Santa Barbara Sea Center

The Santa Barbara Sea Center on Stearns Wharf is a marine education institution. It showcases the marine life of the California coast with interactive exhibits, touch tanks, and aquariums. Additionally, the Sea Center provides educational programs and excursions, such as guided tidepool tours and behind-the-scenes facility tours.

For the longest time, the Santa Barbara Sea Center has emphasized education and research. Visitors can learn about marine ecology, conservation, and the significance of safeguarding our oceans through interactive exhibits, contact tanks, and educational programs. The Sea Center engages in scientific research and conservation endeavors to protect and preserve marine ecosystems. It collaborates with local universities and research institutions to conduct marine life and ocean health-related research.

The Sea Center is a “green” building that was designed with sustainability in mind. It features solar panels, rainfall collection, and other eco-friendly elements to reduce its environmental impact.

The Sea Center has a Sea Turtle Rehab, the center works with the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute to help the hurt or trapped sea turtles along the coast of California get better. Visitors can observe turtles in the rehabilitation tanks and learn about the process of rehabilitation.

Things to do at the Santa Barbara Sea Center

Attend the shark exhibit: Sharks such as the Leopard Shark, Soupfin Shark, Swell Shark, Horn Shark, Angel Shark, and Brown Smoothhound Shark, which are native to the California coastline, can be seen in one of the most popular exhibitions at the Sea Center. Visitors can learn about the behavior and habitats of these extraordinary species.

Feed the Sharks and Rays: For an additional fee, visitors can participate in a unique feeding experience in which they feed sharks and rays. It is seldom that you get to observe these fascinating creatures up close.

Explore the Aquariums: The Sea Center has several aquariums showcasing various marine environments, including kelp forests, tidepools, and craggy shores. Visitors can observe fish, sharks, rays, and sea stars, among other marine life.

Shop for Souvenirs: The gift shops around the sea center have a lot to offer. From marine biology books to gain in-depth knowledge about the ocean and its inhabitants to marine-themed jewelry including earrings, rings, and headbands

Attend the mystery lab exhibit: The “mystery lab” exhibit is an engaging and novel way to learn about the significance of safeguarding the ocean and its inhabitants. This interactive exhibit allows visitors to investigate a simulated oil leak and learn about the effects of oil leaks on marine life and ecosystems. Visitors can experiment with various techniques for cleaning up the oil leak and learn about the difficulties associated with cleaning up a real-world incident.

Click pictures of the whale skeleton: The enormous blue whale skeleton that drapes above the entrance to the Sea Center is one of the most popular photo opportunities. Visitors can photograph the skeleton from various angles while standing beneath it.