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North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Tickets & Reservations

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Booking

School Groups

Create a unique and exciting experience for your students or group, as you dive into the world of wonder and water with the Aquarium’s education programs. Journey from “North Carolina’s Mountains to the Sea” to be immersed in fun and learning with the Aquarium’s most interesting animals.There are a variety of engaging learning opportunities for your group. Students can explore the Aquarium on a teacher-led tour, participate in a live animal program in the Big Rock Theater, research exhibits and species with interactive scavenger hunts, or become scientists through hands-on classroom activities or outdoor field experiences.

 

PINE KNOLL SHORES

School Programs for PINE KNOLL SHORES near Atlantic Beach. Please check the location to make sure it is the Aquarium you intend to visit.

Teacher Led Tours

NC Schools - Teacher-Led Tour

Welcome to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores! Plan an unforgettable field trip to the Aquarium, 

where students dive into the world of wonder and water with a wide array of educational exhibits and programs.
Request

Education Programs

Alligator Adaptations

Come learn about North Carolina’s largest wetland predator. Discover their unique features and adaptations that help them survive.

$2 per student, Grades Pre-K-12

Maximum 150, Program Length 45 minutes

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions, Variations, Energy Transfer, Environmental Changes, Ecosystems Biotic/Abiotic Factors, Stewardship, Competition, Water Quality, Climate Change, Human Impacts, Biodiversity, Depletion, Adaptations, Conservation, Natural Selection
Request

Sea Turtle Trails

Sea Turtles are some of the most loved animals in our ocean. Come join us on a journey through their life cycle and learn ways to help these threatened and endangered species along the way.

$2 per student, Grades Pre-K-12

Maximum 150, Program Length 45 minutes

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions, Life Cycles, Variations, Energy Transfer, Environmental Changes, Ecosystems Biotic/Abiotic Factors, Stewardship, Competition, Climate Change, Human Impacts, Biodiversity, Depletion, Adaptations, Conservation, Natural Selection
Request

Scales and Tails

Come discover why snakes are vital to the environment. Explore their amazing characteristics that allow them to live a life without legs.

$2 per student, Grades Pre-K-12

Maximum 150, Program Length 45 minutes

 

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions, Variations, Energy Transfer, Environmental Changes, Ecosystems Biotic/Abiotic Factors, Stewardship, Competition, Water Quality, Climate Change, Human Impacts, Biodiversity, Depletion, Adaptations, Conservation, Natural Selection


Request

Jammin' Jellies

How can an animal survive in our world without bones, a brain or blood? Drift with us into a better understanding of these mysterious underwater creatures.

$2 per student, Grades 2-12

Maximum 150, Program Length 45 minutes

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions,

Request

Swamp Symphony

What do you, a swamp and an instrument have in common? Join our wetland friends and jump into their symphony to find out.

$2 per student, Grades Pre-K-2

Maximum 50, Program Length 30 minutes

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions, Life Cycles, Variations, Energy Transfer, Environmental Changes, Ecosystems Biotic/Abiotic Factors, Stewardship, Competition, Water Quality, Climate Change, Human Impacts, Biodiversity, Depletion, Adaptations, Conservation, Natural Selection
Request

Wetland Wonders

Wetlands are muddy, murky and mysterious places. Come experience this mucky world and its slimy residents without leaving the Aquarium. 

$2 per student, Grades 3-8

Maximum 150, Program Length 45 minutes

 

Topics Covered: Movement, Physical Characteristics, Comparisons, Environmental Needs, Human Actions, Life Cycles, Variations, Energy Transfer, Environmental Changes, Ecosystems Biotic/Abiotic Factors, Stewardship, Competition, Water Quality, Climate Change, Human Impacts, Biodiversity, Depletion, Adaptations, Conservation, Natural Selection


Request

Special Activity Programs - Extra Fees Apply

Wonderful Water

Introduce your group to the wonders of water! Students learn about the water cycle and the importance of clean water through hands-on water testing and animal explorations. Participants test the pH and salinity of several Aquarium exhibits to determine what types of wildlife survive in each environment.

Approximately 1 hour

Grades 3 and up, maximum 25 participants

 


Price: $6.00
Request

Shark Survivor - Outswim, Outsense, Outsmart

How do sharks survive challenges of nature and those presented by humans? The Aquarium's live shark displays provide an ideal living classroom for students to explore the challenges sharks face and how they have adapted to survive for more than 400 million years. Students tour shark exhibits to observe live shark behavior and adaptations, and touch models to discover sharks’ unique design.

Approximately 1.5 hours

Grades 1 and up, maximum 25 participants


Price: $6.00
Request

InsideMollusks - Squid Dissection

What do squid, mussels and snails have in common? They’re all mollusks! Through scientific observations and squid dissection, students discover the special characteristics of the phylum Mollusca.

Approximately 1 hour 

Grades 3 and up, maximum 25 participants


Price: $6.00
Request

Barrier Island Exploration

Bring your old shoes and gear up for discovery on a trek through the maritime forest to the salt marsh and shallow waters of Bogue Sound. Explore the creatures that inhabitat this fragile system and why they are so important and need our protection.

Approximately 2 hours

Ages 8 and up, maximum 30 participants


Price: $5.00
Request

Beachcomber's Biology

Take a hike down the beach to discover the importance of protecting this fragile habitat. Students learn the value of dune management and habitat protection as they discuss seashells, sea turtles and ocean waves.

Approximately 1 hour

Ages 8 and up, maximum 30 participants


Price: $5.00
Request

Behind the Scenes Tour: At a Glance

Participants visit the Aquarium’s food preparation areas, animal holding areas and husbandry laboratories. The program features a spectacular view of the Living Shipwreck from above. Closed-toe shoes are required.

45 minutes

Ages 6 and up, maximum 15 participants


Price: $5.00
Request

Test Info

VISIT ALL FOUR NC AQUARIUM LOCATIONS

  • Roanoke Island
  • Pine Knoll Shores
  • Fort Fisher
  • Jennette's Pier

PINE KNOLL SHORES

Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. From the mountains to the sea… Feel the spray of a mountain waterfall. Watch river otters play. Touch a stingray. Look a shark in the eye. Explore shipwrecks — without getting wet. See a rare white sea turtle. Thousands of aquatic animals take you on a journey from the state’s grand peaks to the open Atlantic, much as a raindrop makes its way to the ocean. See Plan Your Visit for more on these activities and other family fun at one of the coast’s most popular attractions.

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MEMBERSHIP

Help support exciting new exhibits, fun educational experiences and vital conservation programs helping to save animals from extinction by joining the North Carolina Aquariums. Members receive a host of valuable benefits like free admission, but also take pride in supporting the Aquariums and their mission.

Become a Member Today

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