Chaperone guide for Community Group Visits

Your role as a chaperone

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a place of learning, fun, and discovery! Help your group members explore the Aquarium and make sure they behave appropriately. Stay with any children or youth who have been assigned to you. The Aquarium requires that minors must stay with their chaperones at all times.

Follow our behavior guidelines

• Stay with your group.
• Be courteous and respectful of all visitors.
• Be respectful of the Aquarium exhibits and building.
• Help protect the animals. When permitted, touch the animals gently.
• Keep food, drinks, and gum outside the Aquarium.
• Group leaders and chaperones are responsible for children and youth group members.
• Please respect our Aquarium neighbors.

Read our full guest behavior guidelines

How to help your group learn

• Download a self-guided booklet before you arrive to make your experience even more interactive and educational. These guides include games, activities, and more.
• Let group members know that you are visiting the Aquarium to have fun and to learn at the same time.
• Encourage your group's exploration with open-ended questions, such as: What do you see? Why do you think that animal acts like that?
• Help group members find answers to their own questions about the exhibits by looking at the exhibits and reading the exhibit labels with them.
• Talk with our friendly Aquarium Guides. They're happy to help and always have interesting facts to share.

Safety

• If someone gets lost, go to the Information Center near the entrance.
• If someone gets injured, ask anyone wearing an Aquarium name badge to call Security and an Aquarium officer will report to the location of the injured person.
• While shopping, you must accompany your children and youth group members in the store.
• Restrooms and drinking fountains are inside by the Ocean Discovery Store and outside on Hovden Way.
• Some groups may have lunch at the group picnic area, located outside on the Recreation Trail. Your group leader will provide the details for lunch.
• View and download an Aquarium map.