Celebrate Underwater Parks Day with Free Admission at the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf

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• January 18, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

• Marine education and fun for all 

• Online details at sbnature.org/calendar 

• No reservations required 

SANTA BARBARA, CA—The Sea Center on Stearns Wharf is offering free admission to its Underwater Parks Day Festival this Saturday, January 18, 2025 with activities from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM thanks to support from the Moeller Lab at UC Santa Barbara.

In addition to interacting with the Sea Center’s dynamic exhibits, guests can enjoy activities and learning opportunities for all ages. Until 3:00 PM, meet festival partners who will be showcasing conservation efforts and science in the Santa Barbara Channel and beyond like Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Channel Islands Naturalist Corps featuring Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area, Santa Barbara MPA Collaborative, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Celebration Cruises, Coal Oil Point Reserve, Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies, and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

Kids can enjoy a coloring page commemorating the festival, ocean-themed face painting, and two storytime sessions in English and Spanish at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM.

“The Sea Center is excited to once again celebrate marine protected areas (MPAs), and connect people with the science behind protecting our unique and biodiverse waters,” say Sea Center Naturalist and Volunteer Program Manager Tessa Cafritz and School & Community Programs Specialist Kennedy Rivera. “The Santa Barbara Channel is home to over 1,000 marine species, and we hope that our celebration of the protected areas helps connect our community to the wonders of our waters.”

The Underwater Parks Day Festival highlights marine protected areas (MPAs), also known as “underwater parks,” which safeguard the biodiversity and richness of ocean life in our coastal waters. The Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands region are home to some of the planet’s most nutrient-rich waters, teeming with marine life in kelp forests, tide pools, and rocky intertidal reefs. MPAs play a crucial role in conserving these diverse ecosystems by limiting fishing and overharvesting, ensuring thriving species populations and sustainable recreation for future generations. Underwater Parks Day is celebrated in partnership with aquariums and science centers across Southern California.

Reservations to visit the Sea Center (available at sbnature.org/tickets )are encouraged. For information about this and other upcoming events, visit sbnature.org/calendar. 

About the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center

Located on historic Stearns Wharf, this highly interactive regional aquarium and marine education facility offers guests close encounters with marine animals, and exploration of the Santa Barbara Channel on the Wet Deck. In addition to permanent exhibits, the Sea Center hosts unique events and special educational programming, including Underwater Parks Day and World Oceans Day.