Oregon Coast Aquarium

About

Oregon Coast Aquarium sits at 2820 SE Ferry Slip Rd in Newport, on Oregon's central coast. It holds about 15,000 animals across 300 species, split between indoor galleries and outdoor habitats built around Pacific coast and Amazon basin ecosystems.

Indoors, exhibits run from the Rocky Coast tide pools to the Sandy Coast shallow-water tanks and Connected Coasts, a habitat for Indo-Pacific species. Outdoors, the Otter Habitat and Pinniped Habitat put visitors close to river otters, sea otters, seals, and sea lions, and the Seabird Aviary holds coastal bird species. A Nature Play Area gives younger children a hands-on stop. Staff run scheduled programming through the day, including animal feedings, keeper talks with ambassador animals, and pelican presentations. Guests who want closer contact can book a Sea Jelly Touch Encounter, an Octopus Encounter, or a behind-the-scenes tour; these cost extra and are limited to visitors age 8 and up.

Most families spend one to one and a half hours inside, longer if they time their visit around several of the daily programs. As of 2026, weekday admission is $29.95 for adults, $23.95 for seniors and ages 13 to 17, and $19.95 for children 3 to 12, with a few dollars added to each category on Fridays and weekends; children under 3 get in free. The Aquarium is open every day except December 25, with summer hours (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend) of 10am to 6pm and winter hours of 10am to 5pm. Ticket sales stop at 5:30pm, and parking is free.

Members get free, unlimited admission and can skip the ticket line entirely. Lincoln County residents can visit for $5 per person on Sundays with proof of residency, and active military get 10% off.

Accessibility

Oregon Coast Aquarium is wheelchair accessible, with some outdoor caveats. The Aquarium says all of its buildings are ADA accessible, but not all doors are electronic, and outdoor exhibit areas sit on gravel pathways that can be hard to cross with narrow wheels.

Parking is free, and designated accessible spaces are in the lots on a first-come, first-served basis; there's no way to reserve one ahead of time. At Admissions, wheelchairs and electric scooters can be rented on a first-come, first-served basis with a valid ID, so bring your own if you need to guarantee availability.

Inside, the Aquarium describes its buildings as ADA accessible and says seating is placed throughout the facility, though it does not describe dedicated wheelchair seating areas. Restrooms are located throughout the building and all restrooms have accessible stalls; family and gender-neutral restrooms are near the gift shop, with a private first aid room nearby for nursing parents. The Admissions window has a hearing loop for guests using hearing aid devices. The Aquarium is a KultureCity-certified Sensory Inclusive facility: staff have training through the program, and sensory bags with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, sunglasses, and emotion cards can be checked out at Admissions.

Service animals are welcome throughout the Aquarium, though the Sea Jelly Touch Encounter, Octopus Encounter, and behind-the-scenes tours may not allow them, so ask when you book. If you or a family member needs extra time or quiet before the building opens, call 541-867-3474 or email [email protected] to ask about early entry for sensory sensitivity or health conditions. The Aquarium does not publish anything about elevators, tactile paving, braille signage, or captioning, so call ahead if any of those matter for your visit.

More accessible places in Oregon

• Lan Su Chinese Garden (Portland)
• Portland Japanese Garden (Portland)
• Pittock Mansion (Portland)
• Columbia River Maritime Museum (Astoria)
• Oregon Historical Society Museum (Portland)
• Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals (Hillsboro)