Monterey, CA….While face coverings will remain a requirement inside the Aquarium for all staff, volunteers and visitors (ages three and older), the type of face coverings permitted will be expanded and guests can remove face coverings while they’re outside.

Aquarium guests can also expect more tickets to be available, more exhibit areas to reopen and the elimination of the one-way path for guests during their visits. Details of the Aquarium’s modified safety guidelines follow:

More tickets are available with increased capacity:

• Guests must still purchase tickets online in advance of a visit.
• We will continue to use timed ticketing to distribute visitors throughout the day.
• After our 10 a.m. opening, tickets will be valid for entry up to 15 minutes prior to and one hour after a scheduled entrance time.
• We’re gradually increasing the amount of tickets available throughout the summer.

Face coverings are required indoors:

• Face coverings will be required for all visitors, ages three and older, while indoors.
• Visitors may remove their face coverings in the outdoor spaces at the Aquarium and while dining in the cafe.
• Face coverings must cover both the nose and mouth. They may not have mesh, vents or valves. Neck gaiters and face shields – which cover both the nose and mouth – will be permitted.
• This policy applies to all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to provide the safest experience possible. This is especially important to protect children, who make up a significant portion of our attendance and are not yet eligible to be vaccinated; for individuals with compromised immune systems; and for our front-line staff and volunteers who come into contact with a high number of visitors during the course of their work.

Familiar favorites return:

• We’ll remove one-way paths. Visitors are free to chart their own course through the exhibit galleries and our outside decks.
• Touch pools will again feature a full complement of animals.
• The Soaring with Seabirds children’s exhibit has reopened.
• The Splash Zone exhibit has partially reopened.
• Hovden Way will again be accessible for access to ocean views by the general public.

These policies are subject to change as the Aquarium continues to evaluate its operations in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Aquarium staff will continuously evaluate COVID safety policies, always keeping public health and safety as the top priority. Please check the Aquarium website, montereybayaquarium.org, for the latest information.

About Monterey Bay Aquarium

With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education, and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at MontereyBayAquarium.org.