Explore the waters of Monterey Bay, where sharks and sturgeon glide through the deep reef, murres plunge from the surface and flatfish nestle in the sandy sea floor. This hourglass-shaped exhibit is over 90 feet long, and highlights five different habitats beneath the bay and the amazing creatures that live there.
Exhibit News
Just as human divers have problems when they come up from the deep, rockfish that are caught and brought to the surface can suffer pressure-related ailments. Fortunately, the Aquarium has developed innovative ways to ensure the health of rockfish destined for our exhibits.
Did You Know?
- This exhibit was designed with sharks in mindthe hourglass shape gives our large sharks plenty of room to glide and turn. Gliding helps sharks get rid of metabolic wastes in muscle tissue.
- Those aren’t penguins you see paddling by—they’re common murres. They were rescued after an oil spill along the coast.
- This exhibit holds 350,000 gallons of water and the acrylic windows are three to four inches thick.
Don’t Miss

Be sure to look for these cool creatures in the exhibit.