When the aquarium was founded in 1937, the goal was mostly to entertain the public. The dark interior was meant to create the feeling of swimming through an ocean cave at a time when respiration-aided diving was virtually unknown.

In the past several years, the focus has shifted to education and community involvement as well as entertainment. We have reached beyond the walls of the actual building to participate in local events and projects geared toward establishing a better understanding and appreciation of the North Coast marine environment.

In 1995 we became leaders in the regional Marine Mammal Stranding Network. In the next few years we added an Interpretive Center and helped start Seaside’s Watershed Estuary Beach Discovery Program. We have partnered with local businesses, non-profit organizations, and the City of Seaside to inform both the public and local communities about beach safety, tides, different coastal habitats, and the animals who live there.

For example, the humpback whale is not particularly rare, but hardly ever washes up on beaches because it spends its time miles offshore. Usually when it dies, its carcass is carried around in the ocean until it deteriorates completely. The one that washed ashore in Washington this winter was the first one the local Marine Mammal Stranding network has seen in its ten years of operation. A King of the Salmon that washed ashore this summer provided a wonderful sample of deep-water fish for the aquarium. Living between 500 and 1,000 feet below the ocean’s surface and reaching six feet in length, this fish needs big eyes to see. The one that we found had an eye nearly three inches across! The aquarium has frozen the fish and hopes to preserve it permanently for use on display.