Harbor Seal 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 inspiration 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. The program is an exploration into the behind the scenes of the Cold Water Quest gallery and an in-depth look into Georgia Aquarium’s care of seals. The 30-minute program includes an educational orientation where participants learn about the biology, care, training and study of seals.

The Seal Encounter lasts approximately 30 minutes. During your personal animal experience, you will go behind the scenes of the seal habitat in Cold Water Quest, enjoy an educational presentation about seals, participate in a training session, and meet one of our resident seals.

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.

A photo I.D., appropriate footwear and attire that can be splashed, and your sense of adventure! The seal 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 seal 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).

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 communicate that 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 program.

Reservations are not required. However, we strongly encourage reservations to guarantee your experience as spaces are limited. Space is currently limited to eight participants per scheduled program.

For the safety of our animals, guests and team members, all program participants must wear a facial covering over their mouth and nose at all times for the duration of the program. Additionally, all guests must consent to a contactless temperature check upon entry.

You can make a reservation online 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 any 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

Please go to the Animal Interactions desk, on the second floor next to the Ray Touch Pool to check in at least 15 minutes prior to your Seal Encounter.

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.

Guests must check in at the Animal Interaction desk, located next to the Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot gallery, 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. 

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 Seal 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.