Zoo Review: Aquarium of the Bay

With its hundreds of miles of beautiful coastline, covering a wide variety of ecosystems, it’s not surprising that California is one of America’s hotspots.  Some metropolitan areas boast multiple aquariums, which is not something you see much in other parts of the country.  Among those is San Francisco.  The California Academy of Sciences has its beautiful Steinhart Aquarium.  And right on the boardwalk of the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, tucked in discretely among restaurants, shops, and tourist sites, is the Aquarium of the Bay. 

As its name implies, Aquarium of the Bay focuses on the wildlife of San Francisco Bay.  It is not an especially large facility, especially compared to some of the behemoths of the state – Monterey Bay Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific.  In size, it more closely resembles one of the SeaLife aquariums that you see in malls across the country, a similarity which is heightened by its touristy-location, tucked into a shopping and dining district.  Also like SeaLife aquariums, there is a heavy emphasis on large aquariums with tunnels. (Note: This aquarium is an affiliate of the Smithsonian – however, it does charge admission, just so no one goes into this surprised and annoyed).

The waters of San Francisco Bay are home to many species of shark, the sharks remain the specialty of the house at Aquarium of the Bay.  It was the first aquarium in the United States to breed the Pacific angel shark, for example, and is currently known for its research on the broadnose sevengill shark, one of the rarities on display here.  Leopard and swell sharks are also found in the large tanks, along with a variety of other native fish, such as garibaldi, moray, sheephead, and rockfish.  There are small galleries of other California fish and invertebrates, such as jellies, giant Pacific octopus, and the sardines which fueled the economy in many parts of the coast.

Apart from the sharks, most visitors will be most drawn to the river otter exhibit, with above and underwater viewing.  The exhibit is especially popular on the “snow days,” when bushels of snow are brought into the exhibit for the otters to play in.  I generally dislike all-indoor exhibits for otters, but this is one of the larger and better furnished ones I’ve seen.  Nearby is a small nature lab with a few small displays of local herps, as well as a tidal touch pool.  There are no marine mammals on display here, but visitors are within a stone’s throw (please do not throw stones) of the famous California sea lions which congregate at Pier 39, which were a brand new species for me to see in the wild.

Again, this is NOT a big aquarium – I was in a hurry, powered through in an hour, and considered myself satisfied, though I could have stayed longer (and I did spend much of that time trying to get a decent few of the sevengills, which I’d never seen before).  Some visitors may be less than dazzled by the collection; there are few species that many guests will recognize, and the habitats, while decent, lack the grandeur of those seen in many larger aquariums.  For an aquarium enthusiast, however, visiting facilities that specialize in local ecosystems is always fun, as it offers the chance to see species that you might not encounter at institutions outside of their native range.  This aquarium won’t make a full day activity for anyone.  Still, it can provide an enjoyable excursion as part of a day that includes Fisherman’s Wharf (and its sea lions!), Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, and other must-see sights of San Francisco.

Aquarium of the Bay