustainable features, including the ability to recirculate 96% of its saltwater and manage the temperature of its tanks with a heat exchanger and heat pump. The building is also LEED gold certified. The outside of the building an inside of its entryway feature artwork by Lummi artist Dan Friday.

The city government initially approved $34 million in funding from a real estate excise tax but also contributed a $20 million loan in 2022 to fill an expected shortfall, stemming in part from an increase from the original $113 million estimate. The project was expected to cost $160 million with the majority of funds coming from local taxes, private donations, and other sources. An additional loan of $67 million from PNC Bank was requested by operator Seattle Aquarium Society in 2023 to complete the project. It would require city approval to extend the society's contract to 2040 and assume responsibility to pay a termination fee for the loan.

The aquarium's exhibits are located in three buildings; Pier 59, Pier 60, and the Ocean Pavilion.