SEATTLE — Seattle’s waterfront has been undergoing massive transformation, with construction underway since 2019.
Expected to celebrate its grand opening next year, the new, 20-acre Waterfront Park will reach as far south as the Stadium District and as far north as Belltown with a series of pathways, park spaces and public art. One of the most highly anticipated features, the Overlook Walk, will connect the waterfront and Pike Place Market with sloping pedestrian walkways (and an elevator) starting in October.
But there are still gems to explore amid the fenced-off construction zones. The newest as of last month: Seattle Aquarium’s sleek, modern Ocean Pavilion, which expanded the aquarium’s footprint by about 50 percent. The new facility is situated right across from the original aquarium building at Pier 59 and is connected to the almost-complete Overlook Walk.
The Ocean Pavilion’s spacious, turquoise-filled interior is largely dedicated to Indo-Pacific habitats found in the Coral Triangle, dubbed as the “Amazon of the ocean” for its biodiversity.
Visitors can now explore its three main exhibitions: “The Reef,” a multistory, 500,000-gallon tank with eagle rays, thousands of fish and an Indo-Pacific leopard shark; “The Archipelago,” a shoreline mangrove forest; and “At Home in the Ocean,” which brings smaller marine habitats down lower to the ground, at eye level for the little ones.
Here’s a look at what you’ll find inside one of Seattle’s latest attractions, plus other waterfront stops — old, new and soon-to-be — to make a day of it.
The new Ocean Pavilion
Standing one floor up above sea level next to some of the pavilion’s large glass windows, the dark blue waters of Elliott Bay glisten in sunlight beneath me, to my right. To my left, inside the high-ceilinged pavilion, mangrove trees grow nestled among towering gray rocks, their roots dipping into the turquoise water as fish swim over the coral reef below.
Sandwiched between two stunning oceanic views, one of the new aquarium campus’s central themes — “one ocean” — becomes clear. As a plaque near the entrance explains, while the Coral Triangle may be thousands of miles from the Salish Sea, “we all share common waters, challenges, and needs.”
Interconnectedness and conservation is a thread woven throughout the pavilion, with “hope objects” benefiting the cause — from structures used to help coral reefs grow to whale-tracking tags — scattered around the space in small displays.
While the project’s approach to conversation has been contested, as a visitor, the location and design of the new space drives this theme home. Circling the two main exhibits, it seems there’s just glass between the eels and tropical fish and me, the seagulls and Puget Sound outside.
What exactly are the indoor ecosystems I’m admiring? The grandest exhibition, “The Reef,” can be viewed from many different angles, including looking up at it from below. From a viewpoint on the second floor, giant rays appear to be flying underwater and colorful schools of fish dart through the blue, which is expansive enough I can’t see through the other side. It looks so mesmerizing and peaceful that I want to dive in. One aquarium staff member makes me jealous by doing so — an example of the regular maintenance work and diving demos visitors will be able to observe.
The star of “The Reef” is an Indo-Pacific leopard shark, which I spotted cruising along the sandy bottom of the habitat. The pale, spotted shark might not be the most eye-catching creature you’ll see, but the story behind it makes its presence compelling — it’s part an international push to restore the endangered species to its native waters.
Also not to be missed: the dozens of handblown, glass salmon hanging from the ceiling by the entrance by Lummi Nation artist Kwul Kwul Tw, aka Dan Friday, and an “Animal Care” area where visitors can observe marine animals receiving medical treatment, as needed.
One ticket (prices vary, depending on residency and age) gets you access to the whole aquarium, so stop by next door, too. Longtime aquarium favorites include the sea and river otters, harbor seals and the touchable tide pools.
More on the Waterfront
While you’re on the rapidly developing waterfront, there’s more to see that’s up and running.
Nearly next to the pavilion, Pier 62 extends out over the bay, with bright orange benches and tables to lounge or eat at, a mini turf soccer field, a giant chess set, a robust events calendar and — worth mentioning amid Seattle’s public bathroom problem — restrooms open to all.
Stroll 20 minutes down Alaskan Way to Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, a 200-foot stretch of sand that opened last year. The beach was designed with rocks and native plants and shrubs to re-create what the area might’ve looked like before settlers arrived.
Seattle’s mural scene has also exploded this summer, including several new pieces near the waterfront and Pike Place Market. Explore a map created by Seattle Times arts economy writer Margo Vansynghel and news artist Mark Nowlin at st.news/2024-murals.
Then, there’s always the standbys: The “flying theater” Wings Over Washington and hopping on the water taxi to West Seattle are some favorites lauded by Seattle Times readers. And while it’s not quite time to head up the steps of the Overlook Walk to Pike Place Market, the well-known attraction is still just a short jaunt away.
