Stroll along almost any local beach during low tide and you’ll see that the shore is alive!
Not only can you discover Puget Sound’s multitude of marine plants and animals—you may also encounter Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists: advocates for the living wonders on our shorelines who are eager to share their knowledge.
The Beach Naturalist program runs on low-tide days throughout the summer and on select winter evenings. The amazing people who operate it are local residents who care about Puget Sound beaches and want to help protect them. More than 200 people have volunteered to help community members learn about and enjoy our shorelines.
Beach naturalists know their beaches: they can help you explore gently to keep animals and their homes safe; tell you what sea stars eat; explain why barnacles stand on their heads; describe how moon snails lay their eggs; and so much more. Scroll down to see our low-tide programming for 2023!
Ask a beach naturalist! Need help identifying something? Email a photo to beachnaturalist@seattleaquarium.org and a beach naturalist will respond to you as soon as we can.
These dates and times are valid at Des Moines Beach Park, Olympic Sculpture Park Pocket Beach, Redondo Beach and Dash Point State Park.
