During this 45-minute walking tour led by one of our expert-trained docents, you’ll hear inspiring stories of marine mammal survival, learn more about the inner workings of our hospital and find out how you can make a difference for these vulnerable patients. All ages are welcome, but Guided Tours are best suited for ages 7+.

Tour Offerings

• Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at various times throughout the day - check tour times and availability

Prices*

• Adults: $15
• Seniors (ages 65+), Students (ages 5 to 17) and Military Discount: $8
• Kids 4 and under are free
• Members (and 1 guest): $8 each (become a member today!)

* Guests receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) are eligible for up to four free Guided Tour tickets thanks to Museums4All when they present their EBT card and a photo ID in person to verify - use promo code Museums4All when booking online. 

* Guests who are members of the Discover & Go museum pass program for California library cardholders are eligible for 50% off on up to four Guided Tour tickets when they present their Discovery & Go pass and a photo ID to verify - use promo code LIBRARY when booking online.

Booking Tours

• Advance tickets must be purchased online
• Groups larger than 10 people will be reserved on a case-by-case basis as staffing allows. See group tour options below.

Book a Guided Tour

During this 45-minute walking tour behind the scenes of our hospital, you’ll hear inspiring stories about how our animal care experts provide life-saving care to sick and injured marine mammals, learn about the innovative technology sustaining our state-of-the-art hospital and find out how you can make a difference for these vulnerable patients.

Tour Offerings

• First and third weekends of the month - check tour times and availability
• Participants must be at least 7 years old to participate

Prices

• Adults: $20
• Seniors (ages 65+), Students (ages 7 to 17) and Military Discount: $10

Booking Tours

• Advance tickets must be purchased online

Participants must wear close-toed shoes for Behind-the-Scenes Experiences.

Behind-the-Scenes Experiences vary based on weather and patient care. For a more comprehensive marine mammal experience, we recommend pairing your Behind-the-Scenes Experience with a Guided Tour. 

Book a Behind-the-Scenes Experience

Take an interactive journey around The Marine Mammal Center with the help of videos featuring the Center’s work, interviews with experts and interactive quizzes. Listen to our rescue team share what it’s like to rescue seals and whales along the California coast, watch our veterinarians in action, and learn how the Center is leading the field in ocean conservation. The tour lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour and is a great option for ages 7+.

Tour Offerings

• Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10am to 3pm.

Languages Available

• English, Spanish, Chinese Traditional (Cantonese)

Prices

• Adults, Seniors (ages 65+), Students (ages 5 to 17), Military, Members (become a member today!): $5
• Kids 4 and under are free

Booking Tours

• Tablet Tours must be purchased in person at the register. No advance registration available. 

Groups of 10 or more people wanting to take a tour must book a private guided tour. Please note that we are not able to offer private behind-the-scenes experiences.

Book a private tour

Enhance your curriculum with an interactive school tour of our hospital. Our guided tours focus on the Center's mission and work, including topics such as what we feed our patients to how we diagnose diseases. All of our school programs align with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Available Days

• School tours are offered Tuesday and Thursday at 10am, 11:30am and 1pm from late February through June
• Note: the species and number of patients we have onsite changes daily - learn more about what to expect seasonally or view our current patient count

Group Size

• 20-35 participants (including teachers/educators and chaperones) depending on grade level - please see programs below for more details

Patient Rounds (grades 4-7) • 60 minutes • $275 + fees • 35 participants
Inspire your students with a visit to the world’s largest marine mammal hospital. Through exploration, demonstrations and inquiry, this interactive tour experience will bring to life how the different aspects of our work in rehabilitation, research and education come together to care for individual animals and their ocean home. Students will leave feeling connected and inspired to care for our shared ocean environment.

Marine Science Careers (grades 8-12) • 60 minutes • $275 + fees • 20 participants
Do you know the variety of careers available at environmental organizations such as the world’s largest marine mammal hospital? Come see our patients and explore the different jobs required to help care for them. When possible, this tour will go behind-the-scenes to see more of the hospital. Through our people and patient stories and guided inquiry, students will engage with the collaborative nature highlighted by our work in rehabilitation, research and education. Students will discover real-world connections and applications with their science education, exciting opportunities for teens at The Marine Mammal Center and maybe even a future career!

If your group is a combination of grades that overlap between these two tours, please reach out to learn@tmmc.org to book a private youth tour experience.

Fees
Payment is due at least two weeks before your scheduled field trip date. (All prices are subject to change without notice.) 

If your school qualifies for Title 1 funding (or your group is affiliated with a nonprofit) and you are in need of scholarship support, please reach out to the education team at learn@tmmc.org.

Book a School Tour

Enhance your college coursework with real-world context for marine mammal health and welfare, research, and conservation work. 

• 45- to 60-minute walking tour tailored to your needs and curriculum
• Offered Monday through Friday at various times from 10am to 4pm
• $350-$400 for up to 30 participants (including instructors)

Book a College Tour

If you are interested in touring the Center with your non-school youth group (e.g. scouts, after-school programs, youth organizations), please reach out to learn@tmmc.org. 

Please note that at this time, we only have tour programming available for youth in grades 4+, or ages 9+. While we cannot provide younger groups a tour, we’d be more than happy to help you schedule a visit.