Blog

In preparation for our upcoming Ocean Career Series, we’re happy to share with you the story of one of our staff members, Bailey Johnson, who first came to the Aquarium as a youth volunteer and eventually joined our staff. As she transitioned from high school student to young professional, she discovered her passion for marine life and what she wanted in her career, and the Seattle Aquarium able to be there every step of the way.

Looking for some family fun on December 31? Even though we’re temporarily closed to the public, we’ve got you covered withRockin’ Rockfish Noon Year’s Eve, a free, virtual event with music from local favorite Mikey the Rad Scientist, a dance party, fun animal facts and more. Better yet, you won’t have to stay up past bedtime to enjoy all the fun: as the name implies, we’ll be ringing in 2021 at noon!

Now, we can’t have a party without introducing you to the guest of honor, can we? Since New Year’s celebrations are all about countdowns (and our Noon Year’s party will feature one too), here come our top 10 cool things to know about rockfish…countdown-style!

‘Tis the season for gifting and we have options for everyone on your list—young and old, near and far! And not only are these great gifts, they’re gifts you can feel great about, because your purchases help us continue our work to protect Puget Sound and the world’s one ocean through our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment.

“I’d never seen a scallop (that hadn’t been breaded and/or deep fried),” says Jacquelyn Simmons, reflecting on her time before joining the Aquarium volunteer team. “But after seeing them live comfortably and learning a few facts about their radiant eyeballs, my appreciation for them has poured over to general love of eyeballs and retinas of all beings.” 

We’re at a turning point in the climate change discussion: The ocean is now fully recognized for the critical role that it can and will play in solving the crisis.

It’s with great sadness that we announce the loss of our beloved and elderly sea otter matriarch, Lootas. Early on the morning of November 15, she let her caregivers know that she had reached the end of her time and was provided with a humane passing. At over 23 years old, Lootas was quite advanced in age—a testament to the exceptional care she received throughout her lifetime.

We’re excited to announce the launch of Sea Color, a new, ocean-themed coloring app developed in collaboration with Tangible, an art and design studio based in Vancouver, B.C., with proceeds to benefit our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment! 

It’s probably not what you think—although the world’s third-largest predatory shark was frequently spotted below our pier not that long ago (more on that to follow)! Instead, our attention-grabbing headline was to let you know that, this month, we’re focusing on these amazing, fascinating, often-misunderstood and frequently endangered animals. Join us!

We’re pleased to announce that Daniel Joseph Friday, a member of the Lummi Nation, has been selected to create an installation for the entry of our new Ocean Pavilion, slated to open in 2024. The piece will honor the Aquarium’s location on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, who stewarded these lands and waters for generations and continue to do so today.

“So thick you could walk across the river on their backs.”

“That’s what they used to say about salmon in the river,” says Charles Ruthford, a longtime Cedar River Salmon Journey volunteer. This free, family-friendly program takes place at sites along the Cedar River each fall, offering opportunities for the public to see and learn about salmon, the river and the watershed.  

Did you know that October is the very best month to see salmon spawning in the Cedar River? Join us virtually and in person throughout the month to learn about these amazing animals, their unique role in the marine environment and what we can all do to protect them—as well as their important connection to our local, and critically endangered, orcas.

Wildfires, smoke and air quality are top of mind for many of us in the western U.S., and our hearts go out to those who have been directly impacted by the fires. All is safe at the Seattle Aquarium but, due to very poor air quality in our region, we’ve been closed to the public since last Friday afternoon to help protect the health of our guests, staff, and volunteers.

How does poor air quality affect the animals in our care? It depends on the species as well as individual underlying health conditions, if any. “Fish and many aquatic invertebrates do their gas exchange across gills—and smoke and ash shouldn’t have any direct impact on the quality of our water,” explains Senior Veterinarian Dr. Caitlin Hadfield.