Accompany an Aquarium educator to sneak a peek behind the scenes of different areas in the Aquarium. Visitors will see the exhibits and all the systems that keep them working, from a side normally viewed by staff only.

Duration:  1 hour
Closed toe shoes are required.

This program is limited to 8 participants per tour, with a maximum of 4 tours per day.

Ages: 8 and up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$15.30 per Person

To schedule a Behind-the-Scenes Tour for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Take a short visit behind the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic Exhibit.  Peek into the dive locker, learn about an out-of-site acclimation holding area, and get an overhead view of the largest exhibit in the Aquarium.
Duration:  45 minutes
Closed toe shoes are required.

This program is limited to 12 participants per tour, with a maximum of 4 tours per day.

Ages: 8 and up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$13.60 per Person

To schedule a Shark Exhibit Tour for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Students will accompany aquarium staff for a hands-on, get wet learning experience on the shore. This program takes place at Coquina Beach in south Nags Head, and groups can meet aquarium staff on site. Students will collect animals in the surf zone (temperatures permitting), participate in a marine debris clean up, and focus on the physical and ecological characteristics of the beach. Topics may include waves, tides, sea turtles, sand dunes, beach vegetation, erosion, and others on request. All collected animals will be identified and released.

Duration:  1.5 hours
Closed toe water shoes are required.

This activity is limited to 25 students per program, with a maximum of 2 programs per day.

NCES:  3.E.2,  3.E.2.1, 3.L.2,  3.L.2.2,  4.L.1,  4.L.1.1,  4.L.1.3,  5.L.2,  5.L.2.1,  5.L.2.2
Grades: 3rd and up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$8 per Person

To schedule a Beach Exploration program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Join aquarium staff for a fun-filled learning experience in this catch and release program in a nearby salt marsh. We will travel to Oregon Inlet with nets and buckets to search for and collect some of the many animals that inhabit the marsh! Learn about an estuary, the sound, tides, and about the dynamic ecosystem at the marsh. All collected animals will be identified and released back into the sound.

Duration:  1.5 hours
This program must be scheduled around low tide.

Closed toe water shoes are required.

This activity is limited to 25 students per program, with a maximum of 2 programs per day.

NCES:  3.E.2,  3.E.2.1,  3.L.2.2,  4.L.1,  4.L.1.1,  4.L.1.3,  5.L.2,  5.L.2.1,  5.L.2.2
Grades: 3rd and up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$8 per Person

To schedule a Wetlands Walk program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Cast your line and learn the basics needed to catch your first fish! Assemble tackle, bait your hook, identify fish species, and practice catch-and-release techniques. Bring your patience as we try our luck fishing from our Soundside Pier.

Duration:  1.5 hours

Closed toe shoes are required.

This activity is limited to 12 students per program, with a maximum of 4 programs per day.

Grades: K and Up.
We request 1 chaperone for every 6 students.

$12.75 per Person

To schedule a What's the Catch? program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Students will investigate the external and internal anatomy of a squid in this introductory dissection. Taxonomy, mollusks, and by-catch will be additional topics discussed.

Duration:  1.5 hours

A minimum of 10 students (or the equivalent fee of $100) is needed to hold a class.

This program is limited to 30 students, with a maximum of 3 programs per day.

NCES:  4.L.1,  4.L.1.1,   5.L.2.  &  5.L.2.2
For grades 4 and up.  We request 1 adult for every 10 students.

$10 per Student
No Charge for Teachers

Students take an up-close look at a dogfish shark to investigate external and internal shark anatomy. An introduction includes the use of video, biofacts, and other mediums. Students will work in groups of four to dissect a shark specimen. Additional specimens can be provided at an additional cost.

Duration:  2 hours.

A minimum of 10 students (or the equivalent fee of $150) is needed to hold a class.

This program is limited to 25 students, with a maximum of 2 programs per day.

NCES:  4.L.1,  4.L.1.1,   5.L.2,  5.L.2.2  &  5.L.2.3
For grades 6 and up.  We request 1 adult for every 10 students.

$15 per Student
No Charge for Teachers

To schedule a Shark Dissection Program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Children and teachers are encouraged to take advantage of some toddler time in the Aquarium. Designed for ages 2-5, these exciting interactive sessions will encourage hands on learning through free play, stories, crafts, and open time in the Aquarium. We will look at a different animal topic or ocean theme during each class and incorporate shapes, colors, numbers and sounds.

Duration:  45 minutes

This program is limited to 12 students per program, with a maximum of 4 programs per day. 

NCES:  K.L.1,  K.L.1.1,   1.L.1,  1.L.1.1,  1.L.1.3,   1.L.2.,  1.L.2.2,  2.L.1 & 2.L.1.1 (Depends on topic)

Ages: 2-5.  We request 1 adult for every 5 students.

$6.80 per Child
Regular admission rates apply for School Staff & Parents

To schedule an Aqua Tots Program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Want your students to learn more, but don't see what you are looking for?  Need some help with your curriculum or a state standard?  Our team of Aquarium educators can help you build your own program tailored specifically to your needs.  Select from a variety of topics including sharks, reptiles, mammals, invertebrates, fish, and more.  Each presentation can include live animals (when applicable), interactive exhibits, and a grade-level appropriate activity.

Minimum of 10 participants.

This program is limited to 120 participants (or determined by topic selection), with a maximum of 4 programs per day.

NCES:  K.L.1.1, 1.L.1.1, 1.L.1.3, 1.L.2.2, 2.L.1.1 (Depends on Topic), & 4.L.1.1

Grades: K-12.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

Half-Hour Program:  $3 per Person

One-Hour Program:  $5 per Person

To schedule a Choose Your Own Animal Adventure Program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Students will learn some basics about fish and have an opportunity to be creative with their fish prints in this artistic program. The program opens with a lesson on fish anatomy and adaptations, and the history of Gyotaku. Students will then have time to design prints of their own and practice the Japanese art of fish printing. One T-shirt is provided for each participant, or students may bring their own t-shirt for an adjusted price. All other art materials are provided.

Duration:  1.5 hours

This program is limited to 15 students per program, with a maximum of 3 programs per day.

NCES:  K.L.1,   K.L.1.1

Grades: K and Up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$16.15 per Participant, plus regular admission - All materials provided.
$12 per Participant who provides their own shirt.
No Charge for School Faculty

To schedule a Gyotaku Program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

The river otters at the Aquarium love their snacks! Learn about otter behavior, biology, and the importance of enrichment. Students will design an enrichment object to be shared with these playful animals, and get to see the otters enjoy the newly designed "toys" filled with treats.
Duration:  1.5 hours

This activity is limited to 25 students per program, with a maximum of 1 program per day.

Grades: K and Up.  We request 1 adult for every 6 students.

$10 per Student
No charge for Teachers

To schedule an Otter Enrichment Hour Program for your group, please contact the Special Activities Coordinator at 252-475-2327.

Our "Sleeping with the Sharks" overnight experiences have been suspended until further notice due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, join us at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island for an overnight program that will have your group “swimming” with excitement for months! Groups can slumber in front of the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic exhibit, as sharks and other fish swim close by. This program is for private groups and includes two programs for your education and enjoyment.

Participants must be ages 6 and older.

CHOOSE TWO OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
Turtles, alligators, snakes, sharks, touch exhibit talk, Ocean Jeopardy, night hike, and Gyotaku (Fish Printing).

$45.00 per Person
$50 per Person, if there are more than 25 Children
$100 Deposit is required upon making your reservation.

MINIMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS OR $540

For more details or to register for an Overnight, please contact our Special Activities Coordinator at
(252)-475-2327.