Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center

As a volunteer at the Sea Center since 2020 I want to share my experience with the amazing animals and staff. First of all it's open for all, children and olders including people using a wheelchair (there is an elevator inside just ask for it) 🙌

Purchase the ticket on-site. The price for adults (18-64) is $12, Senior (=>65) is $10, teenager (13-17) is $10, child (2-12) is $9 and free for child under 2 years old and members.

Open daily from 10 am to 5pm. There is a parking on the pieer (Stearns Wharf). Free for 90 minutes and then $2.50 per hour. $20 daily maximum. But it can be crowded, you can also find nearby city lots that also offer the 90 first minutes free.

Volunteers and staff keep the mask but if they don't it's because they are vaccinated for the covid and choose to not wear it in that case they will wear a badge "vaccinated"

𝟭) Downstair you have all the touch tanks with awesome animals that you are allowed to touch. (Good moment to teach your children to be gentle with the animals !). You will be able to touch very friendly sharks, stingray, starfishes but also sea cucumber, sea urchins, anemones, sea snails. There is also the "wet deck" where you will learn about all the scientist tools used for studying the ocean and the animals. All the time you will be accompanied with volunteers and staff that teach about the ecosystem, the animals and to answer all your questions.

𝟮) upstairs you will find more animals in aquariums (no touch), with an abalone and marine mammal stand. Very beautiful and interesting, always with explanations along the way.

There are no public toilets available inside. So use the one just outside the building before entering. Think to bring a jacket in case of wind, and short sleeves for touching the animals in the water. I can tell that all animals are very well fed and in a very good health (and beautiful !). They all do a very good job 👏 I think you have all you need now to enjoy your day at the sea center 😁 Welcome in Santa Barbara !