Exploring the wonders of local beaches
Stroll along almost any local beach during low tide and you’ll see that the shore is alive!
The Aquarium’s seasonal Beach Naturalist program helps community members learn about and enjoy our vibrant shorelines. Through the program, local experts on the marine environment—beach naturalists—educate members of the public on how to explore shorelines while keeping animals and their homes safe. They might also tell you what sea stars eat, explain why barnacles stand on their heads, describe how moon snails lay their eggs and so much more.
Thank you for joining us on the beach!
The 2025 Beach Naturalist season has come to a close. Thank you to everyone who joined us on a beach this summer!
Still want to join us outside? Our Cedar River Salmon Journey program is active though the end of August! Visit our webpage for dates and locations.
Beach Resources
Meet our beach neighbors
Our field guides include photos and detailed descriptions of nearly 50 commonly found intertidal residents.
Field guides
This color photo guide includes animals commonly seen on Puget Sound beaches and here at the Aquarium. Available in the following languages:
Beach etiquette guides
Follow these guidelines to keep yourself and the animals on our beaches safe.
Video guides
Our video guides will help you plan your visit to the beach and identify common plants and animals when you get there!
Thank you to our sponsors
King County Flood Control District
Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed Salmon Recovery Council
MMS Giving Foundation
Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of Burien
The City of Des Moines
The City of Shoreline
Washington State Parks
Watershed Ecosystem Forum for WRIA 9
Become a Beach Naturalist
Interested in becoming a beach naturalist? Fill out our volunteer information request form below!
Share your feedback
If you visited the Beach Naturalist program this season, we would appreciate your feedback!
Contact us
Have questions about the program? Email us at beachnaturalist@seattleaquarium.org or call (206) 693-6214.
