Special Events

May


Cooking for Solutions

Cooking for Solutions

May 17-19 (Fri.-Sun.)
Fee & reservations required
Celebrity chefs from around the country gather for a celebration of sustainable seafood. Events include the signature gala, food and wine adventures, cooking demonstrations and more. On Saturday and Sunday, all visitors enjoy the Sustainable Foods Celebration featuring a special food event, celebrity chefs and book signings.
Learn more

Not a member? Join now online.

June


World Oceans Day Celebration

World Oceans Day Celebration

June 8-9 (Sat.-Sun.)
Free with Aquarium admission
Join in for a celebration of the amazing ecosystem that covers 70 percent of our planet. You’ll learn about the treasures of the ocean, the threats it faces and what we can do to keep it healthy.
Learn more

Evenings by the Bay

Evenings by the Bay

June 29-Sept. 1 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Free with Aquarium admission
Spend Evenings by the Bay with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays all summer. This gives you a few more hours to commune with your favorite animals and enjoy special programs and live music.

July


Member Night: Picnic by the Bay

Member Night: Picnic by the Bay

July 11 (Thurs.)
7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Join us for this popular evening when you can picnic on our oceanfront decks or in front of your favorite exhibit. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages, or purchase them in the Aquarium. Member Nights are free for members and guest cards are honored. Registration not required. Please enter through the Main Entrance.
Not a member? Join now.

Evenings by the Bay

Evenings by the Bay

June 29-Sept. 1 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Free with Aquarium admission
Spend Evenings by the Bay with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays all summer. This gives you a few more hours to commune with your favorite animals and enjoy special programs and live music.

August


Sip & Seafood Dinner

Sip & Seafood Dinner

Aug. 9 (Fri.)
6 p.m.–7 p.m.
Ages 21 and up
Fee & reservations required
Our first-ever party for the 21+ crowd starts at 7 p.m., but you can beat the crowds by attending our Sip & Seafood Dinner. Join us for a delicious and sustainable dinner inspired by Chef Cindy Pawlcyn in our newly remodeled restaurant, Cindy's Waterfront. Her farm-to-table menus incorporate the finest local, organic and sustainable ingredients including seafood that follows our Seafood Watch guidelines. The dinner is limited to Aquarium members and their guests. Reservations available beginning June 3.
Not a member? Join now.

Sip & Sea

Sip & Sea

Aug. 9 (Fri.)
7 p.m.–10 p.m.
Ages 21 and up
Fee & reservations required
Join us for Sip & Sea—our first-ever party for the 21+ crowd! Members and their guests are invited to enjoy the evening’s signature cocktail and live music while exploring the Aquarium. This special after-hours event will feature a no host bar, photo booth, Kelp Forest dive show, cooking demonstration and special auditorium program. Advance tickets are $15 for Aquarium members and $20 for their guests. Admission at the door is $20 for Aquarium members and $25 for their guests. Advance tickets go on sale June 3.
Not a member? Join now.

Evenings by the Bay

Evenings by the Bay

June 29-Sept. 1 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Free with Aquarium admission
Spend Evenings by the Bay with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays all summer. This gives you a few more hours to commune with your favorite animals and enjoy special programs and live music.

September


Evenings by the Bay

Evenings by the Bay

June 29-Sept. 1 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Free with Aquarium admission
Spend Evenings by the Bay with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays all summer. This gives you a few more hours to commune with your favorite animals and enjoy special programs and live music.

A Celebration of California's Ocean

A Celebration of California's Ocean

Sept. 14 (Sat.)
6 p.m.
Allied Arts Guild, Menlo Park, California
Fee & reservations required
Join us for an extraordinary evening of great food, wine and cooking demonstrations featuring some of the West Coast's most admired celebrity chefs and wineries. You'll also meet Executive Director Julie Packard and learn about our work to protect the oceans. Proceeds benefit our Fund for the Animals.
Learn more

Otter Days

Otter Days

Sept. 21-22 (Sat.-Sun.)
Free with Aquarium admission
Learn about Monterey Bay's most charismatic creatures from experts who care for them at the Aquarium and researchers who study them in the wild. Special family activities and programs all feature adorable otters.

Member Night

Member Night

Sept. 21 (Sat.)
7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Member event
Take part in special programs or explore our exhibits during quieter hours when we’re open just for members and guests. Member Nights are free for members and guest cards are honored. Registration not required. Please enter through the Main Entrance.
Not a member? Join now online.

October


Fiesta del Mar

Fiesta del Mar

Oct. 20 (Sun.)
Free with Aquarium admission
Celebrate ocean conservation and Latin American cultural traditions. The day includes live music, cultural dance, bilingual feeding shows, crafts for kids and more. Children 12 and under admitted free all day.

Halloween at the Aquarium

Halloween at the Aquarium

Oct. 26 (Sat.)
7 p.m.-10 p.m.
Fee & reservations required
Put on your costume and join the skeletons and sea stars, black cats and bat rays for an evening of haunted activities and ghostly good times! Kids of all ages love this event featuring face painters, a strolling magician, and a stilt walker. Please enter through the Main Entrance.
Not a member? Join now online.

November


Jellyfish Jamboree

Jellyfish Jamboree

Nov. 2-3 (Sat.-Sun.)
Free with Aquarium admission
The magical world of jellies—graceful, dancing drifters that pulse and glow, flash colorful lights and often pack a powerful sting—comes alive in all its wondrous glory during Jellyfish Jamboree. Explore the psychedelic world of jellies, enjoy special presentations, groove to live music and meet jelly aquarists who raise one of the ocean’s most mysterious invertebrates.

December


Member Night: Holiday Event and Sale

Member Night: Holiday Event and Sale

Dec. 6 (Fri.)
7-10 p.m.
Member event
Help us kick off the holidays with a special Member Night featuring our gift & bookstores! Shop for unique holiday gifts and enjoy local wines while strolling through the Aquarium at its festive best. Member Nights are free for members and guest cards are honored. Registration not required. Please enter through the Main Entrance.
Not a member? Join now online.
Sleepovers
Adventures & Tours
Behind-the-scenes tours and Sleepovers are just a few of the special adventures we offer. There's something for everyone, so join the fun and take your Aquarium visit to a whole new level.
Go now


Membership Office
Hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m., M–F
Tel: (800) 840-4880
(831) 648-4880
Fax: (831) 644-7554
E-mail Membership


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