On August 29 2024, the Seattle Aquarium opened the brand new Ocean Pavilion. Showcasing the connection between all the Earth’s oceans, “The pavilion has been over two decades in the making,” Emily Malone, the Public Relations Specialist at the Seattle Aquarium said. The conversation about the Ocean Pavilion and connecting the Seattle Waterfront to Pike Place “really picked up once the viaduct went down,” Malone said. Malone mentioned that her favorite area of the new pavilion is the reef, with a large curved window that displays many different kinds of sea life. “I love that window, just because it shows that it’s an entire ecosystem,” Malone said. “It’s amazing to see all the animals together as a habitat!” The reef features many different species like the moray eel, the Indo-Pacific leopard shark and multiple eagle rays that fly overhead. “If you only have time to go to one spot, obviously you have to go to the reef,” Malone stated.

Malone also explained how the habitats are designed to evolve overtime, like a reflection of real life. They’re gonna look different three months from now, six months, a year, two years, et cetera, ”Malone said while explaining that the different exhibits like the reef and the archipelago will all change with the evolving seasons. “That’s what I’m really looking forward to,” Malone voiced. 

The Ocean Pavilion also features a new Animal Care section, which allows viewers the chance to see behind-the-scenes of the care given to the animals. “You’ll see water quality work happening soon, or some animals in quarantine who are preparing to move into a habitat later that day,” Malone said. “I’m glad that they chose to share that side of the story, it takes a lot of hard work from a lot of dedicated, passionate people to like, run a space like this.” 

Through a partnership with the aquarium, students at Garfield who take the Marine Biology class are able to obtain a free pass.