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December 2023 by A.C. Antonelli
The Marine Mammal Center is the country’s largest marine mammal hospital. Absolutely worth the visit and the tour if you’re interested in hearing about the important work they do to support our natural environment and help mitigate the pretty idiotic things we humans do to the detriment of wildlife. Depending on the time of year and a little luck, you’ll get to see all sorts of marine animals in rehab.
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November 2023 by John Patrick
Such an amazing experience. A great facility with knowledgeable staff. This was well thought it was a public learning center. Also get to see the pinnipeds and their recovery. My favorite was the necropsy, I know a little dark but very educational.
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October 2023 by Amalina Ariffin
Our group of students were lucky to visit the marine mammal center and we were hosted by the education coordinator Crystal who has the most radiant energy and passion for her work. The team emphasizes that the center is a hospital first and would prioritize healing the animals over tours. Throughout the tour we were able to learn about the rescue and healing process of the different marine mammals that came to their facility which became a big inspiration to the students. The organization is well prepared for fun interactive activities to help with experiential learning and I also appreciated that the team emphasized on not allowing the animals to associate humans to food or care so they could be self reliant in the wild.
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October 2023 by Cat LaMunyan
We had the most FANTASTIC experience at the facility today! We have been awaiting for this day since May. Many thanks to John, colleagues and team for all that you do. Hoping one day Cutter will follow this path for the mammals. We will never forget this day. Thank you so much! Blessings, The Lamunyan’s (Hudson, FL)
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September 2023 by Miranda Sequoia
This a wonderful educational and working rehabilitation center for marine mammals in the area. Perfect for inspiring kids and adults alike and it’s free.I went during late summer when it’s more calm. February in comparison is very loud with hundreds of elephant seal pups.It’s close to several points of interest like the beach, light house Marin Headlands arts studios.
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August 2023 by Timothy Colwell
Amazing work being done here to help marine mammals in Northern California and to educate the public on local ecosystems! Helping to inspire future generations to continue the work to preserve our oceans
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July 2023 by Jeff Brown
Great destination for a hike through the headlands. Went out on Monday to visit the little marine mammals on the mend.Great little visitors center with extremely friendly staff. The gal at the door was so happy to explain the center and features within.Inside there are a couple rooms with informative displays and interactive objects like seal pelts. Also some skeletons of seals that are really interesting! You can really see how they are mammals with their little front and back paws!In the viewing area was this nice young vonunteer named Allison! She was super sweet and excited to tell me all about the seals, seal lions and otters in their care.Great spot for kids! For adults it's interesting for sure. I'm an avid hiker and grew up on the coast of Oregon and Alaska so seals are nothing new for me. That being said I'm glad I went to check it out, 100% recommend:)Tickets are free and can be reserved online ahead of time.
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July 2023 by Nino B.
It’s NOT a zoo. It’s a marine mammal hospital with lots of volunteers and they offer education on the animals they care for. Some reviewers are disappointed not to see animals up close. These people didn’t get the message. Call 415-289-SEAL (7325) if you see an ocean creature in distress. Volunteers from the center will come to the rescue.
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July 2023 by Jenny Bennett
Perched on the hillside with beautiful views of the Marin Headlands, the Marine Mammal Center gives visitors the chance to experience a working hospital for rescued marine animals (mostly seals and sea lions). It is free to visit but I recommend spending the $15 to get a guided tour. My guide was knowledgable and gave me a closer look at various areas of the facility. I really enjoyed my visit and plan to return with family and friends. Great for all ages!
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June 2023 by M Manning
Neat place to see sea lions, elephant seals, and many other marine mammals that have been rescued. Best of all it’s free.
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June 2023 by L D
I found a juvenile male on the beach one morning early on a Sunday, looking dehydrated and scared. The Marine Mammal center dispatched and had him picked up and brought to a Sausalito vet. Hospital for recovery, within the HOUR I called.His name is now Umi.I am truly grateful for the work of this center and efficiency and effort put out to be there for our sea life.Absolutely wonderful.Thank you.
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June 2023 by alejandra corbella
Very cute spot to come on a date, by yourself or bring your kids!This place is hidden in the mountains of Marin county but it’s a must stop if you are an animal lover. You can make reservations online or through eventbrite at least 24hrs before your visit. However my friend and I didn’t get tickets and we just showed up with no problem. I recommend you calling to ask if there is space for you to join since some days is pretty packed.The mammal center itself was very cool, with a lot of information about the animals in the facility and information on how to contribute to the cause and be mindful of our environmental footprint.This place is volunteer run so you can also become a volunteer or ask questions about what’s going on.Some things to keep in mind:You probably won’t get very close to the animals. This is because they are either sick or wounded so they need silence and very little interaction.If you get lucky you might see volunteers feeding them, cleaning their cage or transporting the animals but this is not a zoo like experience.In some areas they might be operating or examining dead animals so discretion is advised.The place is kinda small so it probably would take you around 1 hr to see it allEither way it’s a really fun place to learn about animals in the Bay Area and understand them.
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May 2023 by Olga Nakhodkina
I recommend to sign up for a tour in advance to learn about important work that is done in this center. I personally just love to visit to see how center helps animals in need and cures them, to give them a chance for a healthy life
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May 2023 by Sarah Donaldson
I had an incredible time here with my teen! Here's what they had to say:"I learned all about rescuing seals and sea lions here! We went on a Guided Tour and learned all about what they do at the center. We even got to witness a tube feeding of the Northern Elephant Seal pups! It was just amazing to see all of those rescued animals for free and know how much effort The Marine Mammal Center was putting in to rescue, rehabilitate and release them."
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May 2023 by Nina Steinkraus
The work they do there is amazing. They obviously care about the local wildlife, and volunteers are kind and informative. It's a short experience, you could probably walk through the whole thing in less than 30 minutes, but it's still worth supporting.
