K-12 Programs

For groups that only have a short time to visit Aquarium of the Bay, these tours are flexible and give your group an awe-inspiring look at life in San Francisco Bay.

Program Fee: Free for K-12 school groups from the nine Bay Area Counties

Program Length: Approximately 1 hour

Days Offered: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (depending on availability)

Time Offered: Every 20 minutes between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Number of Participants: Limit of 35 children and 10 adult chaperones per tour. Note: Mandatory minimum requirement of one (1) adult chaperone to five (5) students. Groups larger than 45 participants will be split into smaller groups and tour start times will be scheduled in adjacent time slots or the closest available time slots.

Please Note:

• Aquarium of the Bay self-guided tours are FREE ONLY for Bay Area K-12 school groups from the following counties: San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo.
• Afterschool or youth groups affiliated with K-12 schools as well as all other youth groups and non-Bay Area school groups interested in visiting Aquarium of the Bay, please contact the Group Sales Department.

Explore Aquarium of the Bay’s exhibits and delve into the practices of science on these thematic guided tours.

Program Length: 1.5 hours

Days Offered: Mondays and Thursdays

Times Offered: 10:15am, 11:30am

Number of Participants: Limit of 35 students and 10 adult chaperones per program.

Please Note: Exploration Tour programs are also available on afternoons and weekends. Call 415-623-5376 to inquire and learn more.

Sea Lion Center Programs offer your students a classroom experience by the Bay. These programs are coupled with a self-guided tour of Aquarium of the Bay to extend your students’ learning experience.

Program Length: 2.5 hours (includes self-guided Aquarium tour)

Days Offered: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

Times Offered: 10:15am, 11:30am, and 1:00pm

Number of Participants: Limit of 35 students and 10 adult chaperones per program.

Please Note: Sea Lion Center programs are also available on afternoons and weekends. Call 415-623-5376 to inquire and learn more.

Led by an team of Aquarium Educators, this program provides an immersive learning experience of San Francisco Bay from on-board the Alcatraz Cruises Hybrid Ferry. Hands-on activities focus on Bay ecology, use of scientific instruments, and innovative energy saving technologies. These programs can be coupled with an optional self-guided tour of Aquarium of the Bay to extend your students’ learning experience.

Program Dates: This program is only available on limited dates (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) during the school year.

Times Offered: 9:50am – 2:15pm (Aquarium self-guided tour is included)

Number of Participants: Limit of 45 total students and adult chaperones.

Please Note: This program is only available for 4th – 8th grade students. Maritime Mandatory requirement of 1 adult: 7 students ratio.

Project WATERS (Watershed and Trout Education for Regional Stewardship) is an exciting program, where teachers and students engage in amazing educational experiences throughout the school year in order to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of local aquatic ecosystems. The core of this program is participation in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Trout in the Classroom program, in which classes host young rainbow trout in their classroom. Teachers and students participating in the programs will also get outside and receive special in-classroom lessons as part of this unique program.

Project WATERS is ONLY available for classes in San Francisco.

For more information or to apply to participate in Project WATERS for the 2019-2020 school year, please contact Education Assistant Manager, Mayra Rivas at:

• 415.623.5376
• [email protected]

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