California Coast

  • Silhouetted guests point and gaze at the 100,000 gallon California Coast exhibit
  • Dramatic red, pink, and white anemones and corals with rockfish in California Coast exhibit
  • Extreme close-up profile of orange rockfish head and eyes
Encounter stunning views of the spectacular underwater ecosystems in our very own backyard, from kelp forests filled with vivid Garibaldi fish to rocky reefs blanketed in vibrant pink anemones and colorful corals.

California Coast invites visitors to explore the astounding richness of our own coastal waters. Be dazzled by an enormous window revealing the underwater haunts of eels, anemones, rockfish and take in a series of smaller jewel tanks highlighting some of the area’s most fascinating residents.

 

Closeup photo of gray rockfish in California Coast exhibit

Northern California coast

This 100,000-gallon tank replicates habitats of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, from quiet salt marshes to turbulent rocky inlets. Stroll the surface walkway to smell the seawater and witness the filling and draining of tide pools, then head below to see what lives in the sanctuary's strong, nutrient-rich ocean currents.

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Vibrant, vivid red, orange, pink, and white anemones and coral in California Coast exhibit

Rocky reefs

Our latest addition to the California Coast exhibit is an astoundingly colorful, 2,000-gallon tank filled with vibrant brittle stars, painted greenlings, and rosy rockfish, giving visitors a glimpse into the vast array of fish and invertebrates that thrive in California’s National Marine Sanctuaries.

Educator Exhibit Guides
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Masked female guest comes face to face with a curious orange rockfish in California Coast exhibit

Get involved

At the Tidepool Explorer station, visitors can experience what it's like to participate in community science—and learn more about how to protect California's vibrant and vital coastal ecosystems.

Learn more about community science
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Moray eel swims amid swaying kelp and colorful fish in California Coast exhibit

And so much more

Don’t miss our giant Pacific octopus, halibut, and the Southern California Kelp Forest, housing colorful Garibaldis and other fish that glide through strands of giant kelp.

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More to explore

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Snapshot Cal Coast Logo outline of the state of CA with silhouette of animals and photo of intertidal seaweeds & a starfish

Pisaster ochraceus and tidepool diversity. Pillar Point, San Mateo County, CA

Snapshot Cal Coast

Ready? Set? Snap! This June, help document California's coastal biodiversity by joining a bioblitz near you.

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Giant Pacific octopus in Steinhart Aquarium glares menacingly at the camera from between its tentacles. Photo by Kathryn Whitney
Our Gothest Animals
If you skew more Ursula than Ariel, you’ve swum to the right post. Meet 8 Academy misfits who embody Halloween.
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Citizen science observation
Community Science

Learn more about the Academy's community science program, and join an upcoming bioblitz or biodiversity survey.

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Solstice Sea Star Search

Be a sea star superstar this December: Find starfish along the California coast and share them on iNaturalist!

Researchers collect gametes from spawning Sunflower star.
Successful Spawning and Cross-Fertilization Bring Hope for the Critically Endangered Sunflower Star

Academy biologists will employ their larval rearing expertise to raise the young sea stars to adulthood.

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Drawing of a Steller's sea cow

A drawing of a Steller's sea cow, an extinct marine megaherbivore. (Biodiversity Heritage Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Academy researchers reveal how extinct Steller’s sea cow shaped kelp forests

Using a novel Past-Present-Future approach, the researchers uncovered the "sea cow effect" on kelp forests.

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Animated GIF of sheephead fish craft
Science @ Home: California Coast (Ages 8-11)

Surf’s up! Get to know the best coast with a bunch of sunny, sandy science activities for beach bums ages 8-11.