Aquarium of the Bay

What Aquarium of the Bay does

Aquarium of the Bay is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public aquarium located at PIER 39, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, founded in 1996 and operated under the Bay.org umbrella. Its core asset consists of two 300-foot crystal-clear underwater tunnels holding more than 750,000 gallons of San Francisco Bay water and housing over 20,000 animals across 200+ species, supplemented by the Touch the Bay/Bay Lab hands-on exhibits, the River Otters Watershed Ambassadors presentation, and the Draper Startup Shark Tunnel featuring sevengill, leopard, and soupfin sharks. The aquarium serves approximately 600,000 visitors annually across families, tourists, K-12 school groups, EBT/Museums for All participants, and private event hosts.

The business model is a diversified mix of consumer-ticketed revenue and philanthropic support. Primary revenue streams include general admission tickets (adult $28.25 walk-up to $30.48 online), annual memberships (subscription), group bookings of 10+, VIP tours, private events and birthday parties, gift shop sales via Muzemer, and donations including a targeted 30th Anniversary $30,000 fundraising campaign. Distribution combines direct online ticketing and walk-up box office with channel partnerships through CityPASS and Go City bundled tourist passes, plus cross-promotion with neighboring PIER 39 attractions such as Blue & Gold Fleet, Big Bus, SkyStar Wheel, and The Flyer. Marketing is executed through the aquarium's own website, email newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube, supplemented by press releases and Smithsonian Affiliation co-branding.

Strategically, the aquarium is repositioning from a pure visitor attraction toward a hybrid education and research platform. Core institutional moves include a Smithsonian Affiliation (June 2017), AZA reaccreditation (March 2017), LEED Platinum certification, and a partnership with Yale School of the Environment on ocean innovation research, alongside new digital offerings (eLearning Modules, Gills Club STEM program) and refreshed board leadership under chairman Jon Fisher. The organization is governed as an independent non-profit with no parent company or institutional investor, and earns no revenue from APIs, software products, or AI capabilities.

Name

Aquarium of the Bay

Legal name

Aquarium of the Bay

Website

https://aquariumofthebay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Aquarium of the Bay is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public aquarium at PIER 39 in San Francisco, founded in 1996, serving approximately 600,000 visitors annually through tunnel exhibits of local marine life, hands-on touch experiences, education programs, and conservation partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium / Visitor Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

Keywords

• Public aquarium visitation
• Marine education programs
• Animal exhibits
• Tourism attractions
• Conservation nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Admission / Ticket Sales: General admission tickets for adults ($28.25), children 4-12 ($20.25), and seniors 65+ ($24.25), with online pricing slightly higher due to 6% web service fee. Ticket includes full-day access.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership subscriptions offering unlimited visits, with 10% off all memberships as a seasonal promotion. Memberships represent recurring revenue from annual renewals.
3. Donations: Non-profit donations supporting marine education, conservation, and community programs. The 30th Anniversary campaign aims to raise $30,000. Donations are a significant contributor to the organization's non-profit mission.
4. Gift Shop: Physical gift shop operated by Muzemer's partner relationship, selling aquarium-branded merchandise, toys, and educational items.
5. Private Events: Birthday party packages and corporate/private event bookings generate revenue through venue rental and curated experiences.
6. VIP Tours: Personalized expert-led tours of the aquarium before public opening (9:15AM to 10:30AM), available daily with a minimum of 3 tickets.
7. Group Ticket Sales: Discounted group tickets for 10 or more visitors, with booking required at least 3 hours prior to visiting. Also includes Education & Travel Industry group programs.
8. CityPASS / Go City Pass Commissions: Partnership with CityPASS and Go City pass programs, where the aquarium is included as a bundled attraction, generating referral-based revenue with savings of up to 45-46% for consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Aquarium of the Bay operates a 501(c)(3) public aquarium at PIER 39 in San Francisco, offering ticketed general admission to local marine life exhibits including two 300-foot tunnels containing 750,000+ gallons of Bay water, hands-on touch experiences, otter presentations, and educational programming. Revenue streams include admission tickets, annual memberships, donations, gift shop sales, private event hosting (birthday parties, corporate events), VIP guided tours, and bundled attraction passes through CityPASS and Go City.

Product overview

Aquarium of the Bay is a single physical aquarium visitor attraction located at PIER 39 in San Francisco, not a software product. The company operates a unified visitor experience centered around its main permanent exhibits: Under the Bay (featuring two 300-foot tunnels with over 200 species), Discover the Bay (shore-line animals), Go with the Flow (jellyfish exhibit), Touch the Bay (interactive touch tanks with Bay Lab), and River Otters. Additional offerings include ticket products (General Admission, Family Combo, VIP Tours), attraction bundles (CityPASS), membership programs, educational programs (Gills Club, eLearning Modules), event hosting (Birthday Parties, Lecture Series), and seasonal events like Otter Snow Days and 4th of July Pre-Fireworks. The aquarium hosts approximately 600,000 guests annually and serves as a non-profit conservation organization protecting San Francisco Bay.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ocean Innovation Partnership: A collaborative initiative with Yale School of the Environment focused on ocean innovation and research.

Products and services

• Under the Bay Exhibit Permanent exhibit featuring two crystal-clear tunnels totaling 300 feet with more than 750,000 gallons of San Francisco Bay water, housing more than 200 species of local marine animals for general public visitors.
• Discover the Bay Exhibit Permanent gallery exhibit showcasing animals found closest to the shore and near San Francisco docks, including green moray eels, wolf eels, juvenile swell sharks, and garibaldi, for general public visitors.
• Go with the Flow Exhibit Permanent exhibit featuring various species of jellyfish including moon jellies and brown sea nettles for general public visitors.
• Touch the Bay & Bay Lab Exhibit Permanent hands-on tactile exhibit and accompanying Bay Lab where visitors can touch juvenile bat rays, skates, sharks, and tidepool inhabitants, with climate-change ambassador land animals.
• River Otters: Watershed Ambassadors Exhibit Permanent North American river otter exhibit with live presentations, feedings, and training sessions led by aquarium biologists as part of the Watershed Ambassadors program.
• Draper Startup Shark Tunnel Permanent crystal-clear tunnel exhibit exploring deeper waters of San Francisco Bay, featuring sevengill sharks, leopard sharks, soupfin sharks, bat rays, sturgeons, and other local Bay species.
• General Admission Tickets Standard full-day entry tickets to the aquarium priced by age band (Adult $28.25-$30.48, Child $20.25-$22.00, Senior $24.25-$26.24), available online with a 6% web service fee or at the walk-up box office.
• VIP Tour Personalized expert-guided tour of the aquarium before public opening, available daily from 9:15AM to 10:30AM, requiring a minimum of 3 tickets.
• Group Tickets (10+ visitors) Discounted admission tickets for groups of 10 or more visitors, including Education & Travel Industry programs, requiring booking at least 3 hours in advance.
• Annual Membership Annual membership subscription providing unlimited visits to the aquarium and exclusive benefits, with periodic seasonal promotions (e.g., 10% off via promo code SUMMERTIME).
• Birthday Parties Private birthday party package offerings for families and children, hosted at the aquarium as a venue-rental experience.
• Aquarium E-Gift Cards Digital gift cards purchased online and redeemable toward aquarium tickets and membership purchases.
• Gills Club Youth STEM Program Free hands-on youth STEM program focused on sharks and marine science, designed to spark scientific curiosity and confidence in science for K-12-aged students.
• Lecture Series Educational lecture events held at the aquarium on marine science and conservation topics for the general public and members.
• Gift Shop (Aquarium-Branded Merchandise) Physical gift shop at the aquarium offering aquarium-branded merchandise, toys, and educational items, operated in partnership with Muzemer.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~600,000 visitors per year experience the aquarium's marine animals and conservation messaging
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Meghan Holst, Ph.D.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Meghan Holst, Ph.D. serves as Consulting Partner for the Animal Care Department, returning to the aquarium to support animal care and conservation programs.
• Yale School of the EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAquarium of the Bay partners with Yale School of the Environment to advance ocean innovation, combining academic research expertise with aquarium education and conservation programming.
• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppointed as a Smithsonian Affiliate in June 2017, enabling educational and research collaboration with one of the world's most prestigious institutions.
• Bay.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAquarium of the Bay is part of bay.org, with new chairman Jon Fisher bringing renewed vision and leadership to guide the organization toward a bright future.
• San Francisco Community Fishing Association (SFCFA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSFCFA is a sponsoring partner, with the aquarium displaying the association's branding as part of its community fishing initiatives.
• CityPASScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCityPASS bundles Aquarium of the Bay with 3 other top San Francisco attractions, offering consumers up to 45-46% savings. Aquarium is featured prominently in CityPASS marketing.
• Go CitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGo City includes Aquarium of the Bay in its flexible pass covering 25+ Bay Area attractions, driving incremental tourist foot traffic.
• San Francisco Museums for All / SFHSAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with SF Health and Human Services Authority allowing CalFresh/Medi-Cal recipients $5 admission for up to 4 guests, improving accessibility.
• Museums for All (National Program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational SNAP/Museums for All partnership allowing EBT cardholders nationwide $5 admission for up to 4 guests at participating museums including Aquarium of the Bay.
• The Bay InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bay Institute honors individuals at its Annual Awards (Whitney Dotson, Chris Austin, Jeffrey Michael) in recognition of conservation contributions, with Aquarium of the Bay as a connected institution.
• PIER 39 Restaurants (Parking Validation Partners)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipating PIER 39 restaurants (Bubba Gump, Chart House, Crab House, Eagle Cafe, Fog Harbor, Hard Rock Cafe, etc.) provide 1 hour of validated parking for aquarium visitors dining at their establishments.
• Nearby Attractions (Big Bus, Blue & Gold Fleet, SkyStar Wheel, The Flyer, 7D Ride)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional partnerships with Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off, Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruises, SkyStar Wheel, The Flyer (flying theater), and 7D Ride Experience at PIER 39, allowing the aquarium to upsell bundled experiences.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium in Monterey, CA, also focused on Pacific marine ecosystems. Closest direct peer given shared Northern California geography, similar non-profit model, comparable exhibit scale, and overlapping conservation programming.
• Steinhart Aquarium (California Academy of Sciences): Public aquarium within the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Direct local competitor for tourist aquarium visits in the same SF market, also operating on a non-profit basis.
• Georgia Aquarium: One of the largest public aquariums in the U.S., a non-profit operating a major urban aquarium attraction. Comparable operating model, visitor volume scale, and membership/donation revenue mix.
• Shedd Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium in Chicago with comparable exhibit scope, AZA accreditation, and Smithsonian-style institutional programming. Operates in a different geography but matches in scale, mission, and revenue model.
• National Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium in Baltimore, MD, with similar exhibit diversity, AZA accreditation, and conservation programming. Direct comparable on visitor economics and revenue stream mix.
• New England Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium in Boston with comparable scale, visitor programs, and local-ecosystem specialization. Operates in a different region but matches in operating model and audience profile.
• Seattle Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium on the Seattle waterfront focused on Pacific Northwest marine life. Comparable operating model, urban waterfront location, conservation mission, and visitor scale.
• Mystic Aquarium: Non-profit public aquarium in Mystic, CT, with similar exhibit diversity and AZA accreditation. Comparable on operating model and educational programming, though smaller visitor volume.
• Birch Aquarium at Scripps: Public aquarium affiliated with Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. Comparable in size and research-affiliation model, with similar California coastal marine life focus.

Broad incumbents

• SeaWorld San Diego: Large-scale for-profit marine theme park in Southern California. Competitor for tourist marine-life entertainment spend in California, though broader in scope (theme park vs. aquarium) and operates on a different commercial model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AquariumOTheBay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/AquariumOfTheBay
• Facebookfacebook.com/AquariumOfTheBay
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquariumofthebay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquarium-of-the-bay

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquarium of the Bay