Ocean Institute

The Ocean Institute is open to visitors daily; weekdays, 10 am - 4 pm, and weekends, 10 am - 3 pm. As school children are engaging in ocean science and maritime history programs on weekdays, a smaller portion of the Institute is open weekdays and most of the facility on weekends. Enjoy hundreds of marine animals in aquaria, ocean-themed exhibits and take a tour of a tall ship. For an extra...

Marine science and history are the focus at the Ocean Instutitue, where you'll find indoor tanks with touchable sea creatures, an accessible man-made tidepool, and the complete skeleton of a gray whale. Anchored outside is The Pilgrim, a full-size replica of the square-rigged vessel on which Richard Henry Dana sailed. You can tour the boat on Sunday from 10 to 2. Weekend whale-watching cruises...

The Ocean Institute has become nationally known for its hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime history programs. More than 110,000 K-12 students and 8,000 teachers annually participate in the Institute's 61 award-winning, immersion style programs. To learn about oceanography, science, and California history, students voyage onto the ocean, study in labs and live aboard...

We are an educational facility specializing in innovative marine and social science programs. Though not a museum nor an aqu...arium, you will find a collection of artifacts and animals on this campus. The institute can educate 130,000 students annually through our award winning educational programs. See More

Ocean Institute