If your only exposure to sea stars has been underfoot at a tidepool or stuck to the glass at a touch tank, prepare to have your mind (gently) blown. The Aquarium of the Pacific is throwing a season-long spotlight on these underwater icons with Stars of the Sea, a new exhibition that opened May 24, and running all the way through next spring.
This isn’t your average kids-touching-a-starfish moment (though yes, you can absolutely do that too). It’s a sprawling tribute to the surprisingly weird, sometimes venomous, and ecologically vital creatures that keep our coastal ecosystems in balance—and it comes with just enough science and spectacle to impress both the marine biology nerd in your family and your toddler who just likes things with a lot of arms.
Tidepools, Reimagined
The Aquarium’s California Terrace has been revamped into Our Living Coastline, a high-design outdoor exhibit that replicates the energy of real tidepools—complete with crashing cascades and peep-through windows. Kids (and grownups, let’s be honest) can get hands-on with local species like bat stars, ochre stars, sea urchins, and anemones from California’s north and south coasts. It’s immersive in all the right ways: salty, splashy, and sensory-rich.
Related: Read our Guide to the Aquarium of the Pacific
Not All Stars Wear Capes, But These Might
From the deep seas of Japan to the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific, Stars of the Sea introduces guests to more than twenty different sea star species, including the elusive (and slightly terrifying) crown-of-thorns and the spiderlike brittle star. These aren’t just pretty faces—they’re ecosystem engineers, keystone predators, and in some cases, literal lifesavers for the kelp forests they help protect.
One of the biggest stars—figuratively and literally—is the sunflower sea star, a shaggy-limbed, dinner-plate-sized creature with up to twenty-six arms. Once a dominant force in kelp forests, their population crashed due to a disease known as sea star wasting syndrome. In California, they’ve been considered functionally extinct since 2013.
A Comeback Story in Progress
This isn’t just a show-and-tell—it’s a front-row seat to cutting-edge conservation. The Aquarium is part of a statewide push to revive the sunflower sea star population through research, breeding, and future outplanting efforts. As one of the founding partners of the AZA SAFE program and the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative (PCOR), they’re not just studying sea stars—they’re actively trying to save them.
“We’re hoping for brighter times ahead for this keystone species,” said Nate Jaros, the Aquarium’s VP of animal care. “Not only do these stars protect our kelp forests, but in turn our coastlines are protected as well.”
Science Meets Wonder
Throughout the summer and beyond, visitors can catch an original film looping in the Great Hall, dive into stories behind each species, and learn how a creature with no brain and no blood has managed to stick around for 450 million years. (Take that, dinosaurs.)
The vibe? It’s educational without being boring, kid-friendly without being cutesy, and a solid reminder that saving the planet sometimes starts with understanding what’s crawling around our feet at low tide.
Stars of the Sea runs from May 24, 2025, through April 30, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. More info at aquariumofpacific.org.
MomsLA is your source for Things to do with Kids in Los Angeles
Disclaimer: MomsLA has made every effort to confirm the information in this article; however, things can often change. Therefore, MomsLA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy of the information published here. MomsLA strongly urges you to confirm any event details, like date, time, location, and admission, with the third party hosting the event. You assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our list. MomsLA is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while attending any third-party event posted on our website. Please read our Terms of Use which you have agreed to based on your continued use of this website. Some events have paid to be listed on MomsLA.
