Seattle Aquarium

The Seattle Aquarium is a public aquarium opened in 1977 and located on Pier 59 on the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The aquarium was initially owned and operated by the City of Seattle, Department of Parks and Recreation. On July 1, 2010, the nonprofit Seattle Aquarium Society, the official 501 nonprofit organization for the Seattle Aquarium, assumed management of the Seattle Aquarium from the city. The aquarium promotes marine conservation and instructs over 800000 visitors each year, including 50000 students, to learn about their impacts on marine life. It also conducts research on marine life. In 2007, expansion opened that includes a new gift store and cafe, as well as two new exhibits: Window on Washington Waters and Crashing Waves.