The Oregon Coast Aquarium sits along Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon, where it has introduced visitors to the marine life of the Pacific Northwest since opening on May 23, 1992. Spread across 23 acres, the AZA-accredited facility blends indoor galleries with outdoor habitats that mirror the sandy shores, rocky coastline, and open ocean just beyond its walls.
The aquarium earned worldwide attention in the mid-1990s as the rehabilitation home of Keiko, the orca made famous by the film Free Willy, who lived there from January 1996 until his release back toward Icelandic waters in September 1998. Today the aquarium continues that conservation-minded mission, caring for roughly 15,000 animals across about 300 species and welcoming visitors from around the country each year.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Newport, Oregon
- Opened: May 23, 1992
- Size: 23 acres
- Animals: About 15,000 animals
- Species: About 300 species
- Annual Visitors: Roughly 300,000 (varies by year)
- Famous For: Former rehabilitation home of Keiko the orca (Free Willy)
The Exhibit Experience
Passages of the Deep is the aquarium’s signature attraction, a series of acrylic underwater tunnels that let visitors walk beneath sharks, rays, and rockfish across three simulated habitats: Orford Reef, Halibut Flats, and the Open Sea. Outdoors, the aquarium’s Seabird Aviary is billed as the largest of its kind in North America, home to tufted puffins, common murres, and other coastal seabirds, while nearby habitats showcase sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, and a giant Pacific octopus.
Indoors, the Sandy Coast, Rocky Coast, and Connected Coast galleries recreate Oregon shoreline ecosystems, complemented by tidepool touch exhibits and a jellyfish gallery. The aquarium has continued to expand its facilities, with a multi-phase capital campaign that included work completed in late 2024 aimed at building out a new Marine Wildlife Center for animal rescue and rehabilitation.
A Legacy Tied to Keiko
The aquarium’s most famous chapter began in January 1996, when Keiko arrived from a Mexico City amusement park in poor health following his star turn in Free Willy. Staff and veterinarians nursed him back to health in a custom-built tank, drawing global media attention before he was flown to a bay pen in Iceland in September 1998 as part of an effort to reintroduce him to the wild. The episode cemented the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s reputation as a serious player in marine animal care, a role it has continued through ongoing rescue and rehabilitation work along the Oregon coast.
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums.
Oregon Coast Aquarium FAQs
When did the Oregon Coast Aquarium open?
It opened on May 23, 1992, in Newport, Oregon, and drew about 5,500 visitors on its first day.
Did Keiko the orca really live at the Oregon Coast Aquarium?
Yes. Keiko, the whale from Free Willy, lived at the aquarium from January 1996 until September 1998, when he was transported to a bay pen in Iceland.
What is the aquarium’s signature exhibit?
Passages of the Deep, a series of walk-through acrylic tunnels surrounded by sharks, rays, and other fish across three ocean habitat zones.
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Photo: OCAQMarketing / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.