Wine by the Water, a popular mission-based event returns on April 27, 2024. Guests will enjoy a special tour through the Center, stopping at designated locations while sampling food and wine pairings. Interact with Alaska SeaLife Center staff and learn how the Center is achieving its mission. Special VIP Champage Reception 5:45 pm - 6:30 pm. Event 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm.

Seward, Alaska (January 3, 2017)– The Alaska SeaLife Center is pleased to kick-off 2017 with Winter FISHtival! Each Saturday during the month of January the Center will offer special family friendly activities led by animal care experts and educators. All activities are included in the cost of admission and free to members. Winter FISHtival Saturday events include: Magnify Magic, Underwater Adventure, and a Deep Diving Seabird Scatter Feeding. Step up to the microscope for a really close look at some of the smallest and most fascinating sea animals. Join our educators in the underwater viewing area to do the seal hop and learn more about sea lions and seals! See some high-speed, deep diving seabird action and find out how these birds are specially adapted for under-sea foraging. Additionally, each week we will highlight a special marine animal or group of marine animals: Saturday, January 7: Weird fish With over 80 species of fish from Alaska in our aquariums, some of them are just bound to be a little more weird, a little more cool! Our aquarists are excited to show you some of the weirdest, coolest fish in our aquariums. You will learn more about what makes these fish special and how our team takes care of these amazing animals!   Saturday, January 14: Wolf eels Observe our dive team conduct an underwater feeding of a six foot long wolf eel! Our aquarists and educators will be on hand as we watch the dive team feed the adult wolf eel that lives in a rocky den in our two-story 95,000 gallon aquarium. Next we will head upstairs to observe a feeding of two young wolf eels living in our Kelp Forest tank. Learn about these amazing animals that have fang shaped teeth and an impressive bite force for pulverizing prey - but are typically friendly to divers and can be trained to feed on command. Saturday, January 21: Jellies, nudibranchs, sea cucumbers and other squishy things Join our aquarists and educators to explore the amazing and diverse world of invertebrates. Join the team as we look for newest arrivals in our tanks, observe a feeding and learn more about how we take care of these unique animals. Saturday, January 28: Incredible octopus Meet Gilligan, a giant Pacific octopus in our Octo Grotto and learn more about one of the most intelligent members of the marine world. Our aquarists and educators will share their knowledge about these animals and then we will head up to our research theater to observe a feeding of two younger animals. The Alaska SeaLife Center is open daily during the winter 12 noon - 5 p.m. We offer discounts for Alaska residents, seniors and U.S. military. All Winter FISHtival activities are included in the cost of admission and free to members. For more information on WinterFISHtival Saturdays, visit the Alaska SeaLife Center on Facebook or www.alaskasealife.org. Special winter hotel rates are available at Hotel 360, Breeze Inn and Hotel Seward. For additional information on hotels and restaurants in Seward, contact the Seward Chamber of Commerce at 907-224-8051 or www.seward.com. About the ASLC Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates as a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium. It generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.   High resolution art available from media@alaskasealife.org; 907-224-6334

Support the Center while you Shop!  There are many ways you can support the Center and one is through purchasing an item on our Amazon Wishlist! By purchasing an item on our list you are making a difference. The items needed range from toys for Animal Enrichment to formula for our Wildlife Response Program. Please include your name, address and email when checking out so we can send you a thank-you! For tracking purposes, you are welcome to forward your purchase confirmation to development@alaskasealife.org so that we can update you on its arrival. Thank you for your support!

2025 Teacher Workshop One Ocean: The Ocean Connects Us All We are partnering with the National Park Service to host a teacher workshop at the Alaska SeaLife Center on October 24-26 for 4th through 8th grade teachers. The theme this year is One Ocean: The Ocean Connects Us All. In this workshop, we will engage in nature journaling, learn local coastal ecology, and use ocean literacy to inspire students to care for their environment. We will also include conversations about cultural connections to the ocean and the value of marine environments to local people. Please submit the following application by September 26: https://forms.gle/s6m1KTxDDbeaBa1N8 If you have any questions, please reach out to the ASLC Education Department at education@alaskasealife.org. In case you didn't already know...  Alaska teachers always receive free general admission to the Alaska SeaLife Center - just present a teacher ID or pay stub at the ticket counter!

Join the Alaska SeaLife Center for a family-friendly, fun-filled day of ocean-themed activities and educational booths bringing together science and culture to celebrate and protect the world's oceans!  Explore free activities outside on the plaza hosted by local science and education organizations, participate in interactive crafts and games, and enjoy special programs inside the Center with admission throughout the day. Additional highlights include: Free tour of the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute (Limit 12 participants. Meet at CRRC tent at 1 p.m. – first come first serve) A citywide ocean explorer scavenger hunt with the Seward Mural Society A collaborative community art project Cultural crafts and demonstrations in partnership with the Qutekcak Native Tribe Bounce house Join us to celebrate our local connection to the ocean and discover ways to protect our marine ecosystems that unite communities around the world. All ages are welcome!

Today, on World Oceans Day, the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) would like to tell the story of Zippy. Many Seward residents rightfully expressed concern about the sea otter in Resurrection Bay with a pink zip tie embedded around his paw this spring. While residents and ASLC staff were aware of the injured otter for months, catching a robust, male sea otter who can swim and dive is an incredible challenge. Both ASLC staff and locals spent hours daily looking for the otter trying to pinpoint his routine and whereabouts. On May 25th he was finally caught. ASLC staff, individuals from University of Alaska Fairbanks, and crew from the R/V Sikuliaq worked for over 4 hours trying to approach him and eventually net him off the stern of the research vessel. He was quickly transported to ASLC where veterinarians found that unfortunately, he sustained a very serious bone infection that could take months to heal. “Likely, Zippy's paw will never be the same, but we hope he will overcome the infection, show that he can forage normally, and be released back to Resurrection Bay.  We appreciate all the calls and support from local Sewardites as we monitored him this spring,” states Wildlife Response Curator, Jane Belovarac.    ASLC staff is doing everything they can to keep him comfortable and treat his infection, but there are significant challenges with housing an adult sea otter especially due to the financial hardships brought on by COVID-19. While the Center is thankful for partners like Sea Otter Foundation and Partners4Wildlife, many sponsors were understandably unable to offer support this year. Zippy, who is currently about 65 lbs, is being treated with daily antibiotics and other medication and eats around 18-20 lbs of shellfish a day, which adds up to be very expensive.   One way to help Zippy and other wildlife response patients is to donate to the Wildlife Response Program at: www.alaskasealife.org/donate   People can also symbolically adopt a sea otter in ASLC care at: https://alaskaanimalrescue.org/adopt-an-animal/   Sharing this story on World Oceans Day is important because while Zippy’s circumstances are disheartening, he brings a powerful message that we need to protect our Alaskan wildlife. Zippy is a victim of marine debris. It is every individual's responsibility to secure any type of plastic waste whether for personal or commercial use. Reduce plastic use when possible, keep track of trash, cut zip ties when done, and consider using biodegradable alternatives to plastic ties for short term tasks. There are many little things each and every one of us can do to make a big difference for marine life in Alaska.   Photo credit goes to @raven_song_photography   Please contact media@alaskasealife.org for any additional media requests regarding this story.

Did you know that Alaska is a haven for over 40 species of waterfowl? The state’s vast and relatively undisturbed ecosystems — including wetlands, tundra, and coastal areas — make it one of the most critical areas in North America for waterfowl conservation.   Learn more at the ASLC on January 17 and 18, where admission includes free crafts, activities, and educational chats!   Activity Schedule   - 12:30 & 2:30 pm: What makes waterfowl so unique in the bird world? - 1:00 & 3:00 pm: Become a "Seaduck Scientist!" - 2:00 & 3:30 pm: Learn to birdwatch!  

Watch our video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PzP1KP9nWQ Thank you to all guests and members, past, present, and future, for helping to ensure the Center's mission work continues.