Get ‘em while they’re hot: Monterey Bay Aquarium to offer free tickets for county residents.

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7am, residents of Monterey County will have a chance to score free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a visit in October. 

In celebration of the Aquarium’s 40th anniversary, a limited batch of tickets will be offered online on a first-come, first-served basis: the first batch on Sept. 10 for entry during the first half of October, and another batch on Tuesday, Oct. 8 for entry during the second half of October. Eligible residents can reserve up to six tickets—a sizable offering, with adult passes to the Aquarium valued at $65 each.

“This event is unique. It's the first and a one-time thing that we’re doing to celebrate our 40th anniversary,” says Kera Abraham Panni, community engagement senior manager. “This event is intended to celebrate the Monterey County community because we wanted to celebrate the local residents for all their support over the years.”

Founded in 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has established itself as being one of the top aquariums to visit in the world. Located on Cannery Row, it hosts hundreds of exhibits and 80,000 plants and animals from across the globe, with a special focus on marine life off the California coast. 

One of their most popular exhibits features a 1.2 million-gallon tank called the “Open Sea” where visitors can watch sardines, tuna, sharks, jellies and other species swim past a 90-foot viewing window. 

While this event is for all residents in the county, earlier this year the Monterey Bay Aquarium introduced a program called Museums for All, in which individuals and families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can receive free admission to the aquarium. 

Previously, the Aquarium offered complimentary admission through the Shelf-to-Shore Program, which provided assistance to low-income residents via their local public library.

“In the first three months, we welcomed about 120,000 people through that program, which is about 10 times more than the number of people who visited from January through May, using their library passes,” says Panni.

Special tickets allow entry into the Aquarium between noon-4pm on the reserved date in October and require a valid proof of residency. Book your tickets here.

Katie Rodriguez is a California Local News Fellow.