An $8 million renovation of the main exhibit hall at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro will be unveiled this month that includes a new Life Support System for the animals, an expanded Collections Room showcasing collections and upgraded exhibits.
A shark pup rests at the bottom of a tank in the renovated Main Exhibit Hall, which includes new bilingual signs, at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A display showing maps and diagrams was installed in the newly renovated Main Exhibit Hall at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A large tank showing off a replica of a kelp forest, with new bilingual signs, sits ready for viewing at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A jellyfish moves around in a tank in the renovated Main Exhibit Hall at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
With artwork showing the types of animals kept in each row, loads of fossils, preserved specimens and more sit on freshly installed rolling archival shelves at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Executive director Crislyn McKerron holds up a preserved green sea turtle, donated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in the newly built Collections Room at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Jars of preserved sea life sit on shelves in the new Collections Room at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Rows of preserved sea life sit on shelves in the newly built Collections Room at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Executive director Crislyn McKerron holds up the jaw of a tiger shark, donated by a private collector, in the newly built Collections Room at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Families wait in line at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A maze of pipes, tanks and electrical panels make up the newly installed life support system at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A fact sheet sits attached to a tank, part of the newly installed life support system at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
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A shark pup rests at the bottom of a tank in the renovated Main Exhibit Hall, which includes new bilingual signs, at Cabrillo Beach Aquarium in San Pedro on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
The installation of the Life Support System is what required the 18-month shutdown of the aquarium’s Main Exhibit Hall; but during that time, the staff did much more.
The state-of-the-art Life Support System keeps salt water clean and controls temperature and flow. The undertaking, funded by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Port of Los Angeles, launched in the fall of 2024.
Members of Friends of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium will get the early-bird look and some behind-the-scenes presentations highlighting the changes on April 11 during an evening with music, food, dancing and the showing of a new video on the history of the aquarium.
The new exhibits and additions will be unveiled to the public for the first time on April 18.
The major Life Support System project brings a high-tech system that maintains water quality, oxygenation, and temperature that will circulate throughout the aquarium’s live exhibits at the facility, which opened in 1981 and is located at 3720 Stephen M. White Dr. at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. The state-of-the-art Life Support System keeps salt water clean and controls the flow.
During the partial closure, the staff also embarked on other projects as well and those will also be unveiled for the first time this month.
“We wanted to take the time to do some other updates” as well, said aquarium Director Crislyn McKerron.
A revamp of the entryway is likely the first thing visitors will notice, she said.
Added, along with some new exhibits, have been helps to guide visitors more logically through the aquarium’s ocean life displays and provide a better understanding what they are seeing, McKerron said. Color-coded symbols identifying connected habitats, more succinct descriptions that now are in both English and Spanish, and other helps have been added that McKerron said speaks to how differently people now find and digest information in a digital age.
Exhibits focus on the marine life found in local waters and provides a new and larger grunion exhibit, the aquarium’s flagship program.
Meanwhile, one of the interim interactive exhibits the aquarium brought in during the partial closure is staying put — a wildly-popular baby shark petting tank.
The aquarium’s touch tanks had to be closed for the renovation, prompting the search for something to fill the void, McKerron said. The baby sharks quickly stole the show.
Also new is a “Natural History,” high-quality viewing area, McKerron said, where visitors can watch scientists working behind glass on new acquisitions. The space will offer researcher interactions with the public.
While a decade ago there was a push to expand the physical footprint of the building, McKerron said now the focus is more on using and continually improving the exhibit area the aquarium has adjacent to Cabrillo Beach. The space also includes several outdoor exhibits and areas where ocean-themed festivals are also held.
The aquarium got its start with a lifeguard’s table full of shells. That blossomed into a museum in 1935 at the Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse. In 1981, the idea flourished into a full-fledged aquarium focusing on Southern California’s marine life and moving into a Frank Gehry-designed campus.
Over the years, the aquarium has become one of the most popular school field trip sites in Los Angeles.
Admission to the aquarium is free but requested donations are $5 for children, seniors and students; and $10 for all others.
And there is still time to join the Friends group to attend the early grand preview of the latest upgrades that starts at 5:30 p.m. April 11. Information about the group that supports the work of the aquarium and how to join can be found at the Friends website.
On the 18th, the first day the aquarium will be fully open again to the general public, special grand opening festivities — also celebrating Earth Day — will include a beach cleanup (9 a.m. to noon), a ribbon cutting (10 a.m.) and an opening fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Regular aquarium times are from noon to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.