Pinnipeds are a group of marine mammals that include seals and sea lions. The word "pinniped" means "fin-footed," which perfectly describes their flippers that help them swim gracefully in the water and move (sometimes awkwardly!) on land. While they may look similar, each species has its own unique features—like the playful bark of a sea lion or the round, soulful eyes of a harbor seal. Pinnipeds are smart, social, and surprisingly agile, and they play an important role in ocean ecosystems.

General admission is required on top of your booking. General admission must be purchased for the same day as your selected Pinniped Encounter for all guests in your group who are not Vancouver Aquarium members. If you arrive to your Encounter without general admission tickets, you will be asked to purchase them at Admissions before entering the aquarium.

• Encounters start at 11:45 AM sharp. Please plan to arrive 5-10 minutes early. One of our Interpreters will meet you at the Animal Encounter sign next to our Guest Services desk, located near the Aquarium entrance.
• Pinniped Encounters are approximately 30-45 minutes from start to finish, but you are welcome to explore the other wonders of the aquarium before or after your experience!

Secure storage is available for personal items like coats and bags, though we recommend leaving valuables at home. Vancouver Aquarium is not held responsible for any lost items.

Filming of any kind is strictly prohibited behind-the-scenes where our Marine Mammal Team is hard at work, but you’re welcome to take photos and videos during your Pinniped Encounter!

• The encounter takes place rain or shine, allowing you to experience the authentic Canadian climate just like our pinnipeds. Dress accordingly based on the weather forecast.
  
  
• Closed toe shoes are required for all participating guests during the program. We strongly recommend wearing shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. After all, every zone is a potential splash zone when playful pinnipeds are involved!

This program will be in close proximity to the pinnipeds, and at times this may be without a barrier. You may have the opportunity to get up close to a seal or sea lion, but we cannot guarantee it. Just like humans, the animals have their own unique personalities and sometimes, they simply might not feel like participating. We do our best to mentally enrich and positively reinforce our rescues to display certain behaviors and participate in the program but will never make them do anything they don’t want to.

• Important: At the Vancouver Aquarium, respect is like a current that flows both ways during every Animal Encounter. We kindly request that all participants treat our dedicated staff and incredible animals with the utmost respect and consideration. For the safety of our valued guests, staff, and animals, the minimum age to participate in a Pinniped Encounter is 14 and up. Your party will be asked to present valid government-issued I.D. upon arrival. Vancouver Aquarium reserves the right to deny entry to guests in violation of our code of conduct or age requirement. No refunds or requests to reschedule will be accommodated.
• Please note your scheduled Animal Encounter may be cancelled at any time, should it be deemed necessary to prioritize the health and wellbeing of the animals. In such an event, we will promptly arrange for your experience to be rescheduled for a later date. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in prioritizing animal welfare.

Please be aware that our new Pinniped Encounter program may pose physical challenges for some guests. Currently, the experience involves navigating stairs, traversing uneven surfaces, as well as periods of crouching, kneeling, and standing for extended periods (1+ hours).

Regrettably, we are unable to accommodate walkers or wheelchairs at this time. However, we're committed to exploring innovative solutions to enhance accessibility for all guests. For more information, please visit our Accessibility page.

For all Animal Encounter experiences that are cancelled with more than 48-hour notice, we will provide a 50% refund. No refunds will be offered if the guest(s) cancel within 48 hours of or do not show up for the experience. Subject to availability, we will charge a $100 change fee to rebook for another date and/or time.