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Life on the Edge

Explore the sea life of Puget Sound tide pools.

Ready to get your hands wet? This is the habitat for you. Life on the Edge is your chance to get up close and personal with the many fascinating creatures that dwell in the tide pools of Washington State’s outer coast and Puget Sound’s inland sea.

Step up, lean over and reach in—watch what happens when you gently stroke a sea cucumber. Test your fingertips against the prickly spines of a sea urchin. Follow the scuttling steps of a hermit crab. Notice how, even though they seem to be completely still, sea stars are always moving. Inhale the rich scent of seawater.

Staff and volunteers are always nearby to identify the animals in the tide pools, answer questions and deepen your knowledge about Puget Sound. Even if you opt not to get your hands wet, you’ll still be enriched by the beautiful sights, smells and sounds of this habitat.

Creatures you're likely to see

Hermit Crabs

There are over 500 species of hermit crabs around the world.

Sea Star

Sea stars don’t have brains but are still able to detect light!

Sea Anemone

These creatures can survive at depths of more than 32,000 feet.

Other Exhibits

Harbor seal
Marine Mammals

Get to know our sea otters, river otters, harbor seals and fur seals—and learn how to tell the difference between them all!

Paddle carving artist Sx̱aałg̱én carving a wooden paddle at the Seattle Aquarium.
Artists in Action

The Seattle Aquarium honors our location in the traditional and contemporary territories of the Coast Salish people, who have stewarded these lands…

Diver with wolf eel
Window on Washington Waters

Take a dive into Washington's coastal waters.