Special Events

Evenings by the Bay

This summer join us for an Evening by the Bay. The Aquarium will stay open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from July 3 through September 5. In addition to all your favorite exhibits, enjoy live music from Monterey Jazz Festival musicians.

Member Night—Sea Otters

Join us for a special Sea Otter Member Night! We’ll have fun programming and activities—all about otters. Take part in a special auditorium program featuring a panel of our sea otter staff sharing the story of Kit, the youngest animal to be raised in our sea otter exhibit.

Wine and Food Lovers' Dinner

Join Executive Chef David Anderson for a delicious dinner featuring local sustainable cuisine, and meet some of our community’s best food and wine experts. Please call the Membership Office at (831) 648-4880 to make reservations. Cost is $130 per person (includes tax and gratuity) and includes reception, dinner and wine pairings.

Otter Days

Join us for a weekend of fun programs and activities as we celebrate all things otter. Enjoy the antics of our playful southern sea otters as they romp, tumble and wrestle in our 55,000-gallon exhibit. Includes feeding and training sessions, games and otter spotting on the bay.

Fiesta del Mar

Celebrate ocean conservation with a day-long Hispanic cultural festival. Enjoy bilingual feeding shows, games and more. Children under 12 admitted free.

Halloween at the Aquarium

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, strolling magicians and stilt walkers.

Feathered Friends

Get to know some amazing birds this Thanksgiving at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Feathered Friends” event on Saturday and Sunday, November 20 and 21. The weekend of activities highlights animals with beaks, wings and feathers—including the Aquarium’s blackfooted penguins, Laysan albatross and shorebirds from our aviary.

Member Night

Take part in special programs or explore our exhibits during these quieter hours when we’re open just for members and your guests. Member Nights are free for members and guest cards are honored. Registration is not required. Please enter through the main entrance.

Member Night—Holidays In Store

Kick off the holidays with a special Member Night featuring our gift and bookstores! Shop for unique holiday gifts and meet the authors, artists and craftspeople who created them. Enjoy local wines while strolling through the Aquarium at its festive best.