Kid friendly and I like how the volunteers spent their time in explaining us and they are doing a great job in engaging kids through various activities. Its very good to visit and you get to know a lot of stuff. We had free entry today. We parked our car on the opposite lot which had metered parking that accepts quarters.

So beautiful! Had an amazing time! My favorite part was the little glass viewing bubble .My only complaint...they should TOTALLY make a long hall like that bubble on the out door pier, if possible. So cool!!!!

Cute, little center with informative exhibits that little ones would love. Lots of interactivity and an exhibit featuring a submersible robot you can control. Very nifty place. Good for a 30 minute stop, if youre tired of seeing the real coast

We were in the area and decided to go have a look. Admission was free(Wed). A real eye opener, what we should be doing to help save the ocean and the marine life. Made to feel welcome by the staff, who explained to us the purpose of the centre. All the displays were very informative, giving great ways that we could all help. There is a 15min. film which is well worth watching, showing the marine life in the ocean. A really good centre to visit, especially if you have kids,taking them is a must. A shop and rest rooms are in the lobby area.

Awesome small little place to explore. They have a small movie theater there. The video I watched was about water. Theres a lot of reading material there all about how water effects us and the Earth. There is also a cool little submarine camera that you can control in a empty fish tank, and binoculars out on the balcony that can make the end of the half mile wharf right next to you. Plus they got a small gift shop where all the proceeds help with the Bay. Thats cool too.

Awesome free museum with friendly staff and well maintained exhibits. Would be a great place to bring kids for a quick learning diversion.

Nice free -- but you can make a donation -- introduction to the Monterey Bay and offshore underwater canyon about the size of the Grand Canyon.

This is an amazing place to take your children, enjoy with a friend, or stroll through solo. The educational aspect is outstanding with a love the earth view point. The gift shop is full of unique earth friendly products. I purchased some bamboo straws, some glass straws complete with a cleaning brush, and a unique local artist made bracelet.

This place is fun lil stop for kids and adults. They were having a free event so we stopped in. It took about 30-1 hour to tour the whole museum. But well worth it. Lots of activities many interactive for both kids and adults. Learned about wildlife in the area along with the history of Santa cruz. A nice place to visit in Santa Cruz.

Very informational. Hands on exhibits for kids. Lets the kids explore and learn about the ocean and the animals that live in it.

A perfect spot for family. Free admission, plenty of activities inside including a 15min film. Staff was also great taking time to explain things in details to the kids. A great experience.

It was a nice introduction, so to speak, to your Aquarium down in Monterey (to which Ive been myriad times and always want to go back when I go to Monterey), and, to me, would entice people that have not been to the Aquarium to want to go. (For that reason, Im glad this little Center is free, although I was happy to give a donation, as were, I noticed, virtually all other visitors.) Although I had no children, I was glad to see that there were a lot of interactive displays that drew the children to them. I loved seeing the parents showing the children through a lot of the displays and explaining the displays to them. Overall, the center was interesting to me; I enjoyed it. I thought that the volunteers were very engaging: friendly, and wanting to reach out, so to speak, to the attendees of the center.

Very nice and clean. Informative. Free admission. Kids enjoyed it.

What a great spot to learn about our ocean, and to help Stanford University collect samples of our ocean water !

Monterey Bay is a natural sanctuary for the Marine wildlife & makes for an excellent 1 day trip from Sam Francisco or the South Bay. It had excellent sea food & a great board walk nearby as well. Be sure to enjoy a nice evening off with your family at this natural beauty while also exposing yourself to the beautiful wildlife around the area. Be sure to ponder about the dangers about global warming while you are here because it is close to the coast & seems to be getting warmer by the year!

Incredibly cool center, and every single person we interacted with there was friendly and knowledgeable. Amazing exhibits, highly recommend.

What an awesome place! A great educational place for all ages. Fun and interactive way to learn about the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary!

Free. The short film was educational about the abundance of sea life in the Monteray Bay sanctuary. You leave with the appreciation of nature. Also some hands on activities for kids.

There is an underwater robot you can drive and a small movie theater upstairs showing cool 15 minute flicks about the history of the Monterey Bay. I learned about the ochre starfish here and the possible fate of the bay. There is a gift shop downstairs and every employee my wife and I ever encountered were well informed and super nice. Lovely.

Great place to kids or if you are interested in learning about the natural history of Monterey area

Fun exhibits and makes for a quick stop! Good for families with young children.

I only had about 45 minutes and in that time frame I learned a lot.The lady worker was very friendly and explained a lot to me about the exhibits, there purpose and their beginning.The exhibits are touch friendly.

It was a wonderful experience. Richard in particular was extremely amiable, knowledgable, and helpful. He shared with us a brief history of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. While there are no living organisms in the sanctuary besides the guests themselves, there are interactive stations as well as a theater to educate children and adults alike. Overall, it was a relaxing, quaint little place Im glad to have visited. Oh, and, by the way, did I mention that admission is free?

Nice stop when exploring Santa Cruz. Free to explore and a nice gift shop.

Great displays of the Monterey Bay and its habitats. Exhibits and movie were quite informative. Best of all there was free admission.

A very fascinating place and well maintained. Educational and hands on experience for kids and adults alike is a great feature. Another plus is its not crowded most of the time. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the different exhibits they offer there. You wont be disappointed.

First its free so that alone is great. Even the teenagers enjoyed it. Second, parking is metered so bring qaurters. I asked the gift shop here to break a dollar for the meter and was told to walk a block to get change, which I did. That seemed a little goofy since they also asked us to buy something on the gift shop to support the center.

What a cool little place! I couldnt believe it was free admission- they take donations, and what a great cause! We spent a few hours here on a rainy day, and loved driving the submersible, and the movie! Would be great for kids, but our group of adult-sized children had a great time too :)

Excellent place for the whole family & its free. A must see if your going to be in Santa Cruz!

GREAT LITTLE MUSEUM - Hands On for Kids Too! Love the People who work there ~ Super Friendly and Made the Experience A Good One. :)

Lots history and information about this area of the California coastline. The volunteers are very helpful and pleasant. When I was there it was free of charge.

WE LOVE YOU!!!!Okay, seriously, this was the coolest museum/ aquarium type place weve ever visited.The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating. They all fell in love with my service dog. LolIts a smaller place, but we still spent a couple hours here! Theres a wonderful movie theater with a great video about the bay and so much information all around.The picture is the view from the observation deck... which is stunning!

Free admission! I kept saying wow and cool.

This place is pretty jenky. If it wasnt free I would say skip it... You actually should probably skip it anyway. Its just very small, and superficial. The Seymore Discovery Center is where you should go if youre interested in learning about the Monterey Bay. Plus they have a couple of whale skeletons out there, it is pretty awesome. Or, if you want to really blow your mind, hop in the car, drive down to Monterey, and spend the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium! And you will need the full day, trust me.

Nice place to learn about Monterrey Bay, friendly staff, donation requested but free admission.

We were in the area and decided to go have a look. Admission was free(Wed). A real eye opener, what we should be doing to help save the ocean and the marine life. Made to feel welcome by the staff, who explained to us the purpose of the centre. All the displays were very informative, giving great ways that we could all help. There is a 15min. film which is well worth watching, showing the marine life in the ocean. A really good centre to visit, especially if you have kids,taking them is a must. A shop and rest rooms are in the lobby area.

AMAZING. Interactive activities for kids and adults alike. Great information available. The docents where knowledgeable and friendly.

Cute museum with interesting exhibits. On todays visit we experienced uncomfortable pressure to purchase items from the gift shop and when my baby put his mouth on a toy I was told California law states I am required to purchase it. I did not intend for him to put anything in his mouth of course. Very unusual and frustrating experience.

We have our work meetings here and the staff are always accommodating and friendly an

Awesome place. It has activities for kids to learn about the ocean, conservation and marine life in California. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed.

A great educational resource that right by the wharf. Shows kids what it is like out in the bay. Wonderful movie and a underwater robot you can drive.

Great for kids need a larger attractions..very informative

Great info on the sanctuary and the region as a whole. Love that its free to the public, too!

No live animals, small space. Ok for small kids for a 30 minute visit, adults who are from the Bay area will not get much out of it.

This would be a great place to take kids, especially those old enough to enjoy reading the displays. The touch pools were cool and you could pet a shark, which was really neat. The trails around the buildings were nice and there were plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the ocean.

Awesome place to learn about the sound. With free admission and super knowledgable employees, this is a great place to bring the family for an hour or so. Lots of interactive tools which is perfect for kids to help learn while having fun. Make sure to try out the underwater camera device.

Fun exhibits, very informative and interactive. The staff explained all the exhibits and the movie was great short watch.

This museum has very interesting hands on exhibits. Its free admission. It is very educational. I feel I learned a lot about the ocean. My sons favorite was the underwater exploration exhibit. I liked the tide pool exhibit. There is a very cute gift shop downstairs. There is an elevator so it seems to be wheelchair accessible.

At the very start of the Boardwalk is this little modern museum thats all about the Monerey Bay Marine Sanctuary. its completely Free, noone will try to fleece you for donations. Good interactive exhibits which keep the kids interested while giving some good information to keep the parents happy. Love the remote controlled diving machine.If nothing else, pop in to get some cooling and learn a little.

This is a must visit for anyone in the area! The volunteers are extremely knowledgeable, and clearly care a great deal about marine ecology and preservation. There are plenty of interesting exhibits, with a number being interactive making it the perfect place for a family visit!

Small but very nice and friendly

Impactful concise study of the repeated exhaustion of California marine resources.

Great interactive spot for the kiddos to learn about marine life

What a great place! Fun for the whole family.

Great little information center about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. Free to get in. Make sure you watch the 17 minute film.

It had some cute exhibits aimed at children and films about marine conservation along with a gift store. Good views from the balcony. If youre in the area, worth stopping by just because its free.

Great resource to have in town

Very interesting and great staff!

The admission is free, but there are only a few exhibits. Most of them are interactive. I would recommend this place for kids instead of the boardwalk.

It was a nice place for the kids to explore and do hands on learning. It had interactive games. The underwater rover was a hit with my son. He wants to learn to make one of those.

Nice little gift shop, lots of classrooms for groups to use and schools to come to for field trips.

Left from here to go WHALE WATCHING with Stagnaro family trips saw 2 families of Orcas

Perhaps I came in with the wrong expectations. This museum has exhibits about the bay but no actual sea life. Interesting facts about the history of the bay, but not what I wanted to see personally.

Wonderful exhibits. Sanctuary itself is amazing. Pricing I feel is prohibitively expensive. Luckily had a friend with free passes.

A state & national treasure on the pacific coast. Let’s keep it that way, no more plastic!

Very educational. Definately learned a lot there. Highly recommend it. It is great for younger kids. There are multiple interactive games that they can play to learn more about the bay area. Even older kids and adults can learn a lot there. Depending on how much you already know about the bay, it can be a quick stop. Enjoy!

Interesting and fun place. NIKE missile silo is just across the road as well

Very informative friendly volunteers

Great place for kids to visit as well as adults. Price of free makes it even better. Drive a remote sub or watch the kids.

Great to explore with your kids.

The 20 minute movie is awesome! Was a nice respite place to amble and learn about the ocean. Very impressive.

I spent around 45 mins here and it was wonderful. Must see the video bc it has lots of interesting information. The workers are so nice, best part of my trip

Small but well maintained museum across the street from the wharf. Volunteer staff are nice and engaging. They have a robot submarine you can pilot! Gift shop had some cool things.

Free little museum. No fish but instead some other hands on activities and a place to learn about sea life.

The town is pretty cute! I recommend to visit this place for dinner if you are around Carmel by the sea, Point Lobos, or Big Sur.

Very nice place with info of the monterey bay, has great displays and is interesting for all ages. They have a robot sub which can be controlled by anyone, great for kids.

Great learning stop. If you are a home schooler this is a great place to spend a morning. There is tons of online curriculum (for all grade levels) to support your visit.

The kids had a lot of fun here. No live animals, but lots of exhibits to entertain the kids.

Very basic and underfunded, but my younger cousins loved it and the staff were very passionate. They had a nice gift shop, and will sometimes give out free stickers and stamps.

If you love nature this is a great place. The people that work here are very passionate about the ocean and will stop to explain things well. There is also a great and beautiful movie about the ocean and Monterey Bay. Really makes you realize how gorgeous it is and how fragile the Eco system is.

The nice front desk lady took interest in our kids and gave the kids tidbits of information at various stations for the duration of self guided tour.

Great place to go

Cool spot thats worth checking out if youre in the area. Bring your kids.

Wow. This is a great place if you like nature and the oceans. Last time we were in SC we saw the building under construction. So this time we had to check it out. Definitely worth planning an hour or two. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Not just about the Exploration center. They are a great resource for all of what one can do in terms of nature and wildlife up and down the coast.For the center itself: Watch the 17 min overview. Maybe a bit over dramatized for some tastes, but great images and amazing close up videos of marine wild life. Makes you feel that this is a very special place. The next highlight: You can operate an ROV (remotely operated submarine vehicle) yourself. This is a pretty cool experience, challenging but fun. And the rest of the exhibits are also well worth it.Admission is free. But if you can afford please leave a donation.

One of my favorite places in the US

Free entry. Kids can learn a thing or two and plentu of hands on activities.

Very cool things to see

Kids had such a great time! Small, but a lot of interactive activities. Staff is very nice

Lots of fun things to look at.

Google maps TVs are cool but some of them dont work

My daughter loved it

A great please to be!!

They killed the skate park

Nice place, free, some cool exhibits (although could have more), learned a few new things, cute gift shop

Free admission with interesting exhibits for the family, some history of the area, and a gift shop.

Absolutely lovely. Admission is free and exhibit are modern and creative. If I could I will come again.

Nothing live, but lots of good environmental information, nice presentation.

Our three year old loved this place so much that we didnt make it across the street to the beach that day. He was delighted with the robotic underwater camera.

So its hard to complain about free admission museum, but they really hype things up as you enter and you leave a little disappointed. But well done and informative!

Very crowded but worth it. Amazing displays and things for kids to do.