Hatfield Marine Science Center Reviews

Much better than the neighbors, and always a treat. Interactive with tide pool animals, and learning stations throughout. Will definitely return.

Great rainy day place for the kids! Movies, touch tanks, science... and it's FREE!!! It's almost better than the aquarium!

I wasn't aware of certain sounds that whales make in the ocean. Took the time to really listen. I had no idea that a Blue Fin made the same sounds as a Radar blip. It reminded me of being on the USS PYRO making Medical Rounds aka Med Box Checks up on the bridge.
Fun and educational displays abound for a future Marine Biologist or just a curious mind about Oceanic Life.

Great option if you can't afford the aquarium. Be prepared to make 5-10 dollar donation. Great tide pools and educational activities. Small though. It looks like they might be building a new building.

Chose the Marine Science Center over the aquarium and didn't regret it. The center was a bit on the smaller side, but the experience made up for the size. Admission was cheap (donation recommended). Exhibits were modern, really well done, and enjoyable. There were plenty of interactive components (our favs: touch tanks, creative cartography sandkit, underwater sound booth) and several exhibits that tied into the Science Center's research (our fav: sea lion tagging exhibit). The two octopi were quite entertaining as well. Worth a visit.

We have lived around the ocean all of our lives but learned more today about the sea life today. The hands on exhibits were great for both kids and adults.

The volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable. I would visit again if I'm in the area.

Wish we had more time to hang out at the Marine Science center. We got there an hour before it closed, but the kids 10, 13 had fun playing with the exhibits that demonstrated wave energy, weather and a cool little octopus! Put the money you would've spent on the Aquarium into the donation at the Hatfield Marine Center.

My kids really enjoyed this. Very interactive and informative. It's small and only takes about an hour to go through, and it's free!

Learned a lot fun! Great for people of all ages and is free which is a nice bonus they do ask for donations which makes sense

I took 16 high school from France to visit the Marine Science. They had a blast, specially, with checking all the elevations, wind assembly, mountains, imagination to make wave, lighting and thunders.

They are a free exhibit. They do accept donations to help cut costs. Amazing octopus at the entrance but they are in the process of finding another one. We got there 30 minutes before they closed so we had to rush thru.

Excellent for budding scientists and adults. Interesting and interactive exhibits. Hands on Tide pool and tanks with marine critters. Plan on watching the octopus feeding at 1 pm on Monday, Thursday or Saturday. You can even watch on the visitor center's octocam on their website.

Great fun for family and education opportunities for the kids. The admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 a person or $20 per family which by value is well worth the donations prices. If you don't carry cash there is a kiosk at the entrance that allows use of debit or credit card. We were met at the door by a very friendly staff member. There was a resident octopus, wave pool to simulate tsunamis, sand pits and fish tanks and touch screens. There is lots of opportunities to teach your kids about the world around them. Depending on your kids age and ability to absorb information of course. All in all the place is well kept and fun for both adults and kids and I will plan another return visit.

This was a fantastic place to visit. We had a great time here. Great hands on experience. You could actually touch sea life and feel the different pelts of sea animals. Lots of interactive opportunities. All for a donation. Don't miss this!!

This is a cool hands-on marine educational place, a part of Oregon State University. Very impressed and this is such a great place to take kids. Hands-on exhibits, cool tidal pool petting tanks, sand, water, all the stuff kids love. But I came to see the star of the show, Opal, the giant Pacific Octopus. They feed her for the public to see 3 times a week. She graced us with her awesome presence, caressed the attendant with her tentacles, and even changed color for us! Then she shrunk up into her cave and that was that. But those moments watching her were priceless.

Enjoyed seeing the hands-on educational exhibits. It was fascinating to see starfish close up. There was also a Octopus that was interesting to see. There is no admission cost which a nice benefit of the center.

The museum is a great place to spend a morning, but the real treat are the outdoor opportunities. The Hatfield Science museum sits on an estuary of Yaquina Bay. There is a walking trail with good opportunities for birding, or get your feet dirty and walk out onto the estuary and look for shrimp and clams. With a shellfish permit you can "rake" for cockles (a type of clam) and take them home to steam open and eat.

Must admit, it has been years since I walked through the science center as a young girl. Can remember back to when the bay was being dredged to prepare for the building of this center. My impression remains the same~love it! ( I still have a few shell fossils that we found in the bay while it was exposed.)

The big parking lot has plenty of room for many visitors. The exterior grounds were immaculate, as well as interesting displays to see as you approach the building. We were warmly greeted when we entered, and were very happy to give our "family donation."

The various presentations throughout the center provide great information to the visitor. There are great visuals, many "hands-on" activities, and excellent learning stations. Something for every age. I personally liked the area dedicated to wave energy. Learned many facts, and continue to be hopeful this has potential to be a viable Oregon energy source.

There were many volunteers to ask questions to, and they were very approachable and helpful. There is also a nice gift shop to browse through.

This is a great place to explore and enjoy! So glad I have returned with my family. Brought back old memories while making new ones!

Go and enjoy the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

If you have kids who love to get involved and be able to touch creatures and interact with exhibits, this is the place to stop. Entertaining as well as educational. For both kids and adults.

This Marine Science Center is a highlight on the Oregon Coast! So much to see and learn and experience! I love how interactive everything is! Kids will remember this for a lifetime!! And the octopus was very interactive. If you get a chance a absolutely try to get there for her feeding time. It be only happens in certain days and at a specific time, but it is totally worth it!!
Here is a pic of her on the glass. The yellow thing is her toy that she plays with all day!!

My kids enjoyed the hands-on nature of this museum. They liked touching the sea urchins, anemones, etc. They loved building structures to be destroyed by a tsunami wave. It was a definite hit.

It didn't hurt that we went to the aquarium first and it was cold and rainy outside and this is indoors.

Make sure you sign up ahead of time. There is a tiny reservation fee. Only issue is that we had the 3-4pm time slot and they close at 4. As it is all volunteers, they started trying to stop the kids from doing things about 10 minutes early. So don't choose the last time slot of the day.

This facility is primarily the maritime research and graduate student facility for Oregon State University but is the home to several Federal and Oregon maritime and environmental research and fisheries organizations. Accordingly, the visitor center features many very high quality exhibits that feature the research undertaken here. This a must see stop for families and those interested in marine science when visiting the Newport area.

This was a really great stop. Had a good amount of information about a number of local marine topics. Good interactive activities for kids.

Great little place. Hands on things for kids to do. Very affordable. Resident octopus and marine life to touch. Knowledgeable volunteers. Nice gift shop.

Great attraction to visit at no charge. We spent several hours walking about and absorbing the displays and information. Could have spent longer and wonderful experience for families.

My husband and I visited for the first time. Admission is by donations, so donate fairly please. The facility is a decent sized with fun and interesting exhibits, tide pool areas to touch urchins and anemones. Science exhibits with hands on play and exploration. A few small aquarium set up and Olsen the Octopus. Check the web site for feeding schedule, it's really an experience and great learning opportunity. They don't keep octipi very long due to their life spans. Great place to learn and visit.

Stop in a take an afternoon to go through the center and aquarium. The exhibits are very interactive and it is a great learning experience.

Very fun !!! Interactive for kids the can touch everything and learn about waves and animals.....also have a little gift shop inside and it's free they would like donations tho....

My family and I visited. Hatfield should be a stop every time a family visits Newport. Educational and fun.

This place is great! A lot of fun for kids and adults. This is an actual maritime research station for Oregon State University and many other research and fisheries organizations have offices surrounding the center. However, for the lay person, there is a visitor center with many great exhibits. The location itself is very pretty too. I would recommend it to anyone with the least bit of interest in the marine sciences. Kids love the interactive exhibits too.

This place was super cool. Lots of interactive things to do. Super educational too. No animals to see really, but cool nun- -the-less. They do suggest donating $20 per family. Totally worth it for the 4 of us.

As a Mom of two young kids I'm always looking for a deal. How can you go wrong with a pay what you can? This is a great educational place for the young and old. Some of the exhibits are a little to old for the younger kids. But they have a great touch tidepool. A great place if your trying to watch the pennies.

Very informative, with well keep displays and tanks. The people volunteering there are always eager to answer any questions you might have. Hands on activities and things for the kids to do.

We always stop here when in Newport. There are always things to see and things to learn. It is free but we did leave a donation

This is a treasure. A great place to learn and explore. We were there for the Octopus feeding, which was adorable! Olsen is a beautiful creature. We're grateful for a free place to learn and for the great work being done here.

My 15 month old grandson loved this place and so did I! Free but they accept donations, great octopus! Find out when she's being fed and be there for that if possible !

Very interesting if you know little/nothing about marine science and the ocean. Fabulous if interested in marine science. 7th & 8th graders LOVE IT! Go from here to Depoe Bay tide pools. Great experience. Check for appropriate tides online before going. Many steps up/down, to/from the pools

We have been here many times but not for several years. They have added more exhibits and they are more interactive.
There is a tide pool area an octopus and other interesting things about the marine life in the area.
This is free, donations are encouraged. There are enough varied exhibits to keep children engaged.
We were there about an hour.

We've visited the aquarium before, so we were looking for something different. Also, thrilled that this event was free; however, there is a suggested donation of $5/person. We saw the reviews about this place and decided to try it. It takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. It's interactive so there are many things to explore. They feed the octopus three days a week at 1:00 p.m. I highly recommend being there for that experience. There's a camera to view the octopus online.

What a great experience!! So much to learn!! Information you never knew existed!
Questions answered immediately by very knowledgeable folks!

The exhibits are well-researched and engaging. The staff (volunteers) are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and take pride in keeping the exhibits and information fresh. The Guin Library hosts a monthly seminar series. We heard a presentation on Oregon volcanoes by Dr. Adam Kent from OSU main campus. It was well-attended with a range of transdisciplinary interests voiced in the Q&A. A great stop for retirees seeking new experiences. Note photo taken of Mt. Hood on return plane ride. It was great to have the new insights provided, when observing from the air.

It was the coolest thing to be able to gentle tough these sea creatures!!!! Well worth visiting just for this.

We love it here. It's great that you don't have to spend a fortune to take your family out to have some fun and learn about the ocean & all its creatures. There's lots to see & do and it's great for all ages.

This extension of the university is top notch and free as well - though they do accept donations. Though we didn't get to see them in the day we were there, they feed the octopus 3 times a week. The touch pools were wonderful and the various research projects are very educational. I highly recommend a visit if you're anywhere near the area.

Very informative about the sea life and lots of interactive exhibits.
A couple of brain twisting games were lots of fun. In fact I had to go back and try the wood block game again.

this is a nice free museum with quite a few interactive exhibits. It is not very big but offers lots of interesting learning opportunities... and hands on to touch some small sealife. well worth a visit..

Great educational experience. Does not cost, but recommended to pay $2 per person. Best part is private classes for groups. $5 per person then. Fun, interactive, and educational. Sooooo worth the $5. Every school, church, class, etc. should book this.

We made sure to come on Monday so we could see the octopus feeding. I found out supremely fascinating, while my 6yo wanted to play in the interactive wave machine display. A definite must whenever we are in the area.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center is an educational and research center maintained by Oregon State University. The exhibits are interactive and of interest to all ages. Children will especially enjoy the opportunity to touch starfish and sea anemones. Unfortunately, as is typical of such heavily used facilities, a number of the displays were in need of maintenance. Still, it was well worth visiting.

This place is great for a family! Lots of interactive stuff to do for all. They do not charge an admission but do request a donation.

a good place to take kids, or not, if you dont have kids. nice informative displays. don't dwell on the catastrophic cascadian earthquake and tsunami fear, and it will pass without too much thought.

We love this place! We try and stop here every time we make it to Newport. There is no entry fee, although donations are suggested and appreciated. They do a great job of mixing education with fun and making sure there is a wide variety of interactive learning experiences.

This is a nice hands on place for kids and grown ups. Interesting displays and information. All ages are welcome. No admission fee.

This offshoot of OSU is well worth a visit. A combination of museum of sorts, interactive area for kids, and numerous displays of local science projects.

The science center is a must see if in the area. Entrance fee is by donation and they suggest $5.00 or $20 per family. Wonderful attraction for all ages, the young kids were enjoying themselves. They have a touch area that was interesting. Octopus tank where you can watching the feeding Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. There is a octocam where you are able to watch the Octopus from home. Great staff, knowledgeable, able to answer all our questions. Very clean restroom, nice little gift shop.

We visited the Hatfield Marine Science Center killing time in Newport one day. I was surprised how much I liked it. There were lots of marine / maritime exhibits. The "hands on" exhibits were fun to. They had tide pools where you could touch the creatures, wave machines to illustrate tsunamis, aquariums that had fish, etc. Just lots and lots to look at. Very interesting, informative and fun. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person. We gladly paid this and it was worth it, but you are not compelled to pay anything. One nice bonus was that they were giving away free solar eclipse glasses to everyone who came in. Each person could take two glasses.

We travel to Newport a lot, but have always been there on days the Center is closed, so were really happy to visit. It's part of Oregon State University, so exhibits are particularly well curated--both viewing & interactive. Visitors will learn about fisheries, marine life, tidal action & more. Spouse & I spent about an hour & a half there until he got tired.

There's a $5 suggested donation at the door & a gift shop that we didn't visit.

It's more than appropriate for all ages & mobility levels.

This place has some very good displays and information on different areas of the ocean and beaches but the highlight for me was walking under the aquariums. Looking up I could see the ray’s and small sharks swim. It was interesting to see a school of fish swimming together. They also had tanks where you can reach in and touch certain types of sea life.

We went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium on the same trip and honestly, the Hatfield Marine Science Center was a better deal. They don't have a ton to see, but it's definitely more educational and different from what you'd get at an aquarium. You can tell that research and education are the main goals. We saw something that we're still talking about here. In one of the tanks we watched the brutal cannibalistic part of nature as a small lobster-ish looking crustacean that had molted recently frantically tried to keep out of the reach of others of it's own kind. It was fascinating getting to see nature in action, even if it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine.

This is run by Oregon State University. They have interesting things for everyone, not just kids. Feeding Olson, the giant octopus was the highlight, watching her casually pull the suckers from her arm again and again was mind-blowing. Great exhibit of plate tectonics, tsunamis and much, much more. Particularly liked to see how the earth in Oregon is being compressed. Entry by donation, plan on $5 per person or $20 per family. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

This is just a great place to go to and learn the science of the ocean. Lots of fun and the cost is a donation to the center.

It was a rainy afternoon in Newport so we decided to visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center. Lucky for us, we happened to walk in as the octopus was about to be fed. What an amazing, informative experience! Lots of fascinating displays, fish tanks, and activities. We stayed about 3 hours and enjoyed every minute.

I was surprised at how many things to look at for a free science center. I really did not expect much and was pleasantly surprised

Super glad we came here - we didn't go to the Oregon Coast Aquarium so we couldn't really compare, but you won't be sorry coming here.

We have a 10 year old and a 6 year old so we are super well versed in science worlds, zoos and aquariums in all the cities we've visited (so, this is in comparison to at least a dozen other places). The place isn't big but the space is REALLY well used and placed - and more than half of them hands-on. There's a number of very well maintained water tanks with crystal clear clean water, and a few of them you are even encouraged to stick your hand in to touch the sea creatures - and watch them interact with you. The tsunami simulators were wonderful. Two other displays managed to wow my husband and I - they are so up to date that we have NEVER seen it this well done anywhere else (the light spectrum, and the simulation of sand and rain water flow - REALLY well done)

Staff were 100% friendly and genuine - they look like they are all volunteers (?) and are there because they WANT to be there. Very knowledgeable and friendly, and really, not a single grumpy summer job worker in sight. How refreshing!!! We will definitely be back anytime we're traveling to Newport.

It's fascinating, educational, free and near the best Aquarium on the NW Coast. Try it and you'll find for yourself why it's one of the most popular destinations in Oregon.

I live in the area and always I have a great experience at Hatfield!! People are amazing. The children love it!

We'd been to the aquarium, but never here before but corrected it this time. It's educational, but in a fun way with many hands-on exhibits.

This was a great place to stop! Lots to see and interactive activities. The staff was so friendly and helpful and best of all it was free!

This feels like a great place for younger children. It's educational, but in a fun way. There's a lot of interactivity and games that can be played, and while it may lack a wow factor for a free entry that takes donations, I found it easily worth the reccomended 5 dollars. Makes a nice one two combo with the aquarium.

Not as many exhibits as the big place around the corner. But, lots of things to look at for both adults and kids. They take donations instead of charging a high fee for admission like the big place around the corner does. been there often with kids and grandkids over the years. All inside so weather doesn't matter.

My child has many delays, as well as sensory processing disorder and autism. I thought this would be a great experience allowing him to be hands on. However, it’s much different from when I went each summer as a kid. He was bored and overwhelmed within 15 minutes.

The nearby Oregon Aquarium is a great place but if you want something a little smaller and cheaper (as in free, although there is a suggested donation of $5 per person), this place is really terrific. The octopus display is fascinating, the touch tanks are stocked with all sorts of local creatures with docents ready to share information and answer questions, and the displays about this coast and its wonders are really thoughtfully done. It's an easy place to visit for an hour or so and extremely kid-friendly. Mark Hatfield, the namesake of the center and the late US Senator who secured funding for it, dearly loved this state and would be delighted that the Hatfield Marine Science Center is turning new generations on to the wonders of the Oregon coast.

Just go and take your kids. Octapus feeding is great, and displays could keep you all day
It is a place for thinking people

Great place to take your kids. Good for you too. Lots to see and learn. Cheap too. We have been near here many times but never stopped in. I’m glad we finally did.

Free admission (donation requested) to this great place. Often you are greeted by the resident octopus (swapped out with wild ones regularly as they get caught in crab traps and brought in by fishers). On this trip there was no octopus - but there was a skate. The touch tank is great - as are the docents who know a lot and are more than willing to share it. Great educational hands-on exhibits for kids and adults.

This place relies on donations so you could go for free but it is definitely worth the donation. We learned about tsunamis, waves, land formations and all kinds of ocean life.

We were blown away by this fun aquatic visitor center! We went following a recommendation but didn’t know what to expect - the kids and adults all loved it and enjoyed the many hands on and easy to understand Sea exhibits. Reservations are currently required and ready to make online. For $3 each, best money ever spent!

This has been a family favorite for years!! My girls have always enjoyed coming here, seeing all the sea creatures, touch tanks, and skeletons.

Great learning place to see and touch. Helpful and friendly staff to make the experience even better.

Great exhibits and hand-on activities for younger children (us adults have fun too). Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Plan on about an hour. Plenty of free parking. Admission is free but they have a donation box which I hope everyone contributes to so we can keep this facility running.

Run by OSU this is a great rainy day activity for families! Kids have hands on interactive activities like touching tide pool animals and exploring tsunami effects on Oregon's coast. Lots of fun and interesting displays.

Lots of useful information but it felt like a sideshow exhibit of the Oregon Aquarium, which is located minutes away.

This was a fantastic way to spend an hour or so for absolutely free! Although, definitely make a donation because it's a good cause. Touch tide pools, interactive displays, and very informative.

Had a great time, and our three year old daughter loved it.

My wife and I visited the Center on our last day in Newport not really knowing what to expect aside from the star attraction - an octopus, We were met at the door by a volunteer who explained everything to us including the fact that there was no entry fee, only a donation. The Center is laid out in a rough circle and along the way we were met by volunteers who loved to explain what we were seeing especially the first exhibit of anemones and muscles going and living in small pools. There are wonderful displays for kids with hand on activities. It's a great place to visit full of very interesting and informative displays.

We decided to check out the Hatfield Marine Science center on a cold, rainy February day. what a great place...for the entire family! The octopus was fascinating as it moved around the tank, the fresh water fish display and information was very interesting. Our almost 4 yr old granddaughter split her time between the sand box and the touch tanks. The sand box was engaging for adults, too...making mountains and valleys, making rain...not just fun for kiddos. The docent at the touch tank was patient and very pleasant, instructing on the correct way to touch the sea life in the tanks. She answered questions about the water (from the bay) and how the critters were fed. Display on tsunamis were also interesting. Most activities are interactive. Nice gift shop and the clerk there was helpful. Looks like there are new displays in the works. A well done educational facility. Donations are suggested ($5.00 per adult or $20.00 per family); the time we spent there was more than worth that. Easy access off Hwy 101 - good signage to point the way. Great for kids 3 and older and curious adults.

A great hands-on science place. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. So much to look at and learn. Many hands-on activities. Fun for all ages!

It cost $5/person and had many hands on ocean activities for the kids including a touch tide pool area. The volunteers were excellent at teaching new things to my kids. Our kids (age 5-12) had such a fun time learning and playing. They also had a fun gift shop that was more reasonably priced than the one at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I definitely recommend going here, especially if you have kids with you.

This is such a nice calm change of pace we love this place and enjoy the up close and personal interaction with sea creatures. There’s plenty of knowledgeable staff
available they have a tide pool where you can touch things and someone who can tell you what everything is. It is, quite literally, just around the corner from the aquarium, and it is well worth a visit.

Lots of exhibits explaining the impact we have in our oceans. I personally think this is better than the aquarium down the street, not because it's free but because it really addresses climate change, pollution, and such. Great for all ages.

My adult daughter and I visited the Hatfield Marine Science Center in early September, having been given the recommendation by the camp hosts at South Beach State Park. in stark contrast to the "other" place nearby, the price is free with donations suggested. We really didn't know what to expect. Happily, we learned the HMC is a well laid-out museum with exhibits that appeal to both adults and kids. The thing that most impressed me is subjects like dead zones, earthquakes and tsunamis, overfishing, etc. were explained simply yet thoroughly--neither over our heads nor dumbed down. There are some aquariums with various species of marine life, and particularly stunning displays featuring jellyfish, and featuring tropical fish and coral--not to mention the Octopus which showed off its suction cupped arms to us. I highly recommend it!

This is a great place for a visit anytime, but definitely something fun to do on a rainy day.

I recently visited with my adult kids, and we all spent a very enjoyable hour. I can see spending hours here with younger kids, given all of the hands-on exhibits they have.

If your schedule permits, I recommend visiting during a scheduled octopus feeding. Currently I believe they are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1 PM, but check the website to confirm.

I had no idea that octopuses have personalities, (even spraying people they dislike with water,) and can be so interactive and entertaining.

Admission is free with a suggested contribution of five dollars per person. This is a great deal for a family, and a good way to spend an afternoon.

The gift shop is not huge but has a good variety of items, and I found my husband a good quality rain slicker that he loves.

Well worth a visit the next time you are on the coast.

I liked the video presentation how Oregon was formed by volcanic islands moving toward the coast!

The coral exhibits were incredibly patterned and colorful under black light! I'm not from this area so I learned about the invasive animals and plants Oregon deals with.

Be prepared for a plethora of school children on a field trip taking over the room with the tidepool.

We visited in the morning and that afternoon went to the beach and found thousands and thousands of ''By the Wind Sailors' (velella velella) had washed up. Checked online and these little blue animals float at the top and their white sail provides locomotion. Unfortunately they regularly are stranded on Oregon Coasts!

Plus you can pet the otter and fur seal pelts! So soft!

Note: Currently the science center is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays (yes we showed up on Tuesday and no cars in the parking lot!)

My family visited Hatfield for the first time and enjoyed the many educational opportunities it presented. For free admission, you can see and interact with many experiments and ideas being studied currently by OSU students and staff. It might be small but it is packed with lots of things to see and do!

After walking Newport and stopping in all the shops, this was a great stop for the kids. After being told "don't touch" for hours, they could touch all of it (almost). The displays are very informative and educational. We had 4,10&12 yr. olds and they all enjoyed it and so did the grow ups. Don't waste your time and money at the museum in Depoe Bay, this is the place.

My husband and I stopped here on our trip, and thought it was awesome! The facility is beautiful, with many cool animal exhibits. It would be more exciting with children, as there are many activities geared toward kiddos. As a science educator, my husband was really impressed with the different ways the facility was getting children engaged in science. It also has many great resources for local wildlife spotting! Worth a stop, even if just to see the Giant Pacific Octopus.

Great displays that change periodically, FREE admission, interactive exhibits, educational and hours of fun and exploration. Great on a rainy day but closes early!

Loved touching things and really enjoyed watching the octopus moving around. Clean, pleasant staff and nice facility

The museum is a great place to visit and explore. My children loved it as kids and enjoy it as adults now. We go at least once a year.

The entire Center is great, but the Film in the Theater is a must see. It is great. They also have many excellent displays and a large number of hands-on exhibits. So glad we took the time to visit, and best of all the cost is by donation.

Great. Look all I want to say is the maintenance people dont CLEAN anything. Its gross. Blah blah bla. Way overpriced for what it is

This is an absolute must stop for so many reasons!

1. Free (Please Donate if you can though)
2. Kids actually get engaged in learning. Where else can you make waves, touch a starfish, learn about weather patterns, and how mountain ranges effect where it rains.
3. The exibhits are wonderfully designed with kids in mind. They can get up close and personal with everything, no more lifting them to see into an aquarium.
4. They support further education, and offer interships, as well as long term carreer to college students. As well as offer hands on learning for Jr. High's and Highschools.
5. It sits right on the bay, and mud flats giving you a chance to explore the marine life even further.

My twin 6 year olds LOVED it! We spent two hours there. Building mountains in sand, making waves, touching starfish and other creatures. Great place to visit!!

I went there to "kill some time" one afternoon... And was amazed at the facility, the information presented, and the variety of information provided... Ther is plenty for people of all ages to enjoy.. The BBC video about life in the sea is wonderful.

We have been coming to the Marine Science Center since it first opened. Our visits are infrequent enough that there is always something new. It does a great job with exhibits for children. There are all kinds of interactive activities from handling sea creatures to learning about tides. I thought the current exhibit on the business of supplying tropical aquarium fish was outstanding. It is always worth a visit even if you have been there before.

Great way to spend a couple of hours. Interesting exhibits, touch tanks, aquariums and we really enjoyed the octopus feeding.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center requires each of its scientists to create a display for the lobby and the result is varied and interesting, from a rock pool filled with creatures to a create-your-own-tsunami. The admission is by donation, and it would be a great poor-weather option for families with rather bored kids.

This is an outstanding facility to learn more about the unique features of the marine environment and the creatures who inhabit it.

The science center is very fun for families. The touch pools are a great tool for kids to learn about marine life!

Went here all the time to enjoy the interactive equipment with my 6 year old. Stayed 2 months in the area but visited the science center probably once a week or more.

The Science Center was an unexpected surprise along the central coast of Oregon. With lots of parking, vast exhibits, and very friendly staff, there is something for everyone. We had a few minor kids with us and they enjoyed the petting tide pools the most. There was a jellyfish display that was fascinating. And the shark tunnels were very impressive. Would plan on spending about 1/2 day here.

Not having been to he Marine Science center for quite awhile I wasn't sure what to expect when taking grandchildren 6 & 9. It was great. Lots of hands on displays re tidal action, tidal waves, fish, shellfish. Etc. a very enjoyable couple of hours. The kids especially great for the kids.
No entrance fee, but donations requested.

If you are hesitant to pay the money for the aquarium go to this place. It is great for families and fun for everyone.

I was first acquainted with MHSC 35 years ago when I first moved here and it's only improved. Wonderful hands on exhibits, learning experiences, tanks with local specimens including, at the front, there is usually an octopus. This time there was also a baby octopus. The scientists associated with the center keep it interesting with talks and movies. The gift shop is well appointed and the woman who runs it is very helpful ion you have any questions about the area from Newport to Lincoln City.

Excellent place to learn about the ocean. Something for all ages. Touching tide pool is great volunteers are available to answer questions.

If you are on a budget (or even if you are not) this is a great place to visit. For a donation you can learn all about the sea life in the area, tides, tsunamis, environmental concerns and just have a great time.

We were here as an older couple--sans kids--but we still found the place informative and fun. You can learn a lot about tsunamis, oyster farming, waves, and marine mammals and fish, to name just some of it. It's not a huge facility, but it's packed with displays and hands-on activities for the kids. Although admission is free, they do accept donations. Given the value, please consider donating! And there's a good gift shop for kids.

This is a fun place for old folks like us or kids with lots of hands on well thought out activities. As well as simulated tide pools where you are encouraged to touch the critters and wave making machines, there are lots of tanks displacing a good cross section of the local marine life. There is a giant Pacific octopus (she's young so not that giant) who puts on a great show at feeding time - not to miss. All this for a donation of $5.

With pouring rain outside and us heading home later in the day, the science center was the perfect place to stay dry and have fun. First, it's free (asks for donations), which is amazing considering we spent way too much money at the Aquarium the day before. If money is an issue, don't bother with the Aquarium and just visit this place. You will learn much more, and you get to see a lot of sea life, too, just like you do at the Aquarium. The kids really had a lot of fun and so did us parents! Don't miss out!

Great place to stop in and visit for a while. Great interactive exhibits. Live critters very cool. This is a great place for anyone with an enthusiasm for science, technology, natural history, & wildlife. My kids have loved visiting here at various ages.

We stopped at this museum for a few hours and had the best time. Many things to read and learn. Kids had especially good time. Interactive displays, and hand son activities. Movie also shown

Went to see the octopus feeding, but we enjoyed walking around and looking at the other exhibits. We really enjoyed the touch tanks.

I have been coming here since high school when it first opened its doors so have witnessed this place change and evolve through the years. Still a great place to visit. Touch tanks and the live octopus are definitely the highlight. Other than the touch tanks, there was a definite lack of live fish this visit. Instead they had a jelly fish art exhibit in their place. Interesting in its own way although it's more gift shopy than science. Gift shop has also been downsized. I always brought home a bag of fun things from this store, but this time there was nothing of remote interest. :{ The highlight on this visit for me was the dock from the Japanese tsunami located outside.

I have wanted to visit for years and never seem to make it. Today was the day though with hubby and my 2 preschoolers in tow. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5.00 person or 20 per family. There is a large decorative donation case in the entry way to put your donation. We were met just inside the door by a very sweet volunteer that welcomed us and gave us a brief overview of what to see and do. There are several different exhibit areas and quite a few hands on activites. There is even a resident octopus. We were here for about 2 hours.

This is a great educational place to learn different aspects about the ocean. This is co-sponsored by Oregon State University. You can learn about tsunamis and ocean ecology. What I learned about the most was about the effects of localized areas of hypoxia on life in the ocean.

We wanted to visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium but wow was it expensive. So came here again. We've come a few times in the past. Its not a large facility but the kids had fun and learned about tides and erosion and go to touch a couple of sea animals. Lots of things to keep them busy for an hour and a half or so. Entrance is "free" - there is a suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family and it can be made with a credit card which was nice. Ample parking and easy walking around.

Lots of hands on things to do. Pet a star Fish ! Donation s accepted and we'll worth it! We spent several hours and really enjoyed it. The gift store was really reasonably priced, too. All the volunteers were really friendly.

The next time we head up north we will be stopping here again! My young children (5&2) had more fun here than they did at the aquarium. Lots of hands on activities and seriously cool educational displays. My new favorite place to stop when we travel. It is free to enter but a $20 suggested donation for a family of 4 is asked. Very very worth the money!!

This is a fun, educational facility for young and old alike. We take our grandkids, but it's as much fun for us as it is for them.

A wonderful interactive environment to learn about marine life, tsunami's, wales, porpoises and dolphins, red tides and shell fish and so much more. How is global warming affecting the coast and oceans or is the salinity of the ocean changing because of fresh water ice melting? For me it is just enjoy watching others and learning on my own. You can spend from an hour to most of a day depending on how detail oriented you are.

A fun coastal museum with hands-on displays and lots of information on our ocean. Good for kids and adults.

Enjoyed the visit. Good displays. Particularly good for families with children. The octopus was very fun to see.

Went here as a child and now came back with my own daughter. It’s way better than what I remembered. Plus the science center is doing reservations so that limits the number of people inside and makes it more enjoyable.

Such an awesome place for kids to learn about marine science. Our favorite activity was the tsunami wave simulation to see if our buildings survived (they didn’t)

Highly recommend this place for young kids and if you are looking for a hour activity on a cold rainy day at the coast.

What a fantastic place for all of the family. You get great information about the area, the sea life and so many hands on experiences. You can see live sea life and they also have a touching pool. There was a party of school children there when we went and they obviously loved it.

Very worthwhile to look around for me; lots of interesting
exhibits. Maybe there is a charge now. :-( for this.
Tourism is alive and well during the summertime in Newport.

I took my kids to the Hatfield Marine Science Center because we were spending the weekend whale watching and beach going, and it was nice to be able to go somewhere that had free admission as a break from all the money we were spending. Everything is hands on, as it is an educational center. You can see the octopus and touch sea anemone, sea cucumbers, starfish, etc. There are whale skeletons, which are mind blowing. All kinds of fish and starfish are around to look at, and colorful coral. I highly recommend going for a visit.

We found this place by accident. We only went in to use the restrooms, as the sign said "visitor center."

Wow! What a pleasant surprise!

This center is a fun place for the entire family. They had quite a few stations with information about sea life and the ocean.

We enjoyed the numerous tanks with fish and prawns and anemonies. Loved the section where you can learn about and touch different sea creatures, including starfish. The volunteers were very knowledgable and definitely loved being there.

There is also a gift shop.

There is no entrance fee- a donation is suggested.

Highly recommend!

WOW! What a place. I would expect a place like this in New York, or Boston. To find it in Newport, Oregon was fantastic.
The museum might better be called a facility highlighting the Oceanographic Universe. It has a myriad of displays, many interactive and targeting a younger audience but still great quantities of data for the parents. A great family outing at no cost except what you choose to donate.

This is a great stop to learn about the OR coast and the animals. They have lots of hands-on things for the kids to do.

This is a great, free, self-guided attraction. You can make a donation if you like. When we got there, it was filled with so many kids running around, we by-passed the first area to see and read the other exhibits. There is also a small theater that was showing a movie about dolphins that day. Tons of information about sea life and the history of the area. By then, all the kids were gone so we were able to enjoy the inter-active exhibits near the entrance. A great place to visit if you're in Newport.

We try to go every other time we're in Newport. Entry is free but they request a donation of $5 per person or $20 per family but they don't monitor you either, so sometimes we do it, and sometimes we don't have any cash on us. There are many interactive "stations" where kids and adults can learn about hydroelectric power, or tsunami's and erosion. They also have some tide pools set up where you can touch starfish and anemones. The main attraction in my opinion is the Giant Pacific Octopus that is right in the middle of the room just past the entryway. Check their website for scheduled feeding times, the octopus knows when its meal time and tends to be out and putting on a show waiting for its food. If you go after feeding time, many times the octopus is hiding in the dark or behind a rock and sleeping. There are also many tanks with various fish and marine life, as well as skeleton's of several crabs, whales, etc. They also have a neat interactive topographical sand box that I had to pry my 2 year old away from, he would have played with that all day. If you only have a couple hours and don't want to spend a bunch at the aquarium, this place is great. Or if you feel like learning a little bit but also seeing some sea life, this place once again is your ticket!

Completely interactive. The sand sculpture environmental display was unbelievable. This stop is definitely worth all the time you can give it.

This was our second trip to Newport and first trip the the Hatfield Marine Science Center. It’s free with a suggested $5 donation...well worth the donation price! Wonderful static and hands-on displays; lots of critters; volunteers are great. There were two octopuses, one larger 12 lb. guy and a smaller on that we saw feed on a small green crab. We’ll definitely come back on our next visit to the coast.

Definitely good for kids especially on a rainy day...Very hands on for adults and kids, free parking and nice gift shop

Got there in time to watch the giant Pacific Octopus get fed. There were dozens of people surrounding the tank so viewing was difficult but managed to sneak some peeks. Friendly & helpful staff members with many nice oceanic displays, some hands on stuff for kids.
Admission is a suggested $5 donation, so a good deal.

A donation supported marine education and exhibition center. If you are in Newport on an "inside" sorta day, the Hatfield Center should definitely be on your list. Check their website for the feeding time and learn about the Pacific Octopus. They have exhibits about fishing, ocean exploration and interactive exhibits for kids. Would I come to Newport just to come here? No, but it is definitely worth the time to visit while here.

This is a really nice exhibit full of enough interactive displays to keep you busy. Staff was more than happy to answer questions.

The highlight for me was seeing Opal the octopus have her 1 pm lunch. She was so interactive with the person feeding her it was amazing!

Just do it...this is a great place to take children or adults of all ages. Entry fee is donations and a suggested $5 per person or $20 per family. No one is going to turn you away for any amount of donation.

This is an interactive museum that lets you touch critters, view a video in a theater, take a quiz every few feet and view a history of the Oregon Coast.

Our group of six spent two hours. Plenty of parking. RV's can park in one area.

This is an incredible place to visit. Admission is by donation. Several displays and hands-on exhibits for kids. There is much for adults too.
Must confess, the touching allowed tidepool and the octopus were the highlights.
The docents and staff are very friendly and fountains of information.

The aquarium is marvelous. The little kids especially loved it. It continues to grow and improve each year.

Small scale of the next door aquarium with science theme. Many displays weren't working and looked like they haven't in a while. If going for sure, would recommend stop here before going to the aquarium, as it doesn't really compete well.

We opted for this smaller marine exhibit over the larger Coast Aquarium this visit and were pleased. Entry by donations instead of ticket.

Great educational experience on marine life and science, love the octopus exhibit. Near the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Great views on the Yaquina Bay and Bridge. See wild sea lions swimming to the bay. Near Rogue Brewery & Distillery for a great burger and bear.

When we parked we saw all kinds of motorized items dedicated to the ocean.

Once inside the Hatfield Marine Science Center, we saw an octopus. It was amazing!

This museum is about the creatures in the sea.

They teach about learning water. Kids had fun with that.

I learned about beach balls. Quite interesting!

There were lots of sea anemones. Colorful!

We learned about the sand in the ocean.

We saw interesting fish.

The displays were attractive.

There were whale heads as well.

I learned a lot at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

Worthwhile to see!

This is a MUST if you’re in Newport. Super cheap, $20 for a family. So much hands on things for kids (and those adults who are kids at heart!)

I spent about an hour or so here travelling solo, just exploring the exhibits and learning about plate tectonics, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and marine life. Most things were very interactive and could be enjoyed by both kids and adults. Plan to spend at least an hour there - or two. Admission is by donation with recommended $5. Well worth it - especially for those of you with kids!

If you are science or education minded you’ll love this place! We visit every time we go to the coast and learn something new each time. If you have the opportunity to visit when they’re having an open house I highly advise that you do it. They have things for children and adults. It’s not terribly big but still quite fun. There is no charge to visit but donations are welcome.

I went to both the aquarium and the science centre. The science centre is by donation so you set your price and just has so much more to offer. It has aquariums, it has artwork, it has history, it has interactive instalments, it has touch tanks, it has an octopus! My favourite was the topographic sand table, it's straight up magical science!

We're on a 4 week road trip, costs inevitably add up pretty quickly so we were really glad of a place to visit that didn't cost us a penny yet was really rewarding. Our kids (8 & 12) loved the "hands on" aspect of it....the lego building in the tsunami tank, the touch tanks & the educational games & we found the more wordy bits really interesting. The fish tanks were clean, the electronic games all worked & they had an octopus, 2 in fact! We spent about 2 hours here & there were certainly no complaints about being bored :-)

We just went to the Marine Science Center this week with our toddler, and we all loved it. Such a cool place, and with a suggested donation instead of an entry fee, it's accessible to everyone! We loved their fantastic touch pool and the octopus exhibit, and older kids and adults will love the marine archaeology exhibits. We will definitely go back!

Would be great for kids but my husband and I enjoyed it as well. Spent about an hour there . Learned a lot about the sea otter which Oregon is trying to reestablish.
I was excited to see the octopus but the cage was empty with a sign saying he went back to sea. So that’s happy news, if it’s true.
I do recommend a visit here.

We love the aquarium in Newport but this place is the science piece behind the aquarium. My grandkids saw and did all the things that you'd want to do in a marine environment. It was also fascinating for parents and grandparents. Highly recommend regular visits to this amazing center.

Don't pass on this place. What a great and free alternative to the expensive aquarium next door. Lots of hands on stuff to experience

First-It's free! It's donation based, which I encourage because of the work they do here and what they offer. Great learning experience for people of all ages. Bonus: The octopus currently there is a momma to be. So fascinating to watch her care for the eggs and I learned so much about her. Who has 9 brains and 3 hearts? She does. Wow.

Not the typical learning experience because you get a lot of interaction with the exhibits. Our grandkids really enjoyed this place and we did too.

Please make time & support this science center as it is very informative & note entry is open to donation but I would pay an admission to maintain it's service to the community.

Wonderful free OSU visitor center to educate about marine sciences. Perfect rainy day activity for the whole family.

This Science Center is near the Newport Aquarium. A great place for kids with "hands on" activities (tide pools) and much more. Videos play in the auditorium and there is a small gift shop.

A good hour to two hour visit on the Oregon Coast. And it is free!!!!!!!!.

Our family has stopped here multiple times over the years. The kids love the interactive displays and hands-on seal-life experiences that are always offered. This is a great place to spend an afternoon with those you love. It is FREE but a donation is suggested.

Such a great learning experience of all ages. Kids love the hands on of all the sea creatures. Each time we go there is more to see and more to learn with the grandchildren.

In this place you can learn lot of things about life under the sea, and how scientist do their amazing work.

The exhibits of sea life and top notch. The staff here are very knowledgeable and will answer all your question with enthusiasm. The interactive tidal pool is a great opportunity to see reactions of the various life when touched. Also, the live Octopus was great to watch. Overall this was a fabulous visit.

I don't generally like animals in captivity. But this is a rare exception, as the displays were highly educational. The octopi seemed skittish, but the rest of the creatures showed none of the signs of stress that captivity often gives.

The displays on waves were cool, even for adults. You can make a tsunami, and learn about beach erosion. They have an augmented reality sand table for learning about topology and water. All really excellently done.

There is a small gift shop and one of those penny press machines. Worth the hour or so it takes to see the displays. Admission is by donation with a suggested donation of $5 a person.

First time visiting and wish we came years ago! While you will see more fish at the place next door, you will probably learn a lot more coming here. Excellent exhibits of marine life, issues, and solutions, many of them interactive. Took us over an hour and there was plenty we didn't do or see. Modest donation of $5/person requested to maintain the exhibits -- a bargain for what they offer.

For just a donation I learned a few things.

For me, the exhibit had some information on using wave energy to generate electrical energy. A few different techniques were demonstrated.

It also had some information on the geology of the Oregon coast that cleared up some of the mysteries of the Oregon Coast for me. In particular the reasons for a mountains on the coast and then volcanoes inland.

Also a good explanation of the tsunami threat to the Oregon coast from the near fault off the coast. Few residents even understand that the big earthquake like the recent Japanese 9.0 earthquake is expected to happen this century. When it does occur, the only warning will be a very strong earthquake followed by about 15 minutes before a huge Tsunami slams on shore. The last one was January 1700 and history shows one occurs about every 300 years.

It seems most visitors and residents think they should wait for the gov't to tell them a tsunami is coming. If they do and they are in a tsunami zone, they will die waiting for the warning.

Went for Fossil Fest, it was fabulous and informative . Highlight was the feeding of the octopus which was 30 minutes of details and watching octopus .

We loved visiting the Hatfield Visitor Center! They have so many wonderful exhibits, for both adults and children. They have great touch pools. Octopus feedings, many hands on exhibits, again for for children and adults. We all (two adults and a 9 & 10 year old) enjoyed it a lot.

What a great place for all ages. Science to the max in a truly Handle sea creatures! See the giant octopus (named 18 and weighing 43 pounds). They feed it three times a week! Many interactive displays.

A fun gift store.

The admission is free and worth a visit to the site. It offers fun and scientific knowledge to visitors of all age groups.

We missed the octopus the day we were there. It is a lovely walk thru aquarium with a nice gift shop. Most of the exhibits are at kid level so everyone can enjoy watching the sea life. It's fully accessible so everyone can enjoy it.

Restrooms are clean and the facility is well kept. There is on site parking. There is an information desk and volunteers to answer questions.

Had an enjoyable and informative chat with a volunteer at the sand/rain table.

This is a nice low-key place for children; not too packed with tourists. Lots of room to move around.

We try and stop by every year or so to watch their newest programs. They are the VERY best! They change the marine species in the tanks all the time as well, but their "special programs" arfe just SO thoroughly put togwether and researched. This time is was North American fossils and ngrowth through the various epochs of Earth's developmwent. The price of admission for sewniors makes this a vewry nexpewnsive way to learn a great deal, enjoy an afternoon in a world-class museum, and see so many varietal species of marine life. If you are in Newport, it's a MUST SEE!

This is a wonderful place to stop! Reasonable for a family on a budget, they take donations. So much to learn and see. They offer tide pools to touch, and so much more.

We visited this center on a tour with grandchildren and it was fantastic!

We had a class taught by Justin who was spectacular, and the kids learned about and touched sea creatures not normally seen by kids.

I highly recommend this place and they also had a wonderful small tide pool and museum.

We came here with just 1 hour to spare, this was too short, better go for 2-3 hours. There are lots of interesting displays. There were some good videos of local fisheries. The octopus on display was impressive. This is not as comprehensive as an aquarium, but in my opinion more interesting.

Our 5 and 7 year old grand children LOVE it here. So much interactive and educational play. We saw a film on sharks that all of us enjoyed very much

This center was so educational and interesting, we really enjoyed our time spent here. The touch pools, the displays and interactive spots, are so great, and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. The photos we took are amazing.

This octopus exhibit is awesome. I’ve never seen such an active and entertaining octopus! They get octopi donations from local fishermen and rotate them thru the exhibit. Other fascinating things, too, and you can’t beat the price!

This place has changed since I was here many years ago. Some of the exhibits are interactive, and all are interesting. Great for families, too!

My wife asked to just go in and look around, to see what had changed in the years since she had been there. I went too, expecting to leave after a couple minutes. Instead, we both were captivated by the exhibits. We ended up wandering through the entire building, and then my wife waited patiently while I browsed the gift shop prior to our departure an hour later.

We have been several times and will continue to go back. There's always cool exhibits (the VR sandbox is AWESOME) and the volunteers/employees are helpful and knowledgeable.

The only downside to our last visit was there was one or two schools visiting at the same time, the students were very rude and the chaperones were either checked out or nonexistent. I won't hold that against the facility but something to be aware of if you're going during the week!

This was our first visit. This museum/science center is free. The exhibits are very nice and a lot for kids to do. The staff was very nice and very educational. Lots of hands on water, sand, computer educational games, and microscopes to explore.

This is a good place to visit for both personal and families. They have friendly and knowledgeable staff to answer questions. Their displays are nicely done whether you’re interested in the knowledge or the beautiful live ocean lives. Being able to touch a live sea star and sea urchin is quite a fun experience too.
Admission is by donation.

This is geared towards kids. Fun times making waves and power and watching the octopus. Interesting for adults also.

This is a great place to visit no matter what your age is. There are several fun and educational hands-on stations that are awesome for kids, but great for adults, too. All of the displays are informative and interesting. If you want to take home a souvenir there is a decent gift shop. I was happily surprised by the Hatfield Marine Science Center, and I highly recommend it. There are many other places in the area that you can also enjoy.

This small to medium sized Science Center was good fun for our granddaughters and us. The octopus was active and social. It was fun to see her (the octopus is female) react to my granddaughter's hand on the side of the aquarium tank. The "hands-on" exhibits were engaging and instructive for all of us. And we were greeted by friendly volunteers as we entered the building. There is no set entrance fees. A donation is encouraged and keeps this place "in business".

We visit here every time we are in the area. So much to see and do. It's a good place to stop in when you visit the aquarium. In the same area. Love the octopus exhibit. So nice that you can pay what you can. No set price. Especially nice for large familys

Superb selection of local sea-creatures to view and pet (!), and lots of very interesting historical and geographical information about the local marine environment. Plus donations all go to the university's marine science program.

Lots of entertainment for kids of all ages. Interactive exhibits, educational exhibits and laughter all around.

We all learned more about the Oregon Coast as well as the Axial Volcano just off the coast and all of the deep sea life.

We had never been here. It was well staffed by volunteers, that answered all of our question. We went on a Saturday and it was not crowded. We were able to touch the Sea animals and they even had an Octopus.

Stopped by the Hatfield Marine Center and enjoyed the exhibits and the interactive ones too. Learned about otters, tsunamis, and the ocean. Great for inlanders from KS. Very nicely done.

Had a great time looking at the exhibits, especially the resident red octopus. We learned some things about out new coastal home, too.

Our five year old grand daughter could touch almost everything without being told not to. Interesting exhibits.

After the disappointment of the Aquarium in town we were told to check this out. This place was so much fun I would highly recommend for any one with kids of all ages.. Small place but has a ton of hands on activities. Entry was for donations, we dropped $20 for family of four.

It is not every day that you go to an attraction and discover it is even better than you expected, but that is exactly what happened when we visited this science and education center. There were a many interesting and informative exhibits, aquariums with a variety of sea life plus touch tanks that serve to educate both young and old. Each of the volunteers we encountered seemed were very nice and very well informed. We spent almost 2 hours and I could have lingered longer had we not been pressed for time. It was free, but a donation of $5 or more per person would be welcomed.

I hadn't been to the Marine Science Center in quite a few years, but since I was with friends visiting from out of town who weren't interested in the aquarium because of the cost, we stopped here. It wasn't as interesting as I remembered it being, but given that you make a donation to get in (and not the high price of the aquarium), it was okay. One thing I wish is that the touch tank had a few more things and there was an octopus we could see. I did like the table with the sand that changes colors as you move it around so you can see the topography. You probably won't want to spend a ton of time here, but it is worth a short visit.

This is a great stop for those with kids - although we learned a lot about the marine biology and fishing industry too.

The building very small. Only has view marine animals to see. Alot of display and some interactive area.

Our kids are in their late 20s & we still have a great, interesting time! New exhibits (e.g., about invasive species from Japan after the tsunami) always coming up...

You get a nice feel for the marine life and there are lots of things for kids. Small place so can get in and out in hour or less. Small donation should be given to support them.

This free attraction (donations are accepted) is a good alternative to the Oregon Coast Aquarium if you're short on time or in a tight budget. No huge tanks, but there are several kid friendly, hands on exhibits including a tide pool.

seems a little run down. not everything works, but be sure and see the petting area with sea anemones.

The Center presents learning interestingly. It is free admission but the displays are very impressive and the staff are friendly, helpful and informative.

We popped in to check it out and found that as adults we also had fun building Lego buildings to see if they could withstand the tsunami, making sand castles and touching anemones and starfish. The giant octopus was also fun to watch. Fun for all ages.

After visiting the aquarium, this is a must see. OSU marine research and is free. They do ask for a donation which was gladly given.

Part of OSU, we really didn't expect much. They don't charge admission, but have a donation box with very reasonable suggestions. The exhibits were nicely done, informative and many were interactive. There were several families there and there seemed to be something for every age. Don't miss it

I've been going since I was a kids. We love this place. The octopus is our favorite. A must visit for Newport visitors.

We visit the Oregon coast yearly, and are always looking for new things to do. We decided to try this on a whim and will go back with every trip! It was fun, and educational. The staff was exemplary, overall a real treat! There is no admission fee required, but please, if you go, make a donation. They're doing great work, and lots of learning for kids and adults alike!
Hit the gift shop too, lots of fun stuff!

We chose not to shell out the $46 for the aquarium and went to the marine center instead. Informative and educational. Wonderful and interactive for kids.

Very well done and a lot of information.
Staff was GREAT!
Kids were having a BLAST here!
A lot of interactive exhibits and good science.

We came for the octopus feeding. It's not as active of course as shark feeding. The crowd varied from all ages with the young ones squeezing to the front for a better view. The displays were well done and first-rate, many being interactive, like the wave tank. Take the grandkids!

While staying in Newport for a couple of nights, we went to the Hatfield Marine Science Center where we have visited in years past, and immediately felt the lack of the presence of the octopus who has usually been front and center when one enters the building. Apparently, the current animal showed signs of stress and had to be placed in the back away from visitors, and she is thankfully doing better, but last time, it was so much fun to be so close to another of their octopus "guests"! The gals told us they get a new octopus every few months, and we later saw signs at the wharf asking for anyone who knew of the availability of one, to please contact them. Some of the hands on exhibits didn't seem to be working correctly, but most were pretty good, especially the info on the Japanese tsunami and how it affected places as far away as Oregon where a piece of dock is on display outside the center with a dedication to the victims there. Very touching because we lived in Japan for a couple of years and still have friends there who were directly affected by all that happened at that time. By the way, admission is by donation, so you pay what you want. We paid the suggested amount which is only $5.00. Great deal!

Our kids are young teens and generally curious to explore. Not sure all kids their age would be the same, but ours loved it here. They played with all the interactive displays, looked at the tanks and displays and even read information! We spent over 2 hours here and had to coax them to leave. The volunteers were knowledgeable and helped us all get engaged in the activities. For $20 (suggested donation) it was fantastic value.

My wife and I drove under the newport/waldport bridge to see what we could see, never knowing what was in store. We merely happened upon the Hatfield Marine Science Center much to our delight. They have attractions like a submarine and some debris that floated over the ocean from the Japan Tsunami. It was so interesting, it made us venture inside. This place is filled with fun and interesting exhibits. They are interactive, like creating your own lego building in a water tank and then sending a Tsunami wave to knock it down. Or learning about erosion by playing with sand and then creating waves yourself that hit the shore. Just too much fun to describe. And all that they ask is that you make a donation to help support the science center. You can give as little, or as much as you can afford. Please be generous if you can, we definitely want to keep this place up and running.

The next time you are down in Newport, Oregon make sure to stop in...I almost forgot there is a huge Octopus to check out and lots of fish aquariums throughout. Loved it and we will be back.

The nearby aquarium is $25 per adult. Since we visited larger aquariums before , we skipped it this time. We brought our two young children to the science center instead and we all liked it. It is very interactive with a smaller scale display of marine life but large enough to engage the children. They also have hands on activities. This is a great place to visit with young children.

There are places where children can touch the sea urchins and other inhabitants of the ocean. It may not have many of the outside exhibits like its neighbor, ( Oregon Aquarium ) but the people who volunteer know their stuff and the kids love asking them questions about the sea. Great place for the whole family!

We stop and sneak a peek at the octopus every time we come to town. We just love all the interactive arattractions :)

We happened to be in the area and thought we’d check this place out. There’s a wide variety of small to medium sized marine wildlife. Not the best aquarium I’ve been to, but still nice.

This is one of our favorite places to take kiddos when they are with us. Very interactive, lots of stuff to do and so inexpensive. Make a donation and have a ton of activities for the whole family. We actual enjoy it more than the aquarium! A must do for your coast trip.

I like this place because it takes me back to the eighties before NOAA and all of that environmental hero mess. This place is free. The exhibits are great. It is nice and dark in there.

We came to Newport for our anniversary and stopped by. 2 years, or so, ago we tried to visit but it was on either a Tuesday or Wednesday, but they are closed. Many interesting things to see, an octopus tank right up front is fascinating. Many hands on things for kids, and adults, to try out.

It was a really interesting and enlightening experience. Hands on for the kids you will be pleased with your stop. Donations accepted. With the Aquarium and Rogue Brewery and restaurant down the road, a great day trip!

This science center is small, but so very well done. It is a great place for kids to feel, touch and learn about the ocean. It is staffed by volunteers and OSU students. It is an on going research center.
Please visit and support

This is a special place to visit in Newport, Oregon. It has very well done exhibits about
the ocean. It is good for adults and children.
I highly recommend the Oregon Marine Science Center.

Very enjoyable. Donation based so free to enter. Interactive displays, touch pool, and lots of saltwater tanks. nice outing.

During a recent trip my husband and grandson visited this museum. Not only did they have fun, but it was so educational, and interactive, even for our 4-year old grandson who couldn't get enough and keeps asking to go back! Highly recommended!

Took our 2 year old grandson and it was great! Hands on attractions. Family donating to get in. Recommendation is $20 for Family. Took 45 minutes to get through. Wonderful budget friendly and kid friendly place

This is a great place to go visit and learn. It is free but they accept donations. This place has a lot to see and read about. We were impressed with it and felt like it was almost as interesting as the aquarium and didn't cost us a bundle!! Lots of things for kids to see as well.

So my cousin I have not seen in at lest 35 years came to Oregon on her adventures to see family. We took her to Hatfield Marine Science Center and she loved it, My mother is 80 and had never been, she had the best time learning and exploring all there is to know about the Oregon Coast. This is the best place to go and be AMAZED

This is a very good attraction for a town of this size. Located on the south side of Newport bay, the science center is s free attraction

Very pleasantly surprised at the quality of this facility. It was a great visit for both kids and adults. Not up the Monterey CA, but excellent for the Oregon coast.

We decided against the aquarium for the price. This offered a pretty good alternative for a suggested donation of $5. Very friendly staff. Would be excellent for kinds.

Who would expect a free marine science center to be this large and this good? If you’re on a budget you could skip the Oregon Coast Aquarium and just come here. Lots of great touch tanks and easy to see animals. Plus the interactive displays are quite engaging. We spent some time designing structures that could withstand a tsunami, for example. We visited in the late afternoon and it wasn’t at al crowded. The docents were knowledgeable and fun. Yes, teenagers loved it! What more can you ask for?

I love Oregon Coast Aquarium but think the Visitor Center at Hatfield is overlooked by too many folks. It is affordable and has lots of interactive things to engage kids.

If you’re down on the coast go ahead and stop by. This is a charming educational center which is free to the public (donations appreciated). I had such a blast the last time we went about a month ago that I came back with some friends. It was pretty crowded with kids after the forth, but we made our way past the hands on stations and sat in the theater for awhile. There was a short film on sharks playing, the auditorium is of decent size and cool inside which was a nice surprise on a warm day. The fishing information and tanks are wonderful to look at as well! The octopus was a different one from the last time we were there and we were informed that see had just laid some eggs! How cool!

Since 1991 we have been there many times with young grandchildren, with seniors from church, with family and friends of all ages from back east. It is an interesting and exciting place to visit. You can touch an anemone if you want to.

This isn't a very large facility but there are many exhibits packed into the area. Many of the displays are child friendly and it was nice hearing all the young children enjoying science.

This was our first visit and we enjoyed seeing them feed the octopus and browsing the many displays. Lots to see...my wife especially liked the black lite aquariums that showed off the colors of the varying sea animals.

This is a neat place. They run by donations, so basically free. There is history and science, not a huge exhibit, but worth at least trying.

We are in our 50's and wanted to go to Newport Oregon to visit some friends who recently moved there. They took us to this science center and we all had a blast! It was free to get in, although there is a donation box and we suggest you make a donation, but it was so entertaining. My husband and I had fun playing with the Tsunami/Sine Wave Machine. There's quite a few hands on things to do. This building was full of information, that even at our age, we thoroughly enjoyed and even learned things we thought we knew but didn't really. It was very clean, spacious and informative. We give this place a 5 star. Great for people of all ages!

This is a quick stop at the Oregon Coast. Some fun exhibits on Tsunamis and Oceanography. Call ahead and find out when they are going to feed the octopus, it is worth planning your day to see it.

We've visited the marine center a number of times as marine animals are my son's favorite things. He and my husband attended two of the family days last summer and they both really enjoyed the experience. This past weekend the weather was rainy and it was a perfect way to spend a couple hours. The price is reasonable ($5 per person or $20 per family) and the tide pool touch tank is great fun as is the sand topography table!

Educational and informative. Touchpool, marine science exhibits, bookstore and programs. Geared for all ages.
Fee is a donation.

This place is amazing. They have something to interest anyone. We got a good understanding of the marine life in the area - with fish tanks to enhance the information. We went late in the day and would have loved to stay longer. There are interactive displays for kids and adults. Don't miss this!

This place only runs on donations so if you're on a tight budget this is a great alternative to the nearby Aquarium. They have all the things I love about places like this. They had an octopus that had laid eggs. They had a touch tank with all sorts of marine life you could touch. They also have all types of fish and marine life to observe. If you're in Newport Oregon this is a must see place that is highly recommended.

We decided to check this place out again. We have been here a couple times in the past.

Several of the things were out of commission, but still a lot to do and explore. Great for kids to adults.

We visited the marine science center after the aquarium. My boys had a great time at both places. We spent a lot of time at the interactive exhibits. We would definitely visit again.

Very nice exhibits, free, and worth stopping by. Staff is friendly and filled with local info. Great time with kids!

First time here and we were very impressed. Admission is "suggested" only. Lots of great info and plenty of hands on learning for children and adults!

You don't want to miss this! Entry is free and staff is informative and friendly! Lots of hands on learning and up to date ocean science for all ages!

Our first morning in Newport dawned cool and foggy and we had read about the science center here on Trip Advisor. Our grandson was with us for a few days and watching cartoons and playing on his iPhone were NOT options. It was about a 15 min drive from Schooner Landing Resort and we arrived shortly before it opened at 10 . While we waited Q scampered around finding all sorts of treasures outside the center and making sure we saw them. Once inside it was find a spot to relax while he dove right into the hands on exploration activities. We stayed about 3 hours that day and figured he had seen and done everything.
When our son and daughter-in-law arrived a few days later Q insisted they return so he could show them all the " neat" stuff. The displays and technical portions were of interest to our son, while the hands on water and dune building and wave action tables continued to draw our grandson and his mom.

I came here after visiting the Aquarium, and I would recommend visiting here for sure!!! Was way cheaper that the aquarium (donation only, $5 recommended for individuals and $20 for a family compared to $30/person).

The educational interactive things throughout were perfect for all ages! All about understanding the under water world and how we can help by learning and understanding sustainable choices!

A must do on the Oregon Coast

A very informative place to visit.
Great location for people of all ages.
Something for everyone!
Admission is by donating which is great for families on a budget.

Interesting and fun...so much to see and take part in!
Activities and learning for all ages...pleasant staff...

The Hatfield museum is a great place to visit if you have kids or even if you don’t have kids. There is great interaction with the displays that they have, and a lot of historical and information about the bay.

We had three children under 6. We didn't think we could spend as much time as we needed in the Oregon Coast Aquarium with them to make the cost worth it. Their attention span is limited. So this was a perfect place to go with them. We loved the octopus though it was a little scary. The tide pool touching was fun, but they enjoyed all the other learning exhibits even more. The adults had plenty of learning to do as well. Plus we were in and out in under 2 hrs which was great timing for them. So glad we learned about this as it was a perfect and inexpensive alternative to the aquarium.

The Newport Aquarium is so much more advertised than the Hatfield and it was many trips to the coast before I stopped in. But now I never miss it!
This place is great for kids and families, with exhibits on tsunamis, a touch tank, fish tanks, several other marine science exhibits and the ever popular octopus in the tank just out front. Generally there is a large "giant pacific octopus" and just behind that tank a much smaller tank with a little red octopus who is often more active, though you never know.
There is no charge for this little treasure and it will keep you and the kids (or your cerebral date) busy for a couple of hours. But do consider a donation to support this resource.

Totally got caught up in this Center's displays. Time passed very quickly and I learned so much. Not good for young children, but excellent for mid-elementary aged students.

This is a neat little place with tons of science and hands on things for the kids. They have a gift shop as well.

This is a worthwhile trip. The price is free, although donations are accepted. There are many excellent educational and interactive exhibits.

Just around the corner from the aquarium this a fun place for kids to experience the science of the ocean. They ask for a donation. But this is completely free (except for the gift shop). This is a good filler activity.

Operated in conjunction with Oregon State University, the Center offers a vast array of displays of marine life, marine research, and fisheries. Although there is a lot of reading, the displays are excellent and very informative, and you can spend the time on the subjects that are of the most interest to you. The marine animals are beautifully displayed in tanks, with the top attraction, a Giant Pacific Octopus. For kids there are lots of hands on exhibits, and an extensive educational outreach.

Love this place. They have tide pools and great exhibits for all ages. It is a donation attraction, so big families can go as well.

It looks like a science museum on the environment and it is-- but its not just for kids...many wonderful interactive exhibits about marine life, land, species,..extremely well done. ( you can find many interesting marine animal skeletons and sculptures of all the whale types as well

This place is very educational and fun to bring the whole family to learn about the Pacific Ocean and the wonders about it.

A unique impressive marine information center managed by the Oregon State University. . It has a large number of excellent displays about various marine studies and developments. One display notes that 50% of persons living in N America live within 50 miles of the ocean and 70 % in Calif do and shows the marine research centers located around N America. Exhibits are attractive to kids and older persons as well. The center is staffed with docents who are helpful in providing marine information. One can easily spend 2-3 hours visiting the center and is a good rainy weather destination

We visited the Hatfield Marine Science Center with our three year old. There was a wide variety of interactive stations. Our favorite section was the section about waves and tsunamis. There is an opportunity to make a donation at the entrance. We will definitely go back the next time we visit his area!

We stopped in to visit the Marine Center after reading about it on-line. This family friendly science center does a great job using multiple volunteer staff and interactive displays teaching about marine life and oceanography. There are plenty of live animals in tanks to watch including a huge octopus who had recently laid eggs and a touching tide pool where visitors could interact with marine critters. Definitely a must stop for Newport visitors.

This a place where you not only see other species but you can touch them also. We had a very knowledgeable teacher giving us information about water species and fish that was very informative.

Exhibits are great, lots of interactive games, models, and videos to guide anyone from 3-103 thought this science center. It was free to enter, and we spent over an hour here! The girls loved the touching tidepools, the lego Tsunami exhibit and so much more. Be sure to stop here, so worth it!

I chaperoned my son's class' spring trip and we spent 3 hours at the Harfield Marine Science Center. We had arranged a private class building ROVs for 2 hours and then collecting and studying shrimp in the estuary for an hour. The kids had so much fun with both. After our class, the kids were able to spend time exploring the rest of the science center.
I know they offer other classes so I hope we get to take one of those next time!

This is a really fun place. Very educational, with touch tanks and very lovely volunteers to explain things. The octopus is pretty cool. Kids would really like this place.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Hatfield Marine Science Center. Entrance was by donation, with suggested amounts for a person or a family; we appreciate the opportunity to decide how much we could spend. I had heard good things about this center, but our whole family really enjoyed it even more than I expected. It was very interactive, with "tide pools" to touch sea life like sea stars, urchins, and anemones, and many hands on exhibits. My kids spent a long time at the sand exhibit where you can shape your coast line, make it "rain" and watch the water (projected by lights) flow around the contours you've made. Difficult to describe, but even my husband and I enjoyed participating. There were also multiple tanks with fish and other animals inside that we could watch, interactive learning tasks, and a nice little gift shop. We only had a little over an hour to spend inside, but we thoroughly enjoyed our time here.

We loved the hands on aquarium where children (and adults) could touch starfish and sea anemones and more. One of the most popular exhibits is an octopus, where visitors can watch her feeding. Many attractive and hands on exhibits that make marine life fascinating and accessible. Admission is by donation.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center has been a favorite of our family for many years. We spent many trips to the beach as a child exploring the Science Center long before the Aquarium was open. If you need a place to go on a rainy Oregon Coast day this is a great place to visit while learning about our fantastic ocean.

It's free and it's very informative. All about the ocean, things that live in the ocean, tsunamis and how they happen, interactive stations for learning. The staff is friendly and helpful. Donations keep this place going.

Stopped in before visiting friends in Depoe Bay. Fun to walk around and see the different sea life and do the experiments that they have there!

This is one place that is always changing, you have the touch ponds, wave generators, fish tanks galore, children love it, teens and adults will find it very interesting too. A must do during your visit. Donations accepted but not required.

Was a great place to spend an hour. The center is free and has a lot of interactive things for kids and people of all ages. Could spend an hour or two.

There are many exhibits and information for adults and kids. The cost is by donation and you should plan on about 45 minutes to make it through.

We visited here with our 19 yo and 13 yo... there is a $5/ person suggested donation and it was worth the 20 bucks we donated. Many hands-on learning stations and touch pools. We learned a lot and had fun!

Volunteers greeted us and seemed pleased that we expected to make a donation that we gladly gave. The exhibits show both sides of the development and conservation issues.

For all ages well worth the time to stop and enjoy. Granddaughter was intrigued and staff were great.

I do not know how to describe all the neat stuff they have here. You go in by donation, so even if you only have a short time, stop by. Check the dates for the octopus feeding; she eats 3 times a week. Do plan to spend some time here if you can, it's amazing and has wonderful interactive exhibits. We watched, and participated with a group of high school kids at one. We moved on, came by again 15-20 minutes later and they were still there....no keyboards involved.

Knowledgeable staff and lots of interesting things to see and do. i recommend taking your time to walk thru the exhibits. Good for children also, lots of hands on activities.

This stop was recommended by a friend -- we probably wouldn't have made it on our own since it is not advertised and somewhat out of the way, but we were really glad we stopped. The facility is run by Oregon State University and offers a very hands-on way to learn about marine science. The exhibits are interesting, informative and lots of fun as well. The giant octopus on view is worth stopping all on its own, And because the Center asks only for a minimal donation from those who can afford it, it represents a much better bargain than the Oregon Coast Aquarium located a quarter-mile or so away,

This free (donations accepted) science center is great! It's big enough to be interesting, but small enough that everyone can wander without getting separated.

There are lots of interactive exhibits. Kids were building lego buildings and enthusiastically setting off a tsunami to see if their buildings survived (they did not!). Others made waves and watched them erode just created beaches or create electricity to power a small lighthouse. Petting tanks feature soft sea stars and sea anemones that grab onto ("hug") fingers.

Educational displays, marine skeletons, marine tanks with fish, oysters, sea cucumbers, and monkeyface pricklefish just to mention a few, and a small gift shop round out the center.

It was a very enjoyable hour for our family (seniors and adults).

Parking is free and plentiful. On our way out, we saw an OSU research vessel and a NOAA ship (NOAA docks vessels here).

An added bonus, driving in and out of the center means driving over the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
Great place--highly recommended!

This was our first visit. Some people commented that it is geared for small children. We really enjoyed it.

In order to get into this place you have to use a cell phone, if you have one, to scan in some sort of QR code and then do more things on their app,,,, all the while the clerk is sitting there doing nothing but trying to explain to everyone how to work the app to get the tickets.
It would be much easier if the clerk could just sell the damn tickets. It took 6 of us almost 15 minutes to be able to get in. Only one of us could figure their system out. What do they think will happen when they have 100 people in line and it takes everyone so long to get the tickets????

Fantastic marine science center. Variety of exhibits, from hands-on, video, text and objects. Three touch tide pools with sea cucumbers (very cool), anemones and urchins. Exhibits on trawling, wave power and more. Tanks with live fish, oysters and a giant pacific octopus. We spent almost 2 hours and could have stayed longer. Small gift shop.

My 18 year-old son and I spent the morning at the Hatfield Marine Science Center with his grandpa. The exhibits were engaging, and the center provides an educational look at the Oregon coast. I learned a lot about the coast, its ecosystem, and the impact of the nearby fault line to the area.

Fun place to stop and they always have new additions. Kids always enjoy the visit and educational for them.