Beluga 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.

The Beluga Encounter program lasts 15-minutes and includes approximately 8 minutes of interaction with a beluga. During this fast-paced program you will go behind the scenes of our Cold Water Quest Gallery to meet, and interact with one of our beluga whales. You’ll see up-close many of the ways we care for our belugas and participate in a training session during this hands-on poolside encounter.

Guests will have the opportunity to have an intimate, up-close experience with the beluga whales. There are a variety of activities that can take place at the discretion of the training staff while interacting with and even touching the whale. Participating in training techniques and feeding may be part of the experience if it is appropriate to do so based upon the behavior of the animals being interacted with and behavior of the participants involved in the program. Animal trainers will tailor each program to ensure a safe and engaging experience for both our animals and our guests. As a result, each program may be a little different.

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.

Please bring:

• A photo I.D.
• Appropriate footwear and attire that can be splashed.
• The beluga habitat 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 into sea otter program areas.

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).

For guests with special needs, every effort will be made to allow participation in our Beluga Encounter. Please call 404-581-4000 to make a reservation and let the reservists know you have special needs and someone from the program will call you prior to your visit to review your options.

We strongly encourage guests to pre-register to guarantee your experience. Spaces are limited to 8 participants per scheduled program and walk-ups can only be accommodated if there are spaces available that day.

*While up to 8 participants may be able to participate per program time: Parties larger than 4 participants will be divided between different animals due to the space limitation. Parties of 2 or 3 participants may be divided between different animals due to the space limitation.

You can make a reservation on this site, or by calling Georgia Aquarium Call Center at 404.581.4000.

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

The entire Beluga Encounter Program occurs behind the scenes and is not viewable by the public. Only participants in the program will be taken to the program area. Guests will not be able to watch you interact with the belugas. Any guests that you would like to be a part of this poolside experience will also have to purchase a ticket.

Cancellation and Date Change Policy:

• The program fee is non-refundable; however, the program will be rescheduled whenever possible. The Aquarium will reschedule your encounter if given notice more than 48 hours in advance. There will be a change fee of $20 per ticket if notice is given within 14 days of the original reservation date. To change your reservation, please contact the Georgia Aquarium Call Center at (404) 581-4000. Cancellations and no-shows will not be refunded or rescheduled.
• Guests must check in at the Animal Interaction desk, located on the second floor, 15 minutes prior to the start of their program. 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. 

Please Note: 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. 

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.