Maui Ocean Center
The Maui Ocean Center is located at Māʻalaea Harbor not far from . The purpose of the center’s creation was to inspire curiosity and a better understanding of Hawaii’s marine life, so there will be connections that will encourage conservation for future generations to come.
The ocean center first opened back in 1998 and has grown and improved over the years. There is a 54-foot-long underwater tunnel that allows walking tours giving immersive experiences with sharks, stingrays, and other marine life.
They created an array of exhibits to replicate a natural environment under the surface. However, one such exhibit forced them to be more creative due to size and environment. The exhibit that features humpback whales use cutting edge technology that incorporates 4K imagery with 3D active glasses and a 7.1 surround sound system that will allow guests to connect with humpback whales in what they label as the sphere.
They also have a living reef exhibit at the ocean center that houses over 40 coral species unique to Hawaii. The environment for these species’ ranges from shallow to deep. The deep exhibit uses over 50,000 gallons of salt water. They started their living reef exhibit since the center opened and maintains it, collecting resources from the Maʻalaea Bay.
Other exhibits include ocean plant life, open ocean exhibit, a turtle lagoon, and much more.
The center also focuses on conservation projects as well as fun and inspiring experiences that includes camps, field trips, classes, snorkeling, a shark drive, birthday parties, and even overnight stays.
The center is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Be sure to add them to your list of activities.
