Visiting the Sitka Sound Science Center and Salmon Hatchery

Small but mighty, the Sitka Sound Science Center is one of the best ways to see just what’s going on under the waters of Southeast Alaska. You can see so much as you walk along the seawall and marinas, but not up close. When you can see the mass diversity of life you’ll be amazed and that’s just what you’ll find at the Sitka Sound Science Center. And bonus for you if you get to do one of the salmon hatchery tours!

From touch tanks to chatting with scientists we’ve got the full scoop and what you’ll find and how to add the Sitka Sound Science Center to your visit to Southeast Alaska. If you have any questions or need additional recommendations for things to do in Sitka, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great trip to Alaska!

Highlights of the Sitka Sound Science Center

I always love an aquarium of sorts, big or small, so visiting the Sitka Sound Science Center was great. The touch tanks are connected to the bay so the water is clean and the creatures are happy. And there are a lot of them! For not being a large aquarium, the Sitka Sound Science Center packs a punch with lots of wonderful live specimens to observe up close and even interact with. We love getting to kayak in the intertidal zone and see anemones and urchins in the wild, but touch tanks are just as cool for us.

Even though it’s a smaller building that the Alaska SEAlife Center in Seward, the touch tanks are just as creature-ful. There are some good, easy to understand exhibits all about the life and life cycles in the Sitka Sound, and more tanks that are NOT for touching, including an octopus exhibit! I love the giant pacific octopus that you’ll see in the Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage, so seeing one live is always a treat.

If you’re visiting Sitka as a stop-off from a cruise, you actually have access to something extra special: the hatchery! Yes, there is a salmon hatchery here at the Sitka Sound Science Center and if you book the shore excursion from the ship, you can have a guided tour and learn how the hatchery process functions, what science is happening onsite, and get up close with the fish ladder that connects the hatcher to Sitka Sound. I love learning when we’re on a trip, so this whole experience is something I’m very into.

Tips for a Visiting the Aquarium in Sitka

I know that it’s not called the Sitka Aquarium, but there are aquariums within the center, and that’s what a lot of people are interested in seeing. If you’re visiting Sitka with kids, be sure that you’ve set aside time for coming over to the Sitka Sound Science Center. It’s about a fifteen minute walk from the main hub where the cruise buses drop off to the science center, and the walk is along the Crescent Harbor, so there are fun boats to look at and you’ll likely see seals and eagles along the way, which primes up young visitors to have questions about more creatures when they arrive. From the entrance with the cold water reef exhibit (complete with wolf eels) to the touch tanks inside, it’s a really good and engaging place to visit with kids.

As an adult who loves the ocean and science, I also found it to be a fascinating place, but more for the variety of intertidal life you can see up close. From basket stars to different sorts of sea anemones, I had a lot of questions about all the marine life we were seeing. And here’s the tips having said all that: ASK QUESTIONS! Seriously, ask every question and use the staff at the Sitka Sound Science Center for their brains. They all love the ocean, and that’s why they’re there with you.

Allow yourself an hour to enjoy the Sitka Sound Science Center, and that includes a stop into the gift shop and maybe a cup of chowder from the Ludvig’s Chowder Cart (11am – 2pm M-F). If the tide is out, give yourself a few minutes to walk along the jetty or down on the rocks to look for creatures. The science center is in a great spot for a little extra exploring. Also, if you are visiting once the salmon have started running, you’re able to watch them going up the fish ladder too, which is really cool.

Can I Book the Hatchery Tour on my Own

Unfortunately, as of the 2026 season, the salmon hatchery tour at the Sitka Sound Science Center can only be booked if you’re booking the cruise excursion that includes the science center. They have to run this tour with limited capacity due needing the correct staffing level to give the hatchery tour and man the aquarium portion of the campus. It is a really cool experience though since the fish ladder, the processing and the hatchery cycle all happen right there. If you have the option to book this, do it!

What you CAN book on your own is an aquarium Behind the Scenes, hands-on tour of the Sitka Sound Science Center. This is a two hour visit that takes you all around the aquarium and science facilities. This is a great option if you’re visiting with older kids and teens, or anyone who’s totally into the science of things.

Being Prepared for the Sitka Sound Science Center

You don’t need to purchase your admission to the Sitka Sound Science Center in advance unless you’re visiting from a cruise ship and want to do the hatchery tour as a part of your visit. You can just go for a walk around the marina and then if you’re feeling it, you can stop into the science center without a plan. To be best prepared, make sure that you’re dressed appropriately. Nobody’s ever said that visiting Sitka was the driest day they’ve experienced in Southeast Alaska, meaning that there’s a lot of rain and mist, and you just need to be ready to be out in it.

If you’re continuing past the Sitka Sound Science Center to the Sitka National Historical Park, it’s not much further, but the trails through the totem poles do cover a lot of ground so be sure you are wearing good walking shoes if you’re doing both. And I might even say to be sure that you’ve got waterproof boots if you’re doing more than walking around the harbor.

Is the Sitka Sound Science Center a Non-Profit?

Yes! The Sitka Sound Science Center is indeed a non-profit 501c3 (26-1253086) whose mission and purpose is for the Environmental Quality, Protection and Beautification / Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis. Founded in 2007, it is a non-profit dedicated to advancing the understanding and awareness of terrestrial, marine, and aquatic ecosystems in Alaska through scientific education, research, and conservation efforts. Oof, that’s a lot to accomplish, but each visit helps them help the marine world a little more!

Getting to the Sitka Sound Science Center

It’s very easy to get to the Sitka Sound Science Center, and there’s plenty of parking there if you have a car. Walking, you’ll just head southwest along the Crecent Harbor marina, past the waterfront park, to the jetty. Here you can see what’s happening all around the science center and then you’ll continue onto the cool old building for access to the exhibits. There is a second building next to it that you can park in front of. The Sheldon Jackson Museum and Sitka National Historical Park are both very close so you can pair visiting all of them in one fun afternoon plan.

Things to Do in Sitka

I think Sitka is a really cool city. It’s much less visited than Ketchikan or Juneau and has so much to do and see all within walking distance of the primary marina downtown. It’s full of Tlingit culture and Russian imperial history, and there are some wonderful wildlife education and viewing opportunities. I think Sitka is a really good three day visit, but then if you’re also planning some fishing or hiking days you can easily make it a five day town.

Something that really stands out to me about visiting Sitka is how accessible history all in its central hub. You’ve got several museums, Sitka National Historical Part and more all within walking distance of each other. If you’re into science and wildlife, you’ve got several places to visit that are all about Alaska’s habitats and the science of its keystone species. Sitka is so cool.

Where to Stay in Sitka

There are three ways to enjoy Sitka as a visitor: on a day visit from a cruise ship, staying in a cozy spot downtown, or enjoying one of the remote lodges. Everyone has a different plan for how they want to experience Sitka and Southeast Alaska, and everyone’s budget is different, so book what’s right for you. Here are some recommendation for Sitka:

You can also checkout lodging options in the map below: