Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org
Oct. 20, 1984. That’s the day 10,681 people visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium on opening day, forever changing the landscape of Monterey County as a world-class tourist destination and a world leader in ocean research and conservation. An average of 2 million people a year from all over the world come to visit, more than 62 million total since 1984. Its ongoing status as Best Museum is well deserved: It’s the first and only aquarium in the world to build a living kelp forest exhibit; successfully exhibit and release great white sharks; and exhibit deep-sea cephalopods, including two species of squid, vampire and strawberry.