The Seymour Marine Discovery Center at UC Santa Cruz is a community-supported education center dedicated to inspiring curiosity and understanding of the ocean through science. Operated by the university and powered by the renowned Long Marine Laboratory, the center connects visitors to cutting-edge marine research and the critical role it plays in ocean conservation.
Overlooking Monterey Bay—often called the “Serengeti of the sea”—the Seymour Center offers hands-on exhibits, touch tanks, and breathtaking views that bring ocean science to life. Guests can explore real research in action and discover how scientists study and protect marine life. Educational programs, from field trips and internships to Science Sundays and summer camps, invite learners of all ages to dive deeper into marine discovery.
Located within one of the world’s most biologically rich environments, the center highlights the unique ecology of Monterey Bay and its deep submarine canyon, home to whales, sea otters, seals, and countless other species. UC Santa Cruz’s long-standing commitment to marine science began in 1965 and continues through the work of the Long Marine Lab, established in 1978 thanks to generous land donations and community support.
Opening its doors in 2000, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center remains the only working marine research laboratory in California open daily to the public—bringing the wonders of the ocean, and the science that protects it, within reach for all.
