The Seattle Aquarium is opening with timed ticketing and limited attendance, which means you’ll get up close to the animals and not other visitors. We've worked closely with local health experts to provide a safe and fun experience. We can’t wait to see you!
Our health district (composed of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties) is currently in Phase 2 of Governor Inslee’s Healthy Washington reopening plan. To be able to reopen in this phase and protect the health of our animals, guests, staff and volunteers, we’ve made some changes you need to know about before visiting:
- ONLINE TICKETS MUST BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE for all guests, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time member.
- YOUR TIMED TICKET indicates your arrival window. There is no limit to how long you can spend at the Aquarium.
- MASKS/FACE COVERINGS ARE REQUIRED during your visit. Exemptions to this order include babies/toddlers under age 5 (masks/face coverings are highly recommended for children ages 3–4). A clear mask/face covering will be provided at no charge to anyone who would like one. If you are unable to wear a mask/face covering the Aquarium will work to arrange a visit at a later date when mask requirements have been lifted. If you don’t have a mask/face covering when you arrive, one will be provided for you.
- A ONE-WAY PATHWAY with clear physical distance markers will guide you through the Aquarium and help protect everyone’s health—but you’ll still find plenty to see, experience and enjoy!
Keeping You Safe
In addition to our timed ticketing, mask/face covering requirement and one-way path, the Aquarium has implemented the following safety precautions to protect the health of our animals, guests, staff and volunteers:
- Hourly capacity is limited to provide for physical distancing.
- All Aquarium staff members and volunteers are REQUIRED to wear face masks while working. They also have their temperature checked each day before they start working.
- Touchless ticketing at the Aquarium’s entrance.
- Additional touchless hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the Aquarium.
- The Aquarium will maintain its high standards of cleanliness and all high-touch surfaces (like windows, railings, restrooms and elevators) are being continuously cleaned.
- We’ve implemented state-of-the-art bipolar ionization air-handling equipment to help filter out air particles and enhance safety.
- Our safety procedures implement the recommendations of the CDC and King County Public Health and have been reviewed by University of Washington health experts.
Timed tickets and reservations
- The Aquarium will limit the number of guests allowed to visit each day and during each timed-ticketing window.
- Members will continue to receive free admission. However, online tickets are required to manage limited capacity. The Aquarium will set aside a block of tickets exclusively for members each day.
- Online tickets can be purchased in 30-minute time slots and guests will not be admitted prior to their scheduled time.
- CityPASS/Connections ticket holders and Gold/FLASH cardholders: enter the walk-up line upon arrival; entry will be permitted as space allows. You may also make an in-person reservation for the next available time slot.
- Timed tickets may be canceled or rescheduled up to the reservation time but not after.
- Members needing assistance making a reservation may call us at (206) 386-4300.
- A reminder that MASKS/FACE COVERINGS ARE REQUIRED during your visit. Exemptions to this order include babies/toddlers under age 5 (face coverings/masks are highly recommended for children ages 3–4). Free clear masks will be provided to anyone who would like one. If you are unable to wear a mask the Aquarium will work to arrange a visit at a later date when mask requirements have been lifted. If you don’t have a mask when you arrive, one will be provided for you.
- Capacity is limited during each timed ticket window and overall to support physical distancing.
- Guests will not be admitted to the Aquarium prior to their reservation time.
- Physical distancing is required. Floor graphics in the entry queue and throughout the Aquarium will help everyone remain at least 6 feet apart.
- Have your ticket ready for scanning at dedicated, touchless stations inside the front doors.
- The Aquarium’s exhibits and restrooms are wheelchair-accessible. If you need a wheelchair, you may check one out, free of charge, from the Aquarium’s Guest Services desk (available on a first-come, first-served basis). Wheelchairs will be sanitized between uses. A credit card is required for checkout and will be charged $600 if the wheelchair isn’t returned.
- Guests will follow a dedicated, one-way path through the Aquarium.
- The Aquarium café is currently open per Governor Inslee’s Phase 2 Healthy Washington guidance at 25% capacity. Outside food is allowed in designated areas only.
- Our water fountains are closed for health reasons—but our touchless water-bottle-filling stations are open. Feel free to bring your own water bottle to stay hydrated during your visit.
- Our gift shop is open and will limit the number of guests inside at any one time.
- Restrooms are available throughout the Aquarium and have been modified to accommodate one person/group at a time. Please refer to the signs posted outside and inside the restrooms for details.
Per the current statewide order and to protect our guests, volunteers and staff, all guests must wear a mask/face covering that covers their mouth and nose at all times while at the Aquarium. If you don’t have a mask/face covering when you arrive, one will be provided for you. The use of a mask/face covering should not be a substitute for physical distancing.
Exemptions include children under the age of 5, though we highly encourage and recommend that guests ages 3−4 wear masks/face coverings during their visit. According to public health recommendations, babies/toddlers age 2 and younger should not wear masks/face coverings.
Upon entry to the Aquarium, a free clear mask/face covering will be made available at no charge to anyone who might need one. If a clear mask/face covering is not a viable solutions, the Aquarium will be happy to accommodate a visit at a later date when mask restrictions have been lifted.
Our staff and volunteers are also following these guidelines for our guests’ protection and theirs. We appreciate your understanding as we work to adhere to the state’s public health recommendations that have allowed us to reopen to the public.
The number of guests allowed in the Aquarium is limited, with separate lines for timed-ticket holders and walk-up guests outside the front doors. We’ve created a one-way path so guests can enjoy the Aquarium and our exhibits while practicing physical distancing (maintaining at least six feet of space between groups).
For health reasons, our water fountains are closed. But our touchless water-bottle-filling stations are open, so feel free to bring your own water bottle.
Restrooms are still available throughout the Aquarium, but all multi-stall restrooms have been converted to all-gender, single-occupancy restrooms with availability to one person/group at a time.
The Aquarium’s two touch pools will be open for viewing only—no touching is permitted.
The gift shop is open and maintaining a reduced capacity with guides to allow for safe shopping.
The Aquarium café is currently open per Governor Inslee’s Phase 2 Healthy Washington guidance at 25% capacity. Outside food is allowed in designated areas only.
Animal feedings and presentations are cancelled for the time being to promote safety.
Updated July 6, 2020. That is very unlikely. COVID-19 is almost exclusively a human disease. There have been rare cases of animals from other species having the virus. Of these, some cats (domestic cats, tigers and lions) and mink have shown mild symptoms following natural infection. Some non-human primates (macaques, African green monkeys, common marmosets), golden Syrian hamsters and ferrets have shown mild symptoms following experimental infection. There have been no reports of the virus in any of the species at the Seattle Aquarium. However, since sea otters and river otters are in the same taxonomic group as ferrets and mink, they are under additional biosecurity protocols out of an abundance of caution.
This coronavirus is almost exclusively a human disease, but there have been rare cases of cats, dogs and farmed mink getting the virus from humans, typically from owners showing symptoms of COVID-19. There have been two suspected instances where transmission from farmed mink to human carers may have occurred, although research is ongoing. The vast majority of virus tests done on domestic species have been negative. At this time, there is still no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. At the Seattle Aquarium, we’ve always had protocols and training to prevent the transmission of zoonotic diseases between humans and other animals and we continue to monitor them closely.
The protocols designed to protect humans from COVID-19 (such as good hand washing, face masks, cleaning and disinfection) also protect humans and the animals under our care from many zoonotic diseases. You may see additional precautions around our sea otters and river otters, including restricted access. This is out of an abundance of caution; the risk to our otters is very low. We continue to closely monitor all the animals in our care.
The Aquarium has implemented several practices to protect the health of the humans in our facility, including the following:
- Substantially reducing the number of guests allowed in the Aquarium at one time.
- Providing additional touchless hand sanitizer stations throughout the Aquarium.
- Continuously cleaning high-touch surfaces like windows, railings, restrooms and elevators (in addition to maintaining our already-high standards of cleanliness).
- We’ve implemented state-of-the-art bipolar ionization air-handling equipment to help filter out air particles and enhance safety.
- Complying with all state and local regulations concerning COVID-19, including proper physical distancing and the wearing of masks or face coverings.
- Requiring all Aquarium staff members and volunteers to wear masks/face coverings while working. All staff members/volunteers also have their temperatures checked upon entry.
- Our safety procedures implement the recommendations of the CDC and King County Public Health and have been reviewed by University of Washington health experts.