Seaside Aquarium

We just stumbled upon this aquarium while on our visit to the Oregon coast. If you’re looking for a conservation type aquarium and want to see happy animals, this is not it. It is dark and depressing inside. The tanks for the animals are small/crowded. The touch tank is small with a lot of starfish which was fun for probably 20 seconds. There is an open tank/enclosure in the center of the room that has small sharks that look dead. The seal enclosure has way too many seals and is very small. The aquarium hands you a pamphlet upon entry explaining the conditions for the seals. It says that the seals have a large dry space in the back but choose to be in the public viewing area. It also says that the seals are not released into the wild because studies show that after 1 year in captivity the seals would be less likely to survive in the wild. However, they explain that they have bred all their seals in captivity for years. Meaning these seals have never been outside, some being over 20 years old.

During our recent visit to the Seaside Aquarium, I had mixed feelings about the experience. On one hand, I appreciated the opportunity for our family to learn about a variety of marine life. It’s always good to have a place where children can be exposed to ocean species up close and gain a better understanding of the coastal ecosystem. That being said, there were some noticeable drawbacks that were hard to ignore. The biggest issue I observed was the seal enclosure, which felt far too small for the number of seals housed there. It seemed crowded, and I couldn’t help but wonder about the quality of life for the animals in such a confined space. Additionally, the overall condition of the aquarium left something to be desired. One of the tanks appeared to be leaking, and there were several areas that looked worn down or in need of repair. The facility gave off the impression of being somewhat dated and in need of refurbishment. However, there were still some positives to our visit. I particularly enjoyed the story of Victor the Lobster, which added a fun and memorable element to the experience. Overall, while educational, the aquarium clearly could benefit from some upgrades.

Was really fun to feed the seals 🦭. For two dollars for about six pieces of fish. Although the actual aquarium part I would describe as a moist cave. Was small dark wet and very smelly. Has a lot of interesting information about the aquarium life. All around I spent $20 to get in $12 in fish to feed seals and a fortune at the gift shop.

It's a nice little aquarium. The displays tanks are clean and you can spot the fish and crabs easily. Be sure to purchase seal food to feed the seals. Watch out, they like to splash you. Tip: Look for the coupons in the aquarium brochures around town.

Small but super fun aquarium right in the middle of downtown Seaside. Very reasonable price for admission and for the fish to feed the seals. The little octopus was very active when we were visiting, which was really awesome. Feeding the seals was also really cool. Definitely worth a visit.

Great experience! We got to feed the seals for $2 a plate of fish! We also got to look at some of the aquatic life that is home to the area. In total we got the family bundle which was $36 for a maximum of 6 people. Great price!! Don't expect a huge huge Aquarium, small but sweet

The aquarium is a pleasant stop along the promenade. The seals were especially entertaining, and the octopus was fascinating to watch. It’s reasonably priced and makes for a good short visit. Be aware there are no restrooms on site, so plan ahead.

A small place but packed with seaside. Feeding the seals is entertaining for kids and adults. The worst part is a tiny parking lot, but it's worth parking elsewhere and walking.