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Shorelines Spring/Summer 2026

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THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM MEMBER

ROUGH SNAILFISH

Senses beyond sight help them find prey in the deep

CREATURE QUEST

Go on a scavenger hunt around the Aquarium

OTTERS ON THE ROCKS

Why chilling on shore is a survival strategy

Foraging pair of Southern sea otters, Enhydra lutris nereis, in the early morning

Memorable moments await the next time you visit the Aquarium

Explore the coast nearby, summer scuba for kids returns, and discover sustainable seafood restaurants

Why chilling on the shoreline is a survival strategy for sea otters

Rough snailfish rely on senses beyond sight to survive under extreme conditions in the deep sea

Creature Quest: Our Galleries

Find some intriguing animals you may have breezed by in our galleries with the help of our handy guide

Quest: Beside the Bay

Use this outdoor guide to find fantastic fauna in Wave Crash pools and on the waters of Monterey Bay

David McKay’s family and career inspired his enduring gift

SHORELINES® is published for members of the Monterey Bay Aquarium; 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, California 93940-1023; P: 831.648.4800.

©2026 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. “Shorelines,” “Monterey Bay Aquarium,” and the kelp logo are registered trademarks owned by the Aquarium. All rights reserved.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID #94-2487469.

Memorable moments await on your next visit

WE’RE HEADING INTO my favorite time of year at the Aquarium and around Monterey Bay. Spring winds have driven an upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that’s fueling an explosion of life in the bay—and in our exhibits. Kelp forests are growing fast, supporting a rich diversity of marine life.

These are the seasons when it’s easier for you to plan a visit, so you can enjoy it all in person. It’s also the time when we provide you—our members—with special opportunities to make your visit even more memorable.

We’ll be offering early member access on select dates throughout the spring and summer, and special member rates for our Underwater Explorers scuba program and behind-the-scenes tours. We have some magical member nights on the schedule, too. Check the details in the Member Calendar so you can add them to your schedule.

There are new animals for you to meet, too—including Suri and Willow, the two latest additions to our Sea Otters exhibit. Get to know them on our streaming Sea Otter Cam before you come to Monterey. We’re hoping they’ll not only delight you but also potentially join our cohort of surrogate sea otter moms, so we can return even more rescued pups to the wild.

You can also expect to see new arrivals in Into the Deep/En lo Profundo—some raised by our Animal Care team, some

they collected in collaboration with our research and technology partners at MBARI.

And there’s a new auditorium program waiting as well, featuring some of the remarkable animals you can see off our back deck in what I’ve always considered to be our biggest and best exhibit of all: Monterey Bay itself.

You’ll soon find the Aquarium’s presence close to your home, no matter where you live. We just launched a new nationwide restaurant program to make it easy to find sustainable seafood choices when you dine out.

I also want to offer my deepest thanks to everyone who answered our call and spoke out against an ill-conceived federal plan to open all of California’s coast—as well as waters in the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska—to offshore oil and gas development. When we use our voices, we can have a positive impact on the future of the ocean.

As you know from your visits, Monterey Bay and our living global ocean are special places. They inspire and connect us, no matter where we live. I hope you’ll find many moments of inspiration on your next visit.

Left: Weedy scorpionfish, Rhinopias frondosa, are masters of disguise. Ridges and leafy appendages help them blend in with their surroundings.

Make a weekend of it

WHEN YOU’RE driving to Monterey Bay, think of the Aquarium as your ship, with a whole ocean of activity rippling around for you to explore. There’s so much to see and do in Monterey in the spring and summer.

Adventure awaits just beyond our doors

Your Aquarium journey doesn’t have to end at the exit! Step onto the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail to enjoy many ways to connect with the living sea. For a fast and emission-free trip, hop aboard the free Monterey Trolley, which links the Aquarium to Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf in summer.

A scenic stroll or bike ride west leads you to Hopkins Beach, where harbor seal moms and pups rest near the recreation trail

during pupping season. Scan the horizon as you continue into Pacific Grove; you might spot the heartshaped spout of a migrating gray whale or an acrobatic humpback as a whale watching boat looks on. For hands-on discovery, carefully explore the rocky shore to find crustacean sensations like hermit crabs and lined shore crabs, or beds of aggregating anemones that look like underwater flowers.

Whether watching sea lions feast on anchovies or simply soaking up the sea-nery, you’ll love spending more time with Monterey Bay!

Above: A migratory gray whale spouting. Left: Hermit crab, Paragurus sp.
Spring is pupping season for harbor seals, Phoca vitulina. The protected beach at Hopkins Marine Station, just a short walk from the Aquarium, is a prime viewing spot.

Memories worth making the trip for

Give your kids a summer story they’ll tell for years. Starting in June, Underwater Explorers invites kids ages 8-13 to surface scuba dive in our Great Tide Pool. And members get a discount! No experience is needed for this immersive adventure. Guided by experts, your children will suit up to encounter sea stars. anemones, gumboot chitons, and more. From learning underwater hand signals to documenting discoveries in their own adventure logbook, they’ll gain a lifelong connection to the ocean. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience to nurture their love for the sea from a young age.

Recuerdos que hacen que el viaje valga la pena

Regálales a tus hijos una experiencia de verano que recordarán por años. A partir de junio, el programa Underwater Explorers invita a niños y niñas de 8 a 13 años a bucear en la superficie de la Gran Poza de Marea (Great Tidepool). Y como miembro, ¡recibes un descuento especial! No se necesita experiencia previa para esta aventura oceánica. Contaremos con intérpretes y señales de buceo para que todas las personas se sientan bienvenidas al programa. Guiados por expertos, tus hijos usarán equipo de buceo para ver de cerca enormes estrellas de mar, rocotes y anémonas, y luego documentarán sus descubrimientos en su propio cuaderno bilingüe, como verdaderos exploradores del océano. Aquí comienza una conexión con el océano que durará toda la vida. Una experiencia especial que despierta desde temprana edad el amor por el mar.

Seafood Watch introduces the best choice restaurant program

Seafood Watch has been the trusted ratings guide for environmentally sustainable seafood for over 25 years. Now we’ve reimagined our restaurant program to recognize chefs and restaurants committed to sustainable, green-rated seafood sourcing with a new mark on menus. For the first time, the “Best Choice” mark is showing up on menus across the country—and of course here at home on the Monterey Peninsula—helping diners to identify exactly which seafood dishes are sustainably sourced.

To qualify, restaurants must commit to serving at least one green-rated “Best Choice” item. For participating chefs and restaurants, the new mark on menus demonstrates a commitment to ocean health and sustainable sourcing, and allows consumers to easily identify and choose the most sustainable seafood options.

Of course our Aquarium Cafe is the flagship restaurant in the program. You can also find “Best Choice” dishes at local partners including Montrio, The C Restaurant & Bar, Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, Monterey Beach Hotel, and Hula’s Island Grill.

Choosing sustainable seafood protects the ocean and people who depend on it. Our choices have the power to shape the future of our ocean. With programs like Seafood Watch we support a healthy, thriving ocean that future generations can enjoy.

Otters on the rocks

When you picture a sea otter, you might imagine one floating effortlessly on its back in the ocean, cracking open shellfish on its belly. But these marine mammals have a lesser-known behavior that reveals just how adaptable they are: hauling out.

Despite being the only fully aquatic otter species, sea otters occasionally venture onto land—a behavior known as “hauling out.” They use sheltered beaches, rocks, docks, or marshes to rest and conserve energy. This might seem counterintuitive for an animal so perfectly adapted to ocean life, but it serves an important purpose in their survival strategy.

Unlike their river otter cousins who move gracefully on land, sea otters are decidedly awkward out of water. Their webbed back feet, perfect for propelling them through kelp forests, make them clumsy terrestrial travelers. Yet they still choose to haul out when conditions are right, demonstrating that the energy conservation benefits outweigh the mobility challenges.

While sea otters breathe air and climb onto rocks, they remain fundamentally dependent on the ocean. Their entire food supply—crabs, snails, urchins, clams, abalone, mussels, and more—comes from underwater foraging. They can dive up to 300 feet deep and hold their breath for six to seven minutes while hunting, though most dives are shorter and shallower.

Shhhh, please do not disturb.

If you’re fortunate enough to encounter a sea otter hauled out on the rocks or floating nearby, remember that these are wild animals despite their adorable appearance. Always maintain a safe distance of at least 50 feet. This protects both you and the otter, allowing these protected marine mammals to rest, feed, and groom without disturbance.

What makes hauling out necessary? Sea otters maintain their body temperature through an extraordinarily high metabolism and the densest fur in the animal kingdom—over a million hairs per square inch at its thickest. This fur requires constant maintenance; otters spend many hours each day grooming to keep their coat waterproof and insulated with air bubbles. They also need to eat roughly a quarter of their body weight daily to fuel their metabolic furnace, maintaining an average body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hauling out gives them a chance to rest between their demanding feeding and grooming routines. By temporarily leaving the water, they can reduce the energy expenditure required to stay warm and afloat, essentially taking a break from the constant work of being a sea otter.

This behavior reminds us that even the most oceanadapted animals sometimes need solid ground beneath them—proof that sea otters are survivors who use every resource available to thrive in their coastal habitats.

Creature Feature

Rough snailfish Careproctus trachysoma

You’ll find rough snailfish in our Into the Deep/En lo Profundo exhibit. In the wild, they live on the seafloor at depths from 1,640 to 14,108 feet (500 to 4,300 meters)! Rough snailfish have adapted to survive under extreme conditions by relying on senses beyond sight. They wiggle along the seafloor using sensitive, frilly pectoral fins to feel for prey including small crustaceans. For their comfort, their exhibit home is designed with hidden retreats where snailfish can avoid light and attention. Our research and technology partnership with MBARI brings you face-to-face with rarely seen species like rough snailfish to inspire awe, wonder, and conservation of the ocean.

Creature Quest!

Some of the most awesome animals at the Aquarium aren’t easy to find. But it’s well worth the effort!

Bring this copy of Shorelines with you and look for creatures you may have missed before. From critters that look like a shell or a stone, to new friends the signs haven’t shown, follow the clues and celebrate the diversity of the living ocean—in our exhibits and on the bay.

Let’s find animals in our exhibits!

Grunt sculpin

Clue: Peer into the Benthic Fishes exhibit.

Fast facts: These masters of mimicry hide in empty giant acorn barnacle shells. By sticking their pointy snouts out, they look exactly like the shell’s former resident—and their orange-tinted fins perfectly imitate a barnacle’s feeding feet.

Cusk eel

Clue: Look for the Deep Reef exhibit just past the Kelp Forest.

Fast facts: These eels spend most of their lives buried tail-first in the sand to ambush prey. With only their heads poking out, they look less like a fish and more like a tasty, meaty snack waiting on the seafloor.

Striped shore crab

Clue: Search the Wave Splash exhibit near the bat ray pool.

Fast facts: These crabs aren’t afraid of the fresh air; they can spend days on land as long as they take an occasional dip to keep their gills wet. Watch for scuffles—they are famously grumpy and aggressive when it comes to food.

Giant kelpfish

Clue: Scan the kelp canopy in the Enchanted Kelp Forest.

Fast facts: These fish are nearly invisible. Their bodies change hue to match the color of the kelp, and see-through spots on their fins mimic the “tattered” look of worn fronds to complete the disguise.

Now let’s head outside!

Giant acorn barnacle

Clue: Turn the crank near the interactive tidepool table to feed the exhibit.

Fast facts: When free-swimming larvae are ready to settle down, they produce a natural cement to glue their heads to a rock. This super glue is so strong that it resists acid and salts, often outlasting the barnacle itself.

Fringehead

Clue: Look inside the “human junk” (like bottles and boots) exhibit in the Wharf gallery.

Fast facts: Fringeheads are the grumpy hermits of the sea, tucking themselves into any available home. If an intruder gets too close, they flare their massive jaws to look larger and will even mouthwrestle to defend their home.

We regularly see these species from our decks and hope you will, too! Stop by the Monterey Bay Observation Station or join us in the Auditorium for live presentations about these fishes, birds, and marine mammals.

Look

for these wild animals off the back decks and in the bay.

Monkeyface prickleback

Clue: Step outside to the rocky pools under the Wave Crash exhibit

Fast facts: These fish can actually breathe air. In damp crevices, they can survive out of the water for over 24 hours. If you’re ever tidepooling, remember to put rocks back exactly as you found them to keep their refuges moist.

Pelagic cormorant

Clue: Look for them nesting on the rocks or diving off the Aquarium’s back decks.

Fast facts: These birds are dedicated renovators, using the same nest for years by piling on new seaweed and grass. Look closely under the edges of the Aquarium deck—you might see a nest tucked right beneath your feet.

Harbor seal

Clue: Search the rocks beyond or the water in the Great Tide Pool.

Fast facts: The beach next door (Hopkins Marine Station) is a major seal nursery. Because their speckled coats look just like wet granite, visitors often mistake resting seals for rocks—look for the whiskers to tell the difference.

Humpback whale

Clue: Scan the horizon of Monterey Bay for spouts or splashes.

Fast facts: These 40-ton mammals are the bay’s most acrobatic visitors. Their massive side flippers are the longest of any whale species, allowing them to perform tight turns and full-body breaches out of the water.

Great egret

Clue: Look for a tall white bird standing on top of the floating kelp canopy.

Fast facts: These patient hunters are tightrope walkers without a safety net. Since they can’t swim, they trust the buoyant kelp to hold their weight while they wait perfectly still to spear a fish with their beak.

Southern sea otter

Clue: Look for them wrapped in kelp just off the Aquarium decks.

Fast facts: Wild otters spend most of their day napping to save energy. If you want to see them in high-gear action, head inside to the Sea Otters exhibit to see residents Ivy, Selka, Opal, Suri, and Willow play and feed.

Giving back to the ocean

THE AQUARIUM’S Endowment Fund provides essential revenue to us now, while also ensuring that our cutting-edge science, education, and conservation programs endure in perpetuity. Endowment gifts can be made during your lifetime or through your estate plan, or both. Your support of the Aquarium through your membership and donations to our annual fund sustain our day-to-day operations. Our global conservation programs, animal care, school programs, educator development, and many other activities depend on contributed support—and a growing portion of that support comes through our endowment funds. We welcome the opportunity to work with you to create your special endowment gift.

Please contact Ann Dabovich at LastingLegacy@mbayaq.org or 831.648.4913 to learn more.

Bringing joy, fostering education and science

David McKay found inspiration to create a named endowment through his family and his career. His family’s passion for ocean life began with his sons’ excitement at the Aquarium and snorkeling in Hawaii, while his biophysics degree took him aboard the Eltanin in Antarctica, strengthening his dedication to ocean education and conservation. By leveraging his Required Minimum Distribution from his taxdeferred retirement accounts, David established the William, John and David McKay Endowment Fund for the Aquarium, in honor of himself and his sons.

“ The needs of the ocean are legitimate. I consider where I can allocate my resources for maximum impact, bringing joy to my family while fostering education and science.
—David McKay
”

It’s easy to join the Betty White Ocean Legacy Circle by making the Aquarium a beneficiary of your retirement funds or by including us in your will or trust. Call Ann Dabovich at 831.648.4913 to join today.

Endowment Society

Anonymous

Wallis Annenberg

Tila Bañuelos & Guerrero Family in memory of Jonelle Verdugo

Eugene Cheng, MD and Maribeth Colloton

Michael Dawson in memory of Audrey Dawson

Robert and Flora Day for the Day Nissim Family Fund

John and Jean De Nault*

Richard G. and Mae F.* Dong

Alan Feinberg and Joan Weber

M. Jean Fisher*

Denise Foderaro and Frank Quattrone

Jaswant Singh Gill

Gill Family Trust in loving memory of Ravinderjit Kaur Gill

The Green Family

Charles E. Halfmann and G. Robert Yee*

Madeleine, Catherine, Julia, and Bill Heil

The Koo Family in memory of Ted Swei-yen and Pei-fen Koo

Wendy W. Kwok and Family

Douglas Lee and Kellee Noonan

William J. Lloyd in memory of W. Arthur and Eva L. Lloyd

Worth and Andy Ludwick

Connie and Bob Lurie

Jay and Susan Mandell

Dr. Hugh A. McAllister Jr.*

David McKay

John* and Judith Mitchell in memory of Megan Liane Mitchell

Dean Morton*

Lori S. Nye

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Pamela J. Pescosolido

Pomatto Family

In memory of Howard T. Powell

Purdy Legacy Foundation

Walter and Ramona Reichl

Jane and Chuck Rubey*

Karl and Alice Ruppenthal Family Foundation

Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation

Robert and Janice Scott Foundation

Patricia Showalter and Steven Longcor

Denise Littlefield Sobel

Curtis and Priscilla Tamkin

Suzanne Francoeur Taunt

The Terry Family Foundation

Leon Thomas* and Betty Bird*

Davis L. and Patricia M.* Todhunter

Dr. Thomas Weber and Stephanie Reib

Alan Williams

*Deceased

Tribute Gifts

We are deeply grateful to the many donors who made gifts in honor of the following individuals and occasions:

Judson Althoff

Madhu Angra

Saber Bell

Raymond Benner

Ellen Bergeron

James Richmond and Victoria L. Bernhardt

Cindy Bowers

Valerie Cabaniss

Kathryn Caulfield and Robert Chrobak

Lisa Sunderland and Paul Cummings

Jane Curtner

Jack Cutts

Ron Dercole

Jacob Donovan

Rochelle Dornatt

Rose Eilleen and Robert K. Johnson

Heather Feldmann

Bonnie Fitzsimmons

Stephanie Flaniken

Robin Gaither

Marti and Robert Gastineau

Jay Singh Gill

Joyce and Elmay Goodrich

Maclean Greedy

Roland and Rebecca Green

Joan Griffaw

Jack Grippi and Holley Arbeit

Brandon Groocock

Barbara Gruber

Al and Nora Gurevich

Carol Hales

Ryan Hamby

Madeleine Heil and Sean Petersen

Karen Hellstern

Eleanor Hinckley

Gale Anne Hurd

Eleanor and Jessica Intrator

Bridgitte Isom

Roger and Peggy Isphording

Noel Jennes

Bryant Jew

Diane Wong and Evan Kirkpatrick

George Koo

May Koo

William and Marjorie Krend

Rachel Kueny and Sarah Lichtman

Meredith Kummell

Christopher Leon

Kimberly Liem

Michael and Maxine Mantell

Mia Idzorek and Hunter Martinez

Kathy Maslach

Maggie McFarland

Dennis and Ann Merideth

Carol Ann Merril

Ray E. Millard

Gerald Thomas Moffitt

Trish Mulvey

Jack Nachamkin

Stephen C. Neal and Michelle S. Rhyu

Otto Construction in honor of

Shelley Niedernhofer

Iris Nguyen

Joshua North

Jenna Ogrodnick

Aurelius Oliver

Nick Ord

Julie Packard

Tammy Preston Boyd

Merle and Jo Price

Margaret L. Purchase

Olivia and Harry Saber-Bell

Sydney Samoska

Tom Sayer and Katie Mather

Joel Schooler and Mikaela Chaney

Robert Schroer

Patricia C. Seawell

Darryl and Jane Sink

Patricia Skinner

Margaret Spring

Katherine Stepanian

Dieter and Regina Stoeckel

Stephen Stone

Carol Surman

Devin Swanick

Robyn Tandy

Davis Tantillo

Audrey Tsai

Francisco Chavez and Aurora Unshelm

Carol Virden

Carol Vovis

Mark and Lisa Wan

Clarence Weinmann

Kingsley Williams

Mary Wilson

Douglas Wreden

Sherry Wren and Josef Baumgartner

Felix Yang

Jeff Scroggin and Courtney Yuen

Memorial Gifts

We are deeply grateful to the many donors who made gifts in memory of the following individuals:

Marjorie A. Adams

Christine Agel

Linda M Andersson

William Armstrong

Craig Arnold

James Barton

Geraldine Belleci

Samuel Bihn-Wallace

Marjorie Louise Bower

Greg Bowers

Mara Bronstone

Ruth Buell

Diana Cabatu-Riggs

Jack Calaway

Scott and Kendra Chan

Linda Charles

Randall Charles

Bob and Elaine Comer

Douglas R. Curtis

Emiko Danielson

Christina K Davis

Lucy Decher

Peggy Etra

Kate Vidoroni Fanoe

Sue Y Fong

Karen Ann Gerstenmeier

Theodore Glaza

Pamela Dolkart Gorin

Rohan Gunari

Adrienne Herman

Daniel Hernandez

Ed Hinckley

Tom Hines

Carol Hipp

Dr. J. Hugh and Eleanor Visser

Donna Irwin

Jean Jarvinen

Bob A. Johnson

Susan Jones

George Koo

Helen Margaret Kottmeier

Allan D. Kraus

Kevin Larson

Bill Leifhelm

Nancy Levinthal

Rebecca Li

Bluu Luu

Lauren Bao Chau Luu

Barbara MacDiarmid

Ralph “John” Malone

Lynne March

Duane Matterson

Joseph McClelland

Sherri Meyer

Carolyn K. Millard

Jay Miller

Gerald Moffitt

Ian Morrison

Dean Morton

Jack Nachamkin

Robert Nelson

David Netzer

Nick Ord

Lorraine Y. Parmer

Leland and Marion Petersen

Kenneth J. Petznick

Sara Radley

Coco Puff

Sean Remen

James Emery Richmond

Jim Richmond

Ian Robertson

Michael Ruth

Maria Saltzberg

Jason Bradley Scaccia

Christina Schulman

Eric Scott

Dr. Carol Shinmoto

Christine Shulman

Mark J. Solomonson

Mark Spevack

Theresa Steeper

Diane M. Sweet

Ted Swei-yen and Pei-fen Koo

John Michael Thornton

Mary Todd

Robert Weisenmiller

Amaya Westphal

Ayse Yalcinkaya

Left: A Southern sea otter, Enhydra lutris nereis has caught a crustacean.

Business Donors

Thank you to our generous business and corporate donors. The below lists include gifts over $1,000 or more received in 2025.

$10,000 and above

Diversified Chemical Technologies

The Elfenworks Foundation

Granite Construction

JB Sanchez Trucking Inc

Ocean’s Halo

Otter Spirit

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Pebble Beach Company Foundation

SSA Group

Synopsys Silicon Valley Science & Technology Outreach Foundation

U.S. Bank

Uplift Games

Walmart Foundation

Western Digital

$2,500-$9,999

Augmentative Communication Solutions

Frank M. Booth, Inc.

Chambers & Chambers

DataRay Inc.

Finch Montgomery Wright PC

Hire Well Screening Solutions

Integris Wealth Management

InterContinental The Clement Monterey

Montage Health

Monterey Credit Union

Business Donor spotlight

The Morrison & Foerster Foundation

Otto Construction in honor of

Shelley Niedernhofer

Nordic Naturals

Off The Charts

Pisoni Vineyards & Winery

Portola Hotel & Spa

REVVIM

Trinity Fruit Company, Inc.

Trinity Packing Company, Inc.

UC Components Inc

Wild Planet Foods, Inc.

Up to $2,499

Acme Awning LLC

Advantech Corporation

Air Powered Elevators

AT&T

Bechtel Corporation

James P. Bennett & Company

Bergeson, LLP

Big Creek Lumber Company

Carmel Insurance Agency

Creecy Painting

Environmental Investigation Services

Fishwife Restaurants and Turtle Bay Taquerias, Chef’s Pride Inc. Illusions of Grandeur

JR Wilton Electric

KSBW TV

Manco Abbott, Inc.

Martinez Brothers Towing

Mike Eger Consulting

Milanfar Law Firm, PC

Monterey Bay Boatworks

Noland, Hamerly, Etienne & Hoss

Rutherford & Chekene

Silva Injury Law, Inc.

Stocker & Allaire, Inc.

Struve Financial & Insurance Services

System Studies

Tightknit

Tolkan & Ito, CPAs

Veterinary Eye Clinic Monterey Bay

Well Coast Medical

Whitson Engineers

In-kind Contributions

Berlin Food & Lab Equipment Co.

Pisoni Vineyards & Winery

SSA Group

Monterey Bay Boatworks Company offers services and supplies to boaters in our community. As well as being a charter business member, Monterey Bay Boatworks staff are committed to environmentally conscious and safety-oriented business practices.

Monterey Credit Union serves over 23,000 members across the Central Coast and proudly supports the community as a Monterey Bay Aquarium business member. As a local, member-owned credit union, they help members live full lives by supporting them through every step of their financial journey and giving back to the Central Coast communities they call home.

Ask employers to match your gift. We are very grateful to the many companies that match their employees’ contributions. To learn if your company matches contributions and what you can do to double your gift, please scan this QR code. MontereyBayAquarium.org/matchyourgift.

886 Cannery Row

Monterey, California 93940

Time-dated materials enclosed

Member Calendar

PLEASE JOIN US for fun events this spring and summer. We hope to see you soon!

Aquarium Live!

May 2026

Join us for this exclusive member-only online program, presented live from the Aquarium.

Donor Morning

June 2026

Join us for an exclusive donor-only morning event for our Packards’ Circle, Leadership Council, Endowment Society, Ocean Advocate Circle, and Betty White Ocean Legacy Circle donors.

July Member Night

July 9

Enjoy our exhibits and special programs, dine on food and drink specials, and make memories in this all-ages member event.

Member Morning

July 2026

Enjoy our exhibits and special programs before the Aquarium opens to the public at this all-ages member event.

Member Evening Hours

August 21

Join us for special evening hours just for members. Members and donors can enjoy the Aquarium at night, a quieter time during the often busy summer season.

18 and up Member Night

September 5

Enjoy our exhibits and special programs, dine on food and drink specials at our adult member night. No children, please.

Halloween Member Nights

All ages: October 23 and 24 18 and up: October 30

Enjoy our popular Halloween Member Parties in October. Come show off your costume, whether you’re joining us as an ocean animal or classic Halloween favorite!

Read Shorelines online or on the go by accessing our digital flipbook. Scan the QR code on your device or type the address into a browser to view. bit.ly/ShorelinesSpring26

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