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Marin Headlands, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965 (See map below) Visitors Information: 415-289-SEAL
Website is here. Parking is free but limited, and carpooling is recommended.
The Marine Mammal Center
Update as of June, 2022: After being closed to the public for two years due to the Covid pandemic, the Marine Mammal Center in the GGNRA’s Marin Headlands adjacent to Sausalito reopened Friday, June 3, 2022.
The curators and scientists there used the hiatus to build several new interactive displays and exhibits in the biggest renovation of the facility since its opening in 2009. The stars of the show , however, are the patients at this facility, the largest marine hospital in the world. Prior to the pandemic the Center welcomed 100,000 guests a year, and they receive about 15,000 reports annually about stranded or imperiled marine mammals.
Hours: Open to the public Friday through Monday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Admission: Free, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Please click here to reserve your spot. Donations are welcome, and are very necessary to continue the Center’s important work.
Important Advice from the MMC: If you ever see a stranded seal or sea lion, don’t try to help it yourself — calling the Marine Mammal Center at its 24-hour hotline at 415-289-SEAL gives the pup the best chance for survival.
The Marine Mammal Center’s Visitors Center includes an education facility, hospital and research center in Sausalito. You can see rescued seals and sea lions undergoing rehabilitation for release back into the wild, as well as exhibits that teach adults and children about marine mammals and the work done at the Marine Mammal Center. They also have a gift store.
To see sea lions and seals being cared for, try to visit between March and November.