Hatfield Marine Science Center Visitor Center
Octopus, touch tanks and real ocean science
⏱ 1 hour👤 All ages$
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Hatfield's strength is authenticity. The animals are often the same species researchers study, the exhibits reflect active projects, and the volunteers include people who know the science well. The octopus feedings and the touch tank are the best moments for children, while adults tend to linger at the research and tsunami displays. Do not overlook the marine mammal skeleton collection, which puts whale and sea lion anatomy in perspective before you see live animals next door, or the coastal fog simulator. Oregon Sea Grant staff are backed by a large volunteer corps, and the center has long drawn well over 100,000 visitors a year.
It fits neatly into a Newport day. Start at the Oregon Coast Aquarium when it opens, walk or drive the short distance to Hatfield, and finish on the Yaquina Bay estuary trail behind the campus, where herons and harbor seals are regular sights. If the tide is low, the Yaquina Head tidepools north of town complete the marine-life circuit.
Practicals: tickets are sold on arrival and are valid all day. Summer runs daily; after Labor Day the center opens Thursday through Monday, and it closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The center has its own parking lot off SE Marine Science Drive, the Memories Gift Shop keeps the same hours, and pets are not allowed inside (service animals excepted). Allow an hour. Pair it with the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Haystack Rock on a coastal road trip.
What to Expect
Format
A compact university marine science visitor center — giant Pacific octopus, tidepool touch tanks, a tsunami wave tank and research exhibits, run by Oregon Sea Grant.
Best Time
After a morning at the Oregon Coast Aquarium; summer is daily, the rest of the year Thursday through Monday.
Duration
About an hour.
Tips
Check opening days outside summer. Ask volunteers about the octopus. Walk the estuary trail behind the campus afterward.
⚡ Quick Picks
Best For
The science behind the aquarium, for a few dollars.
Families
Great for curious kids — octopus, touch tanks and the wave tank.
Couples
A good add-on for science-minded travelers.
Pair With
Oregon Coast Aquarium next door.
Time Needed
One hour.
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Get Tickets →Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?
A small fee for visitors five and up, bought on arrival and valid all day.
When is it open?
Daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, then Thursday through Monday the rest of the year; closed Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.
Is there an octopus?
Yes — the giant Pacific octopus is the star, with an OctoCam online. Each octopus is collected locally, displayed for several months and then returned to the ocean.
Is it the same as the Oregon Coast Aquarium?
No — Hatfield is Oregon State University's marine science center; the aquarium is a separate attraction close by. Visit both.
Is it good on a rainy day?
Yes — it is fully indoors and a short hop from the aquarium.
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Oregon Coast Aquarium
The Pacific Northwest's coastal showpiece on Yaquina Bay — sea otters, seals and sea lions in outdoor rocky pools, one of the continent's great seabird aviaries, and underwater tunnels through Oregon waters.
Haystack Rock Tidepools, Cannon Beach
The Oregon coast's living aquarium with no walls — sea stars, anemones and nudibranchs at low tide beneath a 235-foot sea stack, and tufted puffins nesting overhead in early summer.
Bonneville Fish Hatchery and Sturgeon Center
Free, in the Columbia River Gorge — meet Herman, a 10-foot white sturgeon about 90 years old, through an underwater window, then feed rainbow trout and watch salmon return in the fall.