The Alabama Aquarium, a core department of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, celebrated a landmark year in 2025, recording its second-highest attendance in history with more than 111,000 visitors.

This significant achievement underscores the Aquarium’s vital role in connecting the public with the crucial work of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Every visitor directly contributes to supporting coastal research, education, and conservation efforts dedicated to protecting the Gulf of America for future generations.

The record-setting year was bolstered by the opening of the newest feature, the Discovery Lab, in April 2025. This highly immersive, hands-on exhibit transforms visitors of all ages into marine scientists, offering them a chance to:

• Learn to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
• Examine X-rays from the acclaimed Marine Mammal Research Program.
• Board a replica research vessel to explore the rich biodiversity of Mobile Bay.

The Discovery Lab is designed to give guests a deeper understanding of the surrounding ecosystem and the critical research conducted by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

Beyond the new addition, guests continue to enjoy favorite highlights such as the Rays of the Bay Touch Tank, offering an up-close and personal encounter with Cownose and Atlantic Rays. The central touch table also features a diverse array of preserved specimens, horseshoe crabs, and hermit crabs, with visitors always encouraged to interact and explore.

Looking ahead, the Alabama Aquarium has exciting plans underway to expand the adventure into the deep sea, promising even more thrilling educational experiences for the future.