Bay Life and Ancient Waters

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The San Francisco Bay is a living museum of aquatic evolution. At the Aquarium of the Bay, located right at Pier 39, you can dive into the local waters without getting wet. The focus here is strictly local, showcasing animals from the bay and neighboring watersheds that stretch all the way to the Sierra Mountains.

With over seven hundred and seventy thousand gallons of salt water, it's home to twenty-four thousand animals, from sleek sharks and rays to secretive octopuses and hypnotic jellyfish. Walking through the underwater tunnels, you get a glimpse of the diverse species that have adapted to this specific, salty ecosystem over millennia.

Updated June 2026