Hatfield Marine Science Center is a gem on the Oregon Coast. An educational aquarium and only five dollars a person! Touch pools and full marine skeletons, including the new full blue whale skeleton! read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - New Blue whale skeleton display. - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

A sweet and short marine museum visit, about 45 minutes. Wonderful tanks with fishes and many visual displays. I fell in love with their large red octopus at the entrance. Such amazing eyes! He might be returned to the sea soon. Lovely young lady at the entrance eagerly explained displays and had lots of info on my octopus friend. There is a starfish, anemone, urchin and cucumber petting area. I petted the four types and the urchin actually grabbed my finger. Amazing and gentle! That was worth the $5 charge alone. They have a gift shop. Lots of free parking. read more

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I have been here at least a dozen times. First a handful by myself, as a college student, and nearly annually since 2012 with my students on field trips. Hatfield is on the estuary in Newport, and is a college campus for Oregon state university marine science students, plus they have a visitors center that the public can visit. Donations welcomed, $5ish per person seems good. There are tons of exhibits, not an exhaustive list Octopus tank Touch pools Rotating art collections Wave maker Mammal pelts Puzzles Kinetic sand watershed-making Jelly and fish tanks Interactive games Skeletons Maps I have enjoyed working with the staff, who are responsive and informative. Only once did I have a disappointing experience, but I learned that the classroom experiences just weren't flexible enough for me. I shifted to only touring the visitor's center for about an hour, and that is affordable and fun. My students gather data in the tide pools south of Newport, so it's nice to just play here afterwards. I'd like to be able to have them tour a dorm room and maybe a classroom for 10 minutes too, if that were offered. My students are college- bound juniors and seniors. Big parking lot with plenty of space for buses. read more

Only spent around 45 mins here, but really cool place to explore. Lots of fun exhibits, my favorite one was where you try to build lego structures to withstand water waves (a "tsunami"). Also got to see a very active octopus up close, too, which I've never seen before (usually octopuses at aquariums just hide in the corner). Also cool touch pools. And the tanks were also kept extremely clean! read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

For $5 this was a great spot for us to take our 5 year old! The fish in the tanks were ok. But we couldn't get her away from the touch tanks or the wave lab! Touch Tanks - Tons of different species to touch. No lines to touch on a Saturday afternoon and plenty of helpful employees! Wave Laboratory - One exhibit where you can build buildings with Lego's and then push a button for different types of waves and see how well your building stood! Another exhibit had sand and tools to build up the sand and build a dam to see how well it stood up against a wave. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - Touch tank - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

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We had a great time at the Marine Science Center this past weekend. The staff / volunteers were extremely informative and friendly and the space was a great way to spend an hour + exploring. Considering the entry fee is only $5, this experience is well worth the costs. I checked reviews before going with my family and saw comments around costs / lack of activities, but I felt this was a great experience and well worth the time and limited costs. Also, although they make it a point to not name their octopus to avoid emotional connections, my family decided the current octopuses name is "Dolly", so feel free to call her that when you swing by to say hi! All in all, great experience for the cost and well worth the visit!! read more

Super fun spot for kids! You can't beat $5 tickets! Lots of hands on activities for kids. Worth a stop.

Well you no longer have to download an app and make a reservation like you did post Covid. Someone in the government finally declared it's over. The fee has gone from $3 to $5. I suppose I can't blame them because for years the place ran on different sources of income including donations. There are a lot of exhibits for kids. You will probably see an octopus as a main exhibit unless the curtain is pulled around the tank and the octopus is taking a nap. I guess they like to nap in the dark. Other exhibits that excited my kid was creating a tidal wave, and watching the wall of Legos fall over. Theres enough for adults too. Plan on spending 30-90 minutes depending on whether or not you watch the movie. They have comfortable seats so it's easy to fall asleep. read more

This is a great hands on learning environment! Between the touch pool, the friendly octopus display, and the hands on science experiments no one goes home having been bored. I as the adulted loved the friendly octopus. My daughter loved playing with the wave maker and erosion pools. Definitely a revisit every time we are in the area and have an hour or more. read more

The Hatfield Marine Science Center has been a part of the Oregon State University system for 50 years now. While it's specifically geared toward K-12 education, our little family found that it is informative for adults as well. We wound up here thanks to the rain. There are many hands-on educational activities - some better than others; however, the tidepool touch tanks were our daughters' favorite. Admission is free, but donations are welcome at the spectacular octopus sculpture/money box. Most of the staff I spoke to were volunteers. They were more than happy to share their knowledge and insight. There was a small section about their use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to investigate methane seeps. They had a short video about it - amazing stuff. More of that please. TIP - don't forget to view the "OctoCam" at night if you missed a regularly-scheduled feeding - that's when their in-house octopus is most active! read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - 7/9/19 - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

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For 5$ this cannot be missed. We absolutely loved all of the hands on exhibits. It was wonderful to give kids a chance to see all the ocean and land systems. My husband was a major fan of the ship pilot simulator. I couldn't get him off the simulator while my son and I enjoyed the hands on exhibits. My son was obsessed with the tsunami exhibit. He really enjoyed trying new construction tactics to keep the city from being washed away. My husband wished you guys had more apparel with more research vessel specs and info. Wonderful touch thanks and really sweet staff volunteers. We will be coming back next time we are in the area. read more

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It's a bargain for all the attractions! I met the 2 month old female octopus at the end of August when I visited. She was very active and played with her toys! I would call before you go if you want to see an octopus as they rehab octopuses there and then release them into the wild. Ask a staff member to see if they can give you some octopus education! read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - A 2 month old, 10 lb female octopus - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

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This was a fun and FREE place. I'm all about the aquariums and such, but this one is free, so we went here instead of to the expensive paid one. What a fabulous experience. Lots of interactive stuff for the kiddos (and adults) and lots of great learning experiences all over the place. Takes at least an hour or more to actually see and do it all. Be sure to check out the TOTALLY AWESOME octopus tank!!!! Staff and docents were spectacular. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

We had a blast here with our one year old daughter and can't wait to bring her back once her attention span is longer. There are touch tanks and other interactive exhibits to teach about various aspects of marine science. I was impressed with the beautiful fish tanks. While smaller than the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the science center is much more educational. read more

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Perfect way to experience sea life without paying an arm and leg at the aquarium. My toddler loved it and enjoyed touching the creatures in the tide pool and playing with all the science experiments. It only cost $5 and we saw everything in about an hour and a half. Great place for anyone with toddlers read more

This little gem was much better than I expected. The octopus 2301 or "diva" was super colorful and active, playing with visitors. The docent Jerry, was an awesome guide showing us creatures we had missed and artifacts of the animals on display. The gift shop was surprisingly good and we made up for the low entry fee by buying some of their items. Don't miss this little gem if you're visiting Newport! read more

Don't forget to tip your walrus on the way out. There are two kinds of FREE activities... **Type 1 - This is lame, but I'm not going to complain too much because after all it's free. **Type 2 - I can't believe how great this is. Woo hoo! The Hatfield Marine Research Center falls squarely under Type 2 for me. The fancy pants Newport Aquarium is just down the road, but admission for a family of four is roughly $75. It is a superior aquarium with more interactive exhibits, shows, etc., but that is a lot of money to spend on every trip to the area. I've visited the Newport Aquarium before and will do so again, but I recommend alternating your visits with the Hatfield for a different set of activities. Your wallet will thank you. For a free museum it is pretty darn cool. It starts with the eight-armed receptionist. I love the description of the octopus on their website, "There have been many greeters, each with its own personality and level of enthusiasm for the job - and each with its own name, chosen by our visitors." The tank is covered and flash photography is prohibited, but it is periodically opened during feeding time. My boys' other favorite things were the Tidepool touch tanks with the vibrant sea anemone and the movies in the small auditorium. As a parent, I absolutely love visiting places where I don't feel obligated to stay if the kids' interest isn't there. So you can really make your visit as long or short as you please. The center is located on the south side of the bridge just minutes away from the historic Bayfront district. The store is also filled with a great selection of books and other merchandise. If only more museums could be so cheap and easy. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - A very cool touch table. - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

Wonderful learning experience for kids and adults. Having the college students connected to the center provides an engaging dynamic and adds their passion for the oceans to the experience. read more

Wonderful place to take the family at a super affordable price. Had some extra time while in town and super happy we dropped by as I hadn't been since I was a kid. read more

Beautifully displayed and very affordable. Nice place with displays spaced to avoid crowding. Great prices and lots to see. Worth the trip with your little ones. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center is the less glamorous neighbor to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It's centered mainly on research, it's part of OSU. There are educational exhibits on erosion, tsunamis, a touch tank, it's mainly about appealing to the children. Unlike the Oregon Coast Aquarium, it's donation rather than admission. There is a little gift shop. It's not as exciting. There's a prominent octopus display, along with "make your own tsunami" and a dock that was carried from Japan to Oregon in 2011. One can learn about tide pools, ocean acidification. It's a homespun little museum. read more

This place is FREE and is amazing. My kids all loved it. Ranging from ages 5-15. There were things to explore, hands on displays, a really cool octopus who is mischievous. Volunteers were nice and welcoming. We enjoyed coloring together, and a whale presentation. We will definitely come back. read more

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It is not every day that you go to an attraction and discover it is even better than you expected, but that is exactly what happened when we visited this science and education center. There were a many interesting and informative exhibits, aquariums with a variety of sea life plus touch tanks that appeal to both young and old. Each of the volunteers we encountered seemed were very nice and very well informed. We spent almost 2 hours and I could have lingered longer had we not been pressed for time. It was free, but a donation of $5 or more per person would be welcomed. read more

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What a fun and informative place to spend a couple of hours exploring. It's really well laid out, so much information about marine life, fishing, tsunamis, aquariums; anything ocean relates really. There is a lot of really great displays with information to read but also some really fun interactive exhibits. We spent some time building tsunami resistant walls made of legos in a wave simulator. Once you build a wall you press a touch screen which simulates a wave. That's when you find out how sturdy your structure is! Another neat exhibit is a sand box which you can shift sand around to create mounds and a light above sense the topographical change and changes the sand colors in relation to the elevation of the mounds. So you can shift sand around to create blue lakes and waterways, mountains of green and even build high enough for the sand to turn white. You have to try it to understand. There are puzzles and questions for the kids as well as a touch pool. They have so many fish and sea creatures to look at in the aquariums as well. And a fun gift shop as well, of course. :) Just a really fun place that is great for families, dates, kids, or anyone who is interested in marine life! read more

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This was MY favorite place on our vacation! Plus it's free! Donations encouraged $5 per person or $20 per family. We went to the aquarium when we left my son noticed the sign and ask that we go. I assumed it was just an information center, but it's not, it's awesome! We learned about tsunamis, erosion, tectonic plates and the hands on topography sand table was the coolest thing ever! If I wasn't such a nice mom I would have pushed all the kids out of the way and played by myself! We also found not only Nemo, but Dory too! read more

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I could have watched the octopus for hours. It was a beauty, big red pacific variety, and as it dangled and contorted over a warm water vent, I was mesmerized. I got up close to the glass as it grabbed then let go with dozens of suction cups. It floated like a gauzy curtain, then contracted into a tight ball. A couple of times it floated away then shot back, all of its tentacles trailing behind. I'm sorry you're a captive, but I'm so grateful to have met you. The rest of the place is Science! Weather, tides, erosion, species both ascendant and in decline. If I was a kid you wouldn't be able to pry me out of here. As an adult I wanted to donate the entire contents of my checking account. It's pay what you can admission here - be generous! Don't miss the large dock that arrived from Japan on the tide, a casualty of the tsunami. read more

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A small free museum thanks to OSU, with plenty to see and do. Plenty of hands on and interactive parts to each exhibit. We got up close to an Octopus and got to feel some on the animals that would be in a tide pool in their touch tanks. (Never thought about sea creatures being sticky underwater. That was pretty cool!) If you are around for their outdoor tour, take it. You get to touch small crabs and hunt for shrimp in the mud using a shrimp gun! read more

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It is so very rare to actually get to interact with an octopod anywhere on the planet. In this very spot, you can actually touch an octopus. These shy creatures are usually huddled in the darkest corner of any other aquarium. Here "Amigo" is front and center, the main attraction, the Hatfield's Shamu. Step right up and touch the Octopus, kids! The touch tank is also cool because this aquarium is not as crowded as the commercial attraction next door. The day we want was "Oregon Commercial Fisheries Day". I had a nice chat with a fisherman who was displaying his kiosk concept that helps consumers learn about where their fish comes from. Fish are filleted and packaged with bar codes and URLs so you can scan the package or type in the code on a web site and get lots of data about who caught the fish, where they caught it, when, etc. I told him that he should just organize a Twitter campaign b/c consumers just care about the lore of the sea, not so much the detailed data. And this perhaps is the lesson of the Hatfield Science Center. Consumers are sheeplike animals, attracted to the flashy stuff and bored by the information that might help them truly survive as a species. Extinction happens. read more

Awesome time here!! We enjoyed this much better than the Newport Aquarium just up the road. A donation to get in here and over $50 to get in up the street and that was with one free kid coupon! Much better time here. The touch tank is much bigger here and there are more items to touch and see. Super cool to have a fish that likes to get petted. Don't see that every day! (if ever). We got here at opening time during a spring break week. Totally no crowd, which was great. Wonderful lady/volunteer helped us out and explained a few things. We stayed to see them feed a number of the tanks and asked a few questions. Very helpful and friendly people work/volunteer here. The Newport Aquarium is larger and more exhibits, but I must say that we had more fun here and didn't have to fight any crowds. (I hope this review doesn't make for large crowds!!) When we get into Newport again, we will be sure to stop by. Thanks for a great time! read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - Pearl the octopus - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

I visited the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center with my husband and 6-and 7-year-old children during a recent stay at nearby South Beach State Park. We skipped the touristy and overpriced aquarium in Newport and were happy to learn about the OSU marine science center from a park ranger at South Beach. The science center is technically free. However, we were more than happy to donate the recommended $20/family "admission" that was requested. (We would have paid $20 for just one adult at the nearby aquarium!). The science center had several living marine animals, a hands-on tide pool, a tsunami generator, and lots of very interesting exhibits about various marine science topics. The octopus that previously lived at the facility was released into the wild about a week before our visit. It would have been cool to see her....but the knowledge that she was rehabilitated and released into a natural habitat is far better. I can't recommend this place enough for any central Oregon coast visit!!! read more

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I will start by saying that this place is "free" but really it is donation based. I didn't realize this and I felt bad because I left all my personal belongs besides my phone at our beach rental. If you have kids under the age of 6 skip the aquarium and come here instead- it is right down the street- and if at all possible don't go anywhere near the abomination known as the "Undersea Gardens". Aside from missing the larger marine animals and birds the selection of fish is very comparable. They even have a small handling tank with star fish. Just realize it is a working marine research center so don't expect theme park mascots and concession stands- it is for looking and learning. The place is also bigger than I thought it would be. I highly recommend this place above the other similar attractions in town. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - I hope they found an octopus!! - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

Free to attend, but donations are appreciated. The building is small but has enough activities to keep you or your kids occupied for at least 2 hours. There are clean and clear touch tanks, many fish to see, a couple skeletons on display, brain games to do, and a lot of information you can read or hear about from the volunteers (friendly and kind). Some of the fish are not labeled though. I recommend this place for people age 5 and up. My 4 year old was about a head too short for a couple of the activities. read more

Free? are you kidding me? Yea been coming here for years! If your lucky you can view the OSU marine vessel which docks here as well. You can't get on it, but it is neat to see the research vessel the kids take to see for learning and exploration. The Octopus is the star attraction, however i like to poke the sea enemies, hahaha. There are many fish exhibits, some really up close views of the fish in various tanks. We take almost two hours to see it all, including a visit to the gift shop. Sometimes pretty cool stuff. They really lean towards the educational, so many items in the gift shop are great for the kids. We did make a donation as we left, it was well worth it! Tip-- it is really close to the rogue brewery so Lunch is very close! read more

I was extremely pleased by the excellent work these people have done with their available resources. Excellent exhibits that are interesting and educational with very well prepared staff! Simply outstanding! I gave them a decent donation and strongly support their efforts! Please stop by and check this gem out! Say 'Hi' to the Mamma octopus while you are there! read more

I've been coming here all my life, and I keep coming back. The place seems to be more geology oriented than sea life oriented than it was in the past. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed reading about the different sea creatures and I like the fact that it is donation based. read more

Hatfield Marine Science Center - Aquariums Near Me - Newport, Oregon

Our visit to the marine science center was fun and definitely worth the recommended donation. The touch tank was a good experience and the displays on oyster cultivation and wave-generated electrical generation were educational. The walk along the estuary trail is a great opportunity to see birds (including the osprey nest on a pole at one end of the trail). We were disappointed, however, that there were no exhibits regarding research into climate change and its impacts on marine life and environments (although the oyster cultivation exhibits did briefly discuss the challenges to oyster cultivation due to ocean acidification resulting the absorption of too much carbon). Some of the exhibits felt a bit dated, too. Still, a good place to visit and well-worth the time of you're looking for some place interesting to spend a couple of hours in Newport. read more

Petite marine research centre that welcomes everyone, as opposed to the glossy money-hungry aquarium down the road. Not all families can afford $20 a person, but Hatfield simply asks for donations; their displaces actually focuses on education and learning, rather than getting a buck off of you. The exhibit that struck me the most was on the 'dead zones' off the coast of Washington and Oregon. There are before and after videos of the sea floor and questions, discussions about the growing concerns of these areas. Unfortunately, you won't find any provocative or inquisitive exhibits like these at the other aquarium. The descriptions are a bit more cerebral and aren't geared towards smaller children, so as the adult, you'll have to be the interpreter. Some of the exhibits could use an upgrade, especially the more tactile ones, since they are obvious well-loved. There's a lot of heart in this place. Definitely worth the visit. read more

My cheap-ass parents have been taking me to the Hatfield Marine Science Center multiple times per summer since I was a little kid. For an aquarium that is roughly twelve dollars cheaper than its neighbor to the south - or exactly $14.95 cheaper if you keep your head down and run past the "suggested donations" lady - the Hatfield isn't too bad. The big ol' octopus is always fun to watch, even if they don't let visitors stick their arms in the tank anymore. The touch pool has a child-pleasing array of anemones, rockfish and skates. Everybody likes the chaos wheel and the whale-song exhibit, and while the collection of actual live exhibits is sparse, it's always fun to watch the fish do their thing. Yet the tourist appeal of the Hatfield is limited by its low funding and advanced academic purpose, and those who do not consider themselves amateur marine biologists may find themselves without much to do. Exhibits do not change often, and what is there can be very dry. Clunky exhibits on pinworm infestation and different types of silt are about as child-friendly as is humanly possible, which is to say that most kids who are not into biology will find them completely lame. Customer service at the Hatfield is usually good, but my last visit there was a disappointment - the bathrooms were trashed, and someone's kid had obviously taken a whizz in the auditorium. But it's a good deal. If you're a parent and you want your kids to sincerely appreciate marine biology, and if you can afford it, take your kids to the Oregon Coast Aquarium before you take them to the Hatfield. Get their excitement and enthusiasm going at the big aquarium, then when they've mastered some of the basic background information and are hungry for more, hit them with the heavy academic stuff at the Hatfield. Otherwise a lot of what the Hatfield has to offer will be lost on them. read more

Very cool and very interactive exhibits. Fun for all ages. The last time we were there, the octopus wasn't there, but if you can make it to one of the feedings it is very worthwhile. My family also really liked the fossil/re-building of the Elephant Seal. read more

A lot of people visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which is very cool. But I think fewer people know about the Hatfield Marine Science Center. This is where a lot of research/management agencies are housed (OSU, NOAA, US Fish & Wildlife, SeaGrant, etc.) and they have a cool little Visitors' Center and lots of trails around the outside and along the bay. Like the Coast Aquarium, there are live critters, including Ursula the octopus (watching her at feeding time is really cool). There are also touch tanks that mimic the Oregon tidal pools. Unlike the Coast Aquarium, the HMSC visitors' center is free. It's a little more research-focused, too. You can buy things there, though. I highly recommend the Oregon Coast Quest Book (it costs about $6 but is totally worth it) if you have kids or if you just like the whole geocaching/letterboxing/hidden treasure thing, or are just curious. Next time you are on the coast, give this place a try...you'll probably learn a lot about the Coast that you didn't know. read more