Registration is now open for summer self-guided visits! Visits can be booked for July 14–August 28, 2025.
Self-guided visit request
Thanks for your interest in a field trip to the Seattle Aquarium!
The request form linked below is for school groups requesting self-guided visits only. Please refer to the group visit request page for all corporate, public and other non-school groups.
A self-guided visit provides admission to explore the Aquarium at your own pace without any additional scheduled programming. We encourage you to refer to our daily activities schedule to add educational components to your visit. This summer we will only be offering self-guided visits to the Aquarium. Outreach and distance learning programs are unavailable at this time.
Requests must be made at least two weeks before your desired date. Our capacity limits are different for summer groups than for the rest of the school year. Please see the capacity limits below before submitting your visit request.
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Summer 2025 capacity limits
The Seattle Aquarium is looking forward to a busy summer on the beautiful Seattle Waterfront! To ensure the safety and enjoyment of both our guests and staff/volunteers during our peak season, we have defined capacity limits that we can accommodate for summer groups.
Group visits are available Mondays–Thursdays from 9:30am–1:30pm. Once you have entered the Aquarium, you may stay as long as you like. You do not have to leave by 1:30pm. That is just the final bookable entry time.
Only one group can be booked every 30 minutes. If you are running early or late, you may be asked to wait until we have processed another group’s entry. Each entrance cannot exceed a maximum of 50 total people (students + chaperones combined). If you want to bring a group of more than 50 people, please be prepared for your group to be divided into smaller sub-groups and directed through separate entrances.
Our standard minimum chaperone ratio still applies: one adult for every five students (1:5) for preschool through eighth grade, and one chaperone for every 10 students (1:10) for grades 9–12. Adult chaperones must be at least 19 years old. Chaperones must remain with students at all times throughout the visit, regardless of age. Groups without sufficient adult supervision may not be admitted.
Pricing
Please note: Our self-guided visit rate has increased from $10 per person to $15 per person. This rate is for both students and teachers/chaperones (except for children under 4 years old, who enter the Aquarium for free). College/university groups and homeschool families qualify for the school group rate. Scout troops and other non-school groups do not qualify.
Free admission scholarships will still be available for qualifying Washington State schools (see details below). However, transportation reimbursement scholarships are not available for summer visits this year. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Scholarships
Washington state schools with 40% or more free/reduced lunch participants, ESL/ELL, special education classes and/or ECEAPs can apply for our scholarship program. Approved scholarship groups receive paid Aquarium admission for everyone in their group including students, teachers/staff, and parent/guardian chaperones.
The admission scholarship application form will be emailed to the address you provide. A school/office administrator's signature is required to confirm eligibility. This form will arrive via a separate email through DocuSign. It should automatically be sent to your office administrator after you complete and sign your sections.
Resources for planning your visit
After booking your program, you will receive more information to help your students prepare for their visit to the Aquarium. Please read all correspondence from registration@seattleaquarium.org carefully as we try to cover everything you need to know about what to expect from your field trip.
Still have questions? Please visit our School Group FAQ. While the section is labeled “on-site classes,” much of this information still applies to self-guided visits (including answers about loading zones, lunch areas and more). On the Preparing for your Field Trip page, we have included a video and social story that will help teachers prepare students for a visit to the Aquarium. This may be especially helpful for students with sensory needs.
Spring and Fall 2025 booking availability
Registration for all school programs is CLOSED through the end of the 2024–25 school year. Due to extremely high demand, we are at capacity and are unable to book any additional visits through mid-June. We do not anticipate opening more bookings this school year and do not have capacity to maintain a waitlist for cancellations. We apologize for any inconvenience.
We do not yet have any information about bookings for the 2025–26 school year. Please check back on our School programs page for future updates. This information will be shared as soon as it is available. Please refrain from reaching out to the Registration team with your specific visit request until then.
Questions about already scheduled visits can be directed to our Registration office at registration@seattleaquarium.org or (206) 693-6196. Please note that while we continue to experience a high volume of incoming inquiries, it may take at least five business days for you to receive a response to any emails/voicemails. Our office hours are 8am to 5pm Pacific time, Monday–Friday.
Thank you!
