Penguin Encounter

Yes. Encounters are designed with animal wellbeing at the center and are led by trained teams who know each individual animal. Welfare is monitored continuously, and programs follow accredited standards.

Encounters are staffed by knowledgeable Georgia Aquarium animal-care professionals who work with the animals daily. Teams are trained for the specific species and habitat, and they guide each experience to support both animal wellbeing and a great guest experience.

To provide an engaging, educational and inspirational experience by connecting our guests to some of Georgia Aquarium’s most fascinating resident marine animals to inspire stewardship in conservation, research and a greater appreciation for the animal world.

Participants in the Penguin Encounter get an exclusive and up close meeting with one of our resident African penguins. The level of interaction between the penguins and the program participants is variable and dependent upon the behavior of the individual animals, the conduct of the guests in the program, and the discretion of the animal trainers working with the penguin during the program. Our goal is to provide an engaging, interactive encounter experience for not only the guests participating, but for the penguins as well.

Guests ages 7 and up have the option to participate in our Penguin Encounter, Sea Otter Encounter, Sea Lion Encounter, Harbor Seal Encounter, Beluga Encounter, Dolphin Encounter or our Shark and Ray Interaction. All Animal Encounter participants under 15 years of age must be accompanied by a paying adult, and there is a maximum of 3 children under 15 years of age per paying adult.

There can be up to 10 participants per scheduled program.

Please go to the Animal Interactions desk, located on the second floor across from the ray touch pool, to check in at least 15 minutes prior to your Penguin Encounter.

Participants in the Penguin Encounter get an exclusive and up-close meeting with one of our resident African penguins. The level of interaction between the penguins and the program participants is variable and dependent upon the behavior of the individual animals, the conduct of the guests in the program, and the discretion of the animal trainer working with the penguin during the program. Our goal is to provide an engaging, interactive encounter experience for not only the guests participating, but for the penguins as well.

A photo I.D. Closed toe shoes are recommended, but not required. The area where you’ll have your personal penguin experience is kept cool and guests should consider wearing attire that will keep them comfortable in an air-conditioned space. Guests may not bring personal cameras to the penguin encounter program and will be required to set their loose belongings and phones in a designated area prior to the encounter.

Please note: for the safety of the animals, guests participating in the animal interaction may be required to remove jewelry and sunglasses prior to entering the animal spaces (prescription lenses worn for vision correction is an exception to this guideline).

Georgia Aquarium makes every effort to accommodate guests with special needs. Please be aware that to participate in this program, guests must be able to navigate the animal habitat spaces with minimal assistance, and must be able to understand and take direction in English from staff members. To ensure the best experience, please contact the Call Center at 404.581.4000 to make a reservation, and be sure to let the reservists know you have special needs. Someone from the program will contact you prior to your visit to review your options. Should you have special needs but not provide notice, it may not be possible to accommodate your program and you may be required to reschedule your experience.

You can make a reservation on this page, or by calling Georgia Aquarium Call Center at (404) 5814000. After you have purchased your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email that will include instructions how to supply additional information and submit the waivers required to participate in the program. All participants must have the program liability waiver and animal interactive program guidelines signed and dated prior to participating in the program. Guests under the age of 18 must have the program liability waiver and animal interactive program guidelines signed and dated by their parent or court appointed legal guardian.

You can complete the waiver using this link prior to your arrival for your encounter: Animal Interactive Waiver

Cancellation and Date Change Policy: The program fee is non-refundable; however the program will be rescheduled whenever possible based upon program availability. The Aquarium will reschedule your encounter free of charge if the change is made at least 14 days in advance of the original date of visit. If the change is made less than 14 days prior to the original date of your visit, a $20 change fee per ticket will be charged. No changes can be made less than 48 hours prior to the date of your original visit, and the guest will be charged the full program cost. Cancellations and no-shows will not be refunded or rescheduled. To change your reservation, please contact the Georgia Aquarium Call Center at (404) 581-4000.

Please go to the Animal Interactions desk, located next to the Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot gallery, to check in at least 15 minutes prior to your Penguin Encounter.

Guests arriving late will not be permitted to participate in the program and will not be refunded or rescheduled. We encourage guests to arrive at the Aquarium with plenty of time to park, enter, and check into the program. Please plan accordingly.

Due to the nature of caring for animals, Georgia Aquarium reserves the right to modify, cancel and/or reschedule programs without notice. Reasonable accommodations will be made to reschedule guests as effectively as possible.

The entire Penguin Encounter Program, including the animal experience, occurs behind the scenes and may not be viewable by the public. Only participants in the program will be taken to the interactive areas.

Showtime Pictures snaps photos as you enter the aquarium and during animal encounters. As you leave the aquarium, you will see our custom photo kiosks in the gift shop where you can view and print your pictures immediately. To order, or view them online please follow this link: https://mygeorgiaaquarium.com/mygallery/  

Please Note:

• Georgia Aquarium does not require that all guests wear masks during their programs; however, these animals can be susceptible to respiratory illnesses, and any participant managing respiratory issues (coughing, sneezing, runny nose) are asked to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth during the encounter.
• Guests clearly symptomatic will be required to wear a mask through the duration of the program or be excused from the program. This is to ensure the safest environment for the animals, our staff, and fellow guests.

Georgia Aquarium is glad to offer a variety of branded apparel in our gift shops, however we do not sell Aquarium team member uniforms. For the safety of our guests, team and animals, it is important that we are always able to discern between members of the public and Georgia Aquarium staff and volunteers.