Refreshed Bayside Aquarium​ Reopening At SeaWorld San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA — SeaWorld San Diego is reopening its refreshed Bayside Aquarium Friday. The revamped exhibit will highlight rare and rescued aquatic life and the theme park's role in the Wildlife Confiscation Network.

Bayside Aquarium features a range of freshwater and saltwater species, including the critically endangered axolotl, the camouflaged wobbegong shark, a California two-spot octopus, brown-banded bamboo sharks, coral cat sharks, and vibrant reef fish.

Formerly known as the Marine Aquarium, the space originally opened in 1965 and closed in 2019, a SeaWorld spokesperson told Patch. The 458-square-foot immersive space was reimagined to bring visitors face-to-face with some of the ocean's most extraordinary and vulnerable species.

"This space is about giving guests a closer look at some of the incredible species they may not usually encounter," said Danielle Castillo, SeaWorld San Diego's curator of Zoological Operations. "We are excited to offer a new opportunity to come face to face with these unique animals. It's also a way SeaWorld is continuing to invest in both the park and the animals in our care."

The new space also introduces visitors to the Wildlife Confiscation Network, a pilot program from the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. When live wildlife is seized at U.S. ports due to trafficking, the network ensures that animals receive immediate, expert care.

SeaWorld San Diego temporarily houses and supports species through the national initiative, including the two axolotls housed at Bayside Aquarium.