Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea·1 hr 48 min by bus · 24.7 km
✓ Fits your group
Cost
$8 a child
$128 for 16 children
The child rate is for ages 4 to 12. Youth 13 to 18 are $11.25 plus tax, seniors 65 and over are $13.25 plus tax, and children 3 and under are free. The Centre reserves the right to limit group size or ask a group to split and stagger entry.
Fieldy handles all communication and booking for you.
What it actually looks like
Photos from Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea's website
Our note
The rate and the free adult allowance are different from the school program ones, so do not mix the two up when you budget. Groups are asked to arrive together at the booked time and may be told to wait outside, so dress the children for standing in the weather.
What the children do
Groups of 12 or more paying guests get a reduced admission rate and lead themselves around the aquarium with no guide or tour. Children aged 4 to 12 are $8.00 plus tax, youth 13 to 18 are $11.25, adults 19 to 64 are $15.50, seniors are $13.25 and children 3 and under are free. One adult goes free for every 10 paying guests. Classes are welcome to come this way and a range of printable scavenger hunts is available on request or from the website. Admission lasts the whole day so a group can leave and come back.
Walk the galleries at their own pace looking into the tanks, stop at the touch pool, and work through a scavenger hunt sheet if the group brings one.
Good to know
About an hour indoors and self led, minimum 12 paying guests, with one free adult for every 10. There is nowhere inside to eat, lunch is on the park lawn outside, and washrooms are not mentioned on the site.
Sources disagree. Their pages do not agree about Wednesdays. The hours page lists all seven days open, while the school programs page and the facilities page both say they are shut on Wednesdays through the school year. If you are looking at a Wednesday, settle it when you book.
Washrooms
Needs confirmation
Lunch space
We do not have space in our Centre to consume snacks or lunch. The aquarium is situated on Beacon Park by the Sidney waterfront and there are a number of benches as well as a large lawn area. Picnic tables can also be found between Beacon Wharf and the fishing pier, just a couple of minutes' walk from the aquarium. You are able to leave the Centre and re-enter.
Rain backup
There is a large grassy area outside of the facility with a covered band shell in case of inclement weather. The aquarium itself is indoors.
Strollers
Strollers are permitted throughout the aquarium. We just ask that you are mindful of other visitors when you park and be sure not to obstruct doorways or exhibit views.
Wheelchair access
The Centre strives to be accessible to all. A wheelchair is available free of charge on a first come-first served basis. Please ask at our admissions desk. The behind the scenes tour is the exception and cannot be done with a mobility device.
Bus parking
For bus arrivals, students can be dropped off at the entrance but unfortunately there is no bus parking nearby. Bus parking is located at Tulista Park (9565 Fifth Street) and the Mary Winspear Centre (2243 Beacon Avenue). Free two hour parking in the underground lot is limited to vehicles under 6'6" in height.
Nearby park
Beacon Park, on the Sidney waterfront beside the Centre
Restrictions
Food or drink may not be consumed inside the aquarium. For the safety of our animals and visitors, only trained service dogs are permitted in the aquarium. Smoking is prohibited inside the building and within 7m of doorways, this includes e-cigarettes. Siblings of students are unable to participate in the program without prior approval. Youth 13 years and over may visit the Centre without an accompanying adult. All children under this age must be accompanied by someone over the age of 13. Please turn off your flash when taking photos inside the aquarium, and do not use tripods or monopods
