Hatfield Marine Science Center Oregon State University

$5 per person (over 6yrs) Plenty of parking (Thursday morning in December) This place has several areas that will be interesting for all ages. When you go in, first go to the left in a circle and you will see a place that gives you a chance to pilot a boat in simulation. Then there are tanks with sea creatures and fish, lots of information on the ocean. As you go around, about half the center is interactive focusing on tsunami simulations for kids (and adults who are kids at heart). My daughter and I really enjoyed a sand topography feature which allowed us to move sand and see it on screen look like land and water. We also loved building Lego houses to see how they might withstand a tsunami. We went during a weekday in December and it was not crowded at all, so nice! The staff are very friendly and welcoming. If you keep your ticket, it's good for all day if you want to get lunch and bring your kids back to play more. This is a place that could potentially occupy busy boys for a few hours. They have a cool pet octopus and they will let you know when they are feeding the octopus.

Great place to bring kids to learn about the coastline! All its living components, fish, animals, tides. Such a variety of hands on activities for kids. Very reasonably priced. Especially good for a rainy coastal day.

This museum is AMAZING! My fiance, children and I had such a fun time. (10/10). I loved the childrens interactive sections and loved that it was affordable!! We loved seeing the different oceanic animals, the wave makers and being able to touch the sea anemones. One of the highlights of our trip! Thank you ♡

My 5yr old could have played here all day. We loved the open ended hands on activities, especially the tsunami simulator and touch tank. Very knowledgeable and friendly volunteers as well. Really good value for the price!

Excellent for adults and children. Lots of history and solid information. We'll worth the inexpensive entrance fees.

Great for kids and adults! This is definitely geared towards older kids (probably best for 6+) but my 4yo enjoyed himself. There was a lot to read and learn - you could definitely spend a few hours here. They have exhibits about NOAA, fisheries, tsunami-proof architecture, and so, so much more. It's a unique place and not your typical science center or aquarium so definitely worth a visit! I'm glad we skipped the pricey Aquarium and opted to go here instead. We biked here from South Beach State Park and it was a very kid-friendly ride 🚲

Very cool, highly recommend a visit. Check their website for when they do Octopus feedings bc that was fun, but expect a crowd around the tank. I also had a fascinating conversation with a lady that works there (or was maybe a volunteer) about how Urchins affect the kelp without the otters to keep them in check. You can tell they are passionate about their field. And only $5 admission!

Fascinating ocean-related hands-on "discovery"-style museum. We paid $5 for more than an hour of fun activities. We could have stayed longer. There's a tide pool touch zone, computer-based activities, wave-making contraptions, a simulated ship's helm where you have the opportunity to maneuver a research vessel from dock out to the ocean, sea creatures, lots of exhibits and more typical museum info/learning. A great place for kids and adults.

A sweet and short marine museum visit, about 45 minutes. Wonderful tanks with fishes and many visual displays. I fell in love with their large red octopus at the entrance. Such amazing eyes! He might be returned to the sea soon. Lovely young lady at the entrance eagerly explained displays and had lots of info on my octopus friend. There is a starfish, anemone, urchin and cucumber petting area. I petted the four types and the urchin actually grabbed my finger. Amazing and gentle! That was worth the $5 charge alone. They have a gift shop. Lots of free parking.

I have been here at least a dozen times. First a handful by myself, as a college student, and nearly annually since 2012 with my students on field trips. Hatfield is on the estuary in Newport, and is a college campus for Oregon state university marine science students, plus they have a visitors center that the public can visit. Donations welcomed, $5ish per person seems good. There are tons of exhibits, not an exhaustive list Octopus tank Touch pools Rotating art collections Wave maker Mammal pelts Puzzles Kinetic sand watershed-making Jelly and fish tanks Interactive games Skeletons Maps I have enjoyed working with the staff, who are responsive and informative. Only once did I have a disappointing experience, but I learned that the classroom experiences just weren't flexible enough for me. I shifted to only touring the visitor's center for about an hour, and that is affordable and fun. My students gather data in the tide pools south of Newport, so it's nice to just play here afterwards. I'd like to be able to have them tour a dorm room and maybe a classroom for 10 minutes too, if that were offered. My students are college- bound juniors and seniors. Big parking lot with plenty of space for buses.

Only spent around 45 mins here, but really cool place to explore. Lots of fun exhibits, my favorite one was where you try to build lego structures to withstand water waves (a "tsunami"). Also got to see a very active octopus up close, too, which I've never seen before (usually octopuses at aquariums just hide in the corner). Also cool touch pools. And the tanks were also kept extremely clean!

For $5 this was a great spot for us to take our 5 year old! The fish in the tanks were ok. But we couldn't get her away from the touch tanks or the wave lab! Touch Tanks - Tons of different species to touch. No lines to touch on a Saturday afternoon and plenty of helpful employees! Wave Laboratory - One exhibit where you can build buildings with Lego's and then push a button for different types of waves and see how well your building stood! Another exhibit had sand and tools to build up the sand and build a dam to see how well it stood up against a wave.

We had a great time at the Marine Science Center this past weekend. The staff / volunteers were extremely informative and friendly and the space was a great way to spend an hour + exploring. Considering the entry fee is only $5, this experience is well worth the costs. I checked reviews before going with my family and saw comments around costs / lack of activities, but I felt this was a great experience and well worth the time and limited costs. Also, although they make it a point to not name their octopus to avoid emotional connections, my family decided the current octopuses name is "Dolly", so feel free to call her that when you swing by to say hi! All in all, great experience for the cost and well worth the visit!!

Super fun spot for kids! You can't beat $5 tickets! Lots of hands on activities for kids. Worth a stop.

Well you no longer have to download an app and make a reservation like you did post Covid. Someone in the government finally declared it's over. The fee has gone from $3 to $5. I suppose I can't blame them because for years the place ran on different sources of income including donations. There are a lot of exhibits for kids. You will probably see an octopus as a main exhibit unless the curtain is pulled around the tank and the octopus is taking a nap. I guess they like to nap in the dark. Other exhibits that excited my kid was creating a tidal wave, and watching the wall of Legos fall over. Theres enough for adults too. Plan on spending 30-90 minutes depending on whether or not you watch the movie. They have comfortable seats so it's easy to fall asleep.

This is a great hands on learning environment! Between the touch pool, the friendly octopus display, and the hands on science experiments no one goes home having been bored. I as the adulted loved the friendly octopus. My daughter loved playing with the wave maker and erosion pools. Definitely a revisit every time we are in the area and have an hour or more.

For 5$ this cannot be missed. We absolutely loved all of the hands on exhibits. It was wonderful to give kids a chance to see all the ocean and land systems. My husband was a major fan of the ship pilot simulator. I couldn't get him off the simulator while my son and I enjoyed the hands on exhibits. My son was obsessed with the tsunami exhibit. He really enjoyed trying new construction tactics to keep the city from being washed away. My husband wished you guys had more apparel with more research vessel specs and info. Wonderful touch thanks and really sweet staff volunteers. We will be coming back next time we are in the area.

It's a bargain for all the attractions! I met the 2 month old female octopus at the end of August when I visited. She was very active and played with her toys! I would call before you go if you want to see an octopus as they rehab octopuses there and then release them into the wild. Ask a staff member to see if they can give you some octopus education!

The Hatfield Marine Science Center has been a part of the Oregon State University system for 50 years now. While it's specifically geared toward K-12 education, our little family found that it is informative for adults as well. We wound up here thanks to the rain. There are many hands-on educational activities - some better than others; however, the tidepool touch tanks were our daughters' favorite. Admission is free, but donations are welcome at the spectacular octopus sculpture/money box. Most of the staff I spoke to were volunteers. They were more than happy to share their knowledge and insight. There was a small section about their use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to investigate methane seeps. They had a short video about it - amazing stuff. More of that please. TIP - don't forget to view the "OctoCam" at night if you missed a regularly-scheduled feeding - that's when their in-house octopus is most active!

Perfect way to experience sea life without paying an arm and leg at the aquarium. My toddler loved it and enjoyed touching the creatures in the tide pool and playing with all the science experiments. It only cost $5 and we saw everything in about an hour and a half. Great place for anyone with toddlers

This was a fun and FREE place. I'm all about the aquariums and such, but this one is free, so we went here instead of to the expensive paid one. What a fabulous experience. Lots of interactive stuff for the kiddos (and adults) and lots of great learning experiences all over the place. Takes at least an hour or more to actually see and do it all. Be sure to check out the TOTALLY AWESOME octopus tank!!!! Staff and docents were spectacular.

We had a blast here with our one year old daughter and can't wait to bring her back once her attention span is longer. There are touch tanks and other interactive exhibits to teach about various aspects of marine science. I was impressed with the beautiful fish tanks. While smaller than the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the science center is much more educational.

This little gem was much better than I expected. The octopus 2301 or "diva" was super colorful and active, playing with visitors. The docent Jerry, was an awesome guide showing us creatures we had missed and artifacts of the animals on display. The gift shop was surprisingly good and we made up for the low entry fee by buying some of their items. Don't miss this little gem if you're visiting Newport!

Wonderful learning experience for kids and adults. Having the college students connected to the center provides an engaging dynamic and adds their passion for the oceans to the experience.

Wonderful place to take the family at a super affordable price. Had some extra time while in town and super happy we dropped by as I hadn't been since I was a kid.

Don't forget to tip your walrus on the way out. There are two kinds of FREE activities... **Type 1 - This is lame, but I'm not going to complain too much because after all it's free. **Type 2 - I can't believe how great this is. Woo hoo! The Hatfield Marine Research Center falls squarely under Type 2 for me. The fancy pants Newport Aquarium is just down the road, but admission for a family of four is roughly $75. It is a superior aquarium with more interactive exhibits, shows, etc., but that is a lot of money to spend on every trip to the area. I've visited the Newport Aquarium before and will do so again, but I recommend alternating your visits with the Hatfield for a different set of activities. Your wallet will thank you. For a free museum it is pretty darn cool. It starts with the eight-armed receptionist. I love the description of the octopus on their website, "There have been many greeters, each with its own personality and level of enthusiasm for the job - and each with its own name, chosen by our visitors." The tank is covered and flash photography is prohibited, but it is periodically opened during feeding time. My boys' other favorite things were the Tidepool touch tanks with the vibrant sea anemone and the movies in the small auditorium. As a parent, I absolutely love visiting places where I don't feel obligated to stay if the kids' interest isn't there. So you can really make your visit as long or short as you please. The center is located on the south side of the bridge just minutes away from the historic Bayfront district. The store is also filled with a great selection of books and other merchandise. If only more museums could be so cheap and easy.

Beautifully displayed and very affordable. Nice place with displays spaced to avoid crowding. Great prices and lots to see. Worth the trip with your little ones.

Hatfield Marine Science Center is the less glamorous neighbor to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It's centered mainly on research, it's part of OSU. There are educational exhibits on erosion, tsunamis, a touch tank, it's mainly about appealing to the children. Unlike the Oregon Coast Aquarium, it's donation rather than admission. There is a little gift shop. It's not as exciting. There's a prominent octopus display, along with "make your own tsunami" and a dock that was carried from Japan to Oregon in 2011. One can learn about tide pools, ocean acidification. It's a homespun little museum.

This place is FREE and is amazing. My kids all loved it. Ranging from ages 5-15. There were things to explore, hands on displays, a really cool octopus who is mischievous. Volunteers were nice and welcoming. We enjoyed coloring together, and a whale presentation. We will definitely come back.

It is not every day that you go to an attraction and discover it is even better than you expected, but that is exactly what happened when we visited this science and education center. There were a many interesting and informative exhibits, aquariums with a variety of sea life plus touch tanks that appeal to both young and old. Each of the volunteers we encountered seemed were very nice and very well informed. We spent almost 2 hours and I could have lingered longer had we not been pressed for time. It was free, but a donation of $5 or more per person would be welcomed.

What a fun and informative place to spend a couple of hours exploring. It's really well laid out, so much information about marine life, fishing, tsunamis, aquariums; anything ocean relates really. There is a lot of really great displays with information to read but also some really fun interactive exhibits. We spent some time building tsunami resistant walls made of legos in a wave simulator. Once you build a wall you press a touch screen which simulates a wave. That's when you find out how sturdy your structure is! Another neat exhibit is a sand box which you can shift sand around to create mounds and a light above sense the topographical change and changes the sand colors in relation to the elevation of the mounds. So you can shift sand around to create blue lakes and waterways, mountains of green and even build high enough for the sand to turn white. You have to try it to understand. There are puzzles and questions for the kids as well as a touch pool. They have so many fish and sea creatures to look at in the aquariums as well. And a fun gift shop as well, of course. :) Just a really fun place that is great for families, dates, kids, or anyone who is interested in marine life!

This was MY favorite place on our vacation! Plus it's free! Donations encouraged $5 per person or $20 per family. We went to the aquarium when we left my son noticed the sign and ask that we go. I assumed it was just an information center, but it's not, it's awesome! We learned about tsunamis, erosion, tectonic plates and the hands on topography sand table was the coolest thing ever! If I wasn't such a nice mom I would have pushed all the kids out of the way and played by myself! We also found not only Nemo, but Dory too!

A small free museum thanks to OSU, with plenty to see and do. Plenty of hands on and interactive parts to each exhibit. We got up close to an Octopus and got to feel some on the animals that would be in a tide pool in their touch tanks. (Never thought about sea creatures being sticky underwater. That was pretty cool!) If you are around for their outdoor tour, take it. You get to touch small crabs and hunt for shrimp in the mud using a shrimp gun!

I could have watched the octopus for hours. It was a beauty, big red pacific variety, and as it dangled and contorted over a warm water vent, I was mesmerized. I got up close to the glass as it grabbed then let go with dozens of suction cups. It floated like a gauzy curtain, then contracted into a tight ball. A couple of times it floated away then shot back, all of its tentacles trailing behind. I'm sorry you're a captive, but I'm so grateful to have met you. The rest of the place is Science! Weather, tides, erosion, species both ascendant and in decline. If I was a kid you wouldn't be able to pry me out of here. As an adult I wanted to donate the entire contents of my checking account. It's pay what you can admission here - be generous! Don't miss the large dock that arrived from Japan on the tide, a casualty of the tsunami.

Free to attend, but donations are appreciated. The building is small but has enough activities to keep you or your kids occupied for at least 2 hours. There are clean and clear touch tanks, many fish to see, a couple skeletons on display, brain games to do, and a lot of information you can read or hear about from the volunteers (friendly and kind). Some of the fish are not labeled though. I recommend this place for people age 5 and up. My 4 year old was about a head too short for a couple of the activities.

Awesome time here!! We enjoyed this much better than the Newport Aquarium just up the road. A donation to get in here and over $50 to get in up the street and that was with one free kid coupon! Much better time here. The touch tank is much bigger here and there are more items to touch and see. Super cool to have a fish that likes to get petted. Don't see that every day! (if ever). We got here at opening time during a spring break week. Totally no crowd, which was great. Wonderful lady/volunteer helped us out and explained a few things. We stayed to see them feed a number of the tanks and asked a few questions. Very helpful and friendly people work/volunteer here. The Newport Aquarium is larger and more exhibits, but I must say that we had more fun here and didn't have to fight any crowds. (I hope this review doesn't make for large crowds!!) When we get into Newport again, we will be sure to stop by. Thanks for a great time!

I was extremely pleased by the excellent work these people have done with their available resources. Excellent exhibits that are interesting and educational with very well prepared staff! Simply outstanding! I gave them a decent donation and strongly support their efforts! Please stop by and check this gem out! Say 'Hi' to the Mamma octopus while you are there!

I visited the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center with my husband and 6-and 7-year-old children during a recent stay at nearby South Beach State Park. We skipped the touristy and overpriced aquarium in Newport and were happy to learn about the OSU marine science center from a park ranger at South Beach. The science center is technically free. However, we were more than happy to donate the recommended $20/family "admission" that was requested. (We would have paid $20 for just one adult at the nearby aquarium!). The science center had several living marine animals, a hands-on tide pool, a tsunami generator, and lots of very interesting exhibits about various marine science topics. The octopus that previously lived at the facility was released into the wild about a week before our visit. It would have been cool to see her....but the knowledge that she was rehabilitated and released into a natural habitat is far better. I can't recommend this place enough for any central Oregon coast visit!!!

I will start by saying that this place is "free" but really it is donation based. I didn't realize this and I felt bad because I left all my personal belongs besides my phone at our beach rental. If you have kids under the age of 6 skip the aquarium and come here instead- it is right down the street- and if at all possible don't go anywhere near the abomination known as the "Undersea Gardens". Aside from missing the larger marine animals and birds the selection of fish is very comparable. They even have a small handling tank with star fish. Just realize it is a working marine research center so don't expect theme park mascots and concession stands- it is for looking and learning. The place is also bigger than I thought it would be. I highly recommend this place above the other similar attractions in town.

Free? are you kidding me? Yea been coming here for years! If your lucky you can view the OSU marine vessel which docks here as well. You can't get on it, but it is neat to see the research vessel the kids take to see for learning and exploration. The Octopus is the star attraction, however i like to poke the sea enemies, hahaha. There are many fish exhibits, some really up close views of the fish in various tanks. We take almost two hours to see it all, including a visit to the gift shop. Sometimes pretty cool stuff. They really lean towards the educational, so many items in the gift shop are great for the kids. We did make a donation as we left, it was well worth it! Tip-- it is really close to the rogue brewery so Lunch is very close!

Our visit to the marine science center was fun and definitely worth the recommended donation. The touch tank was a good experience and the displays on oyster cultivation and wave-generated electrical generation were educational. The walk along the estuary trail is a great opportunity to see birds (including the osprey nest on a pole at one end of the trail). We were disappointed, however, that there were no exhibits regarding research into climate change and its impacts on marine life and environments (although the oyster cultivation exhibits did briefly discuss the challenges to oyster cultivation due to ocean acidification resulting the absorption of too much carbon). Some of the exhibits felt a bit dated, too. Still, a good place to visit and well-worth the time of you're looking for some place interesting to spend a couple of hours in Newport.

I've been coming here all my life, and I keep coming back. The place seems to be more geology oriented than sea life oriented than it was in the past. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed reading about the different sea creatures and I like the fact that it is donation based.

This place is wonderful! It's only a recommended 5 dollar donation and you get fun educational exhibits that are especially wonderful for those who are tactile learners. A lot of information on invasive species especially, and tectonic plate effects on the ocean. Also an aquatic touching pool. I would say give yourself 1-2 hours to go through.

My daughter had so much fun playing with all the interactive exhibits. Giving the center a donation is well worth what they have to offer. It's fun and educational for the kids. What more could you ask for? The staff is super friendly and knowledgable. They are all willing to make it a special experience for your little one

Petite marine research centre that welcomes everyone, as opposed to the glossy money-hungry aquarium down the road. Not all families can afford $20 a person, but Hatfield simply asks for donations; their displaces actually focuses on education and learning, rather than getting a buck off of you. The exhibit that struck me the most was on the 'dead zones' off the coast of Washington and Oregon. There are before and after videos of the sea floor and questions, discussions about the growing concerns of these areas. Unfortunately, you won't find any provocative or inquisitive exhibits like these at the other aquarium. The descriptions are a bit more cerebral and aren't geared towards smaller children, so as the adult, you'll have to be the interpreter. Some of the exhibits could use an upgrade, especially the more tactile ones, since they are obvious well-loved. There's a lot of heart in this place. Definitely worth the visit.

My cheap-ass parents have been taking me to the Hatfield Marine Science Center multiple times per summer since I was a little kid. For an aquarium that is roughly twelve dollars cheaper than its neighbor to the south - or exactly $14.95 cheaper if you keep your head down and run past the "suggested donations" lady - the Hatfield isn't too bad. The big ol' octopus is always fun to watch, even if they don't let visitors stick their arms in the tank anymore. The touch pool has a child-pleasing array of anemones, rockfish and skates. Everybody likes the chaos wheel and the whale-song exhibit, and while the collection of actual live exhibits is sparse, it's always fun to watch the fish do their thing. Yet the tourist appeal of the Hatfield is limited by its low funding and advanced academic purpose, and those who do not consider themselves amateur marine biologists may find themselves without much to do. Exhibits do not change often, and what is there can be very dry. Clunky exhibits on pinworm infestation and different types of silt are about as child-friendly as is humanly possible, which is to say that most kids who are not into biology will find them completely lame. Customer service at the Hatfield is usually good, but my last visit there was a disappointment - the bathrooms were trashed, and someone's kid had obviously taken a whizz in the auditorium. But it's a good deal. If you're a parent and you want your kids to sincerely appreciate marine biology, and if you can afford it, take your kids to the Oregon Coast Aquarium before you take them to the Hatfield. Get their excitement and enthusiasm going at the big aquarium, then when they've mastered some of the basic background information and are hungry for more, hit them with the heavy academic stuff at the Hatfield. Otherwise a lot of what the Hatfield has to offer will be lost on them.

Very cool and very interactive exhibits. Fun for all ages. The last time we were there, the octopus wasn't there, but if you can make it to one of the feedings it is very worthwhile. My family also really liked the fossil/re-building of the Elephant Seal.

It is so very rare to actually get to interact with an octopod anywhere on the planet. In this very spot, you can actually touch an octopus. These shy creatures are usually huddled in the darkest corner of any other aquarium. Here "Amigo" is front and center, the main attraction, the Hatfield's Shamu. Step right up and touch the Octopus, kids! The touch tank is also cool because this aquarium is not as crowded as the commercial attraction next door. The day we want was "Oregon Commercial Fisheries Day". I had a nice chat with a fisherman who was displaying his kiosk concept that helps consumers learn about where their fish comes from. Fish are filleted and packaged with bar codes and URLs so you can scan the package or type in the code on a web site and get lots of data about who caught the fish, where they caught it, when, etc. I told him that he should just organize a Twitter campaign b/c consumers just care about the lore of the sea, not so much the detailed data. And this perhaps is the lesson of the Hatfield Science Center. Consumers are sheeplike animals, attracted to the flashy stuff and bored by the information that might help them truly survive as a species. Extinction happens.

A lot of people visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which is very cool. But I think fewer people know about the Hatfield Marine Science Center. This is where a lot of research/management agencies are housed (OSU, NOAA, US Fish & Wildlife, SeaGrant, etc.) and they have a cool little Visitors' Center and lots of trails around the outside and along the bay. Like the Coast Aquarium, there are live critters, including Ursula the octopus (watching her at feeding time is really cool). There are also touch tanks that mimic the Oregon tidal pools. Unlike the Coast Aquarium, the HMSC visitors' center is free. It's a little more research-focused, too. You can buy things there, though. I highly recommend the Oregon Coast Quest Book (it costs about $6 but is totally worth it) if you have kids or if you just like the whole geocaching/letterboxing/hidden treasure thing, or are just curious. Next time you are on the coast, give this place a try...you'll probably learn a lot about the Coast that you didn't know.

How can you beat free. The volunteer staff was EXTREMELY knowledgeable and the estuary tour was a bonus. The kids can feel sea creatures and also interact with the exhibits. I learned a lot even though I felt I knew a lot about the coast beforehand. Well-worth a visit!

A FANTASTIC place to go when you're in Newport and too cheap to pay for the Aquarium next door. They have a touch tank and cool things in tanks, plus if you are there at the right time you get to watch the octopus get fed. Nice place.

We were here 2 hrs. and it's well worth it. Yes, you can get in for free but they ask for donations so I would say please don't forget to show your appreciation. There is much to see and do here for young and old alike. You won't be sorry and we chose to come here instead of the Oregon Coast Aquarium which was way too costly for us.

This was a great free place to take your kids except when you end up in the gift shop. My three year old had to have a Nemo fish stuffed animal, of course having her Grandma there with us, she ended up getting it. It was our donation. LOL My daughter enjoyed seeing the exhibits. There were a lot of exhibits that were under construction so that was kind of a bummer. But that just means that we need to go back and visit again. I also enjoyed seeing the movies in the theater. We went on a Mon. and it was a little busy since it's Winter Break from school but not too bad.

This is an interesting spot to take kids. I actually preferred the old school one that I went to as a child. The huge ass octopus is cool, as well as the changing displays.

Small, but so many exhibits! We only had an hour here and it was definitely not enough. There's a mix of engineering, sustainability, and biology taught in an approachable manner. Also shoutout to the urchin touching exhibit guy, he's really cool and eager to share his knowledge.

What a nice science center to educate the public about marine life! You can tell the place doesn't get a ton of funding, but there are clearly many people who care a great deal about this place. There are a good number of displays and some very nice exhibits, many of them focusing on the future of the ocean and our relationship with it as well as the risk that invasives pose to our environment. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and if you show up for 12 on a Sunday they'll take you behind the scenes for a tour! Very cool!

We love coming here, yesterday was our second trip there and we love it. It's fun to look at all the science of the ocean and explore your way through. My favorite is the octopus (I have always liked them) and...well...all of it! The touch pool is great! The gift shop is small but they have packed everything inside the small space. Plus, the price is beyond reasonable for admission considering that it is free! I would highly recommend a trip to the Hatfield Marine Research Center.