Maui Ocean Center

About

Maui Ocean Center is the Pacific's premier tropical aquarium, set on the shores of Māʻalaea Harbor with stunning views of the Maui coastline. Opened in 1998, the center spans 5 acres and focuses exclusively on the marine life of the Hawaiian Islands—making it one of the few major aquariums in the world dedicated to a single region's ocean ecosystem. The signature experience is the 54-foot walk-through acrylic tunnel through the Open Ocean tank, which holds 750,000 gallons of seawater and is home to hammerhead sharks, rays, sea turtles, and hundreds of reef fish. Visitors are surrounded on all sides and above by Hawaii's open ocean environment. Additional exhibits include shallow coral reef tanks, touch pools with sea urchins and cucumbers, and the Living Reef exhibit—one of the most successful large-scale living reef exhibits in any aquarium. The center also houses the Humpbacks of Hawaii museum, dedicated to the humpback whales that migrate to Maui's waters each winter. Exhibits on whale biology, behavior, and conservation are complemented by the center's outdoor ocean views—on a clear winter day, humpbacks are sometimes visible from the grounds. The Tide Pool exhibit introduces Hawaiian invertebrates, and the Sea Turtle exhibit highlights the plight and recovery of endangered Hawaiian green turtles. Maui Ocean Center offers a range of educational programs including guided school visits aligned to Hawaii state standards, behind-the-scenes tours, and specialty evening experiences. The on-site restaurant overlooks the harbor and serves meals throughout the day.

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