The Aquarium of the Pacific is facility in Long Beach dedicated to showcasing the sea life found in all areas of the Pacific Ocean. The aquarium’s striking architecture is meant to convey the power of the sea. It has life-sized blue whales suspended from the ceiling, 30-foot-tall to million-gallon tanks, with various shows and exhibits throughout the year.
Home to more than 11,000 ocean animals representing nearly 500 species, and featuring 19 major habitats and 32 exhibits, Aquarium of the Pacific’s exhibits include:
• Shark Lagoon, featuring more than 150 sharks, rays, shark touch pools, interactive displays, a theater and the Bamboo Bistro outdoor café
• Lorikeet Forest, a 3,200 sq. ft. outdoor aviary with more than 100 enthusiastic lorikeets twittering to each other in the trees
• Arctic and Antarctic: Our Polar Regions in Peril, where people can touch sea jellies, view king crabs and meet a real live Arctic fox
• Ocean Science Center, which uses a Science on a Sphere from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to explore our planet and tell stories about ocean phenomena and their impacts
• BP Otter Habitat, where visitors can walk along a rocky coastline among barnacle encrusted pilings, enjoy ocean and inland vistas, and peer underwater to discover the busy world of sea otters as they swim and interact amongst kelp and fish
• Tropical Pacific Gallery, featuring more than 1,000 colorful fish from the warm ocean waters of Palau, a 125-mile long island in Micronesia
Part of the purpose of Aquarium of the Pacific is to educate the public about marine life and marine habitats. The Aquarium is about 25 miles from Costa Mesa.
