Frequently Asked Questions

Park hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, with final reservation entry at 3:30 pm. The front gate closes at 4 pm, and the park closes promptly at 5 pm. The first Sphere experience commences at 10am with last showing at 4pm.

A visitor (non-resident) parking fee of $2 per hour (available in increments) has been implemented at Māʻalaea Triangle, where Maui Ocean Center is located. Upon arrival, park in the parking lot immediately in front of Maui Ocean Center. From there, scan the QR code on the nearest paid parking sign with your smartphone and follow the prompts on your device to proceed to payment. Parking lot is managed by an independent company, therefore payment must be made via the Parking signage QR code, and not at the Maui Ocean Center front gate.



Parklinq will ask for your preferred length of parking time, contact information (name, email address, and mobile number), and your license plate number and credit card information. After completing your payment, a text message will be sent as confirmation. 15 minutes prior to time expiration, a text reminder asking if you wish to extend your parking time will be sent. If you do not have a smartphone, you may reach Parklinq's Customer Service at 808.517.5017.

All guests with an active and valid ADA placard may park in the designated ADA parking areas free of charge.

For Nā Hoa Kai Members:

Please follow this link for more information about becoming a member: Membership. Members receive complimentary parking by directly registering their vehicle/s one-time with Maui Ocean Center. After registering, members may park in the designated membership parking area. If you are a Nā Hoa Kai member, please contact membership@mauioceancenter.com or 808.270.7000. If membership expires, free membership parking will be automatically concluded.

A visit typically takes 2-2.5 hours, but we welcome you to stay as long as you wish to during park hours; and certainly you can enjoy much of what we have to offer in a shorter amount of time.

Peak attendance typically occurs in the morning through lunch time; however we do regulate the number of people within park by offering timed entry reservations.

If you prefer more personal space, we recommend reservations in the afternoon (1pm or later).

Park hours are 9 am to 5 pm, with final entry at 3:30 pm. Advance online ticket purchases and reservations are required. Please be aware that we close promptly and allow yourself enough time to view exhibits and presentations at your preferred pace.

Maui Ocean Center is proud to be a smoke-free facility. In compliance with State of Hawai‘i law, smoking, including electronic cigarette and vaping devices, is only permitted outside the park and at least thirty feet from any windows or doors.

To and from Maui Ocean Center: From your resort, options include taxi, Uber, Lyft, and The Maui Bus.

Maui Ocean Center continues health and well-being practices at all times.

• Face masks are not required; however, are recommended for those with health concerns
• We have reduced touch points by providing digital park maps
• Sanitization stations with contactless dispensers are available
• Hand washing stations with contactless soap dispensers are available in restrooms
• Contactless payments (credit and debit cards) are required at all points of sale

At Maui Ocean Center, we don't believe it's necessary to bring firearms or potential weapons into the park, except in the case of authorized law enforcement officers. For the protection of all our guests and employees, we feel this is a reasonable and prudent precaution to ensure a pleasant experience and safe workplace.

Additional requirements may be implemented without notification in the best interests of our guests. Maui Ocean Center reserves the right to refuse entry to any person for any reason.

No, your ticket purchase and reservation must be made on-line, in advance to arrival. We highly recommend this be made approximately 2 weeks in advance.

Yes, reservations and ticket purchase is required in advance. Reservation times commence at 9am, then every 30 minutes thereafter, with last entry at 3:30pm.

Reservations may be made at mauioceancenter.com, or with your Travel Agent or Activity Desk.

To purchase tickets and make your reservation, visit mauioceancenter.com, your preferred Travel Agent or Activity Desk.

We offer individual ticket pricing for adults, children (4-12 years), and seniors (65+ years). Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable.

Our Na Hoa Kai members are not required to make reservations in advance. Simply present your digital membership card to the front gate team for entry.

We offer discounted ticket pricing for our kama‘āina (residents) and active U.S. military members. Valid identification is required upon entry.

No. Reservations serve to stagger park entry, not to serve as a time limit.

Admission to the park and the Humpbacks of Hawaiʻi 3D Sphere Experience.

You are welcome to enter the park up to ten minutes before your reservation time and twenty minutes after your reservation time. If you arrive more than twenty minutes after your reservation time, we will try to accommodate you at the next available time, but this cannot be guaranteed. If the next reservation time is sold out, we will offer another date and time — However, a one-time processing fee will be applicable. If you are not able to reschedule, your entry fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable.

If you opted to add TourShield, a FanShield product, to protect your ticket purchase and upcoming experience, you will be receiving a separate email with coverage details. If you purchased the coverage and have yet to receive that email, please send an email to:  help@fanshield.com. 

Full contact information, including the ticket purchaser’s, mobile phone number, and email, is required upon ticket purchase. This will enable us to send your ticket(s) and confirmation email!

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

Maui Ocean Treasures accepts cashless payment methods only (credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay).

Seascape Restaurant accepts all major credit cards. Reef Café accepts all major credit cards and cash.

Aquarium admission is not required to shop at Maui Ocean Treasures, or to dine at Seascape Restaurant or Reef Café. Please check in at the admission gate. You will be asked to provide your contact information and will be given access to shop and dine for up to one hour.

We recommend casual day-time attire, hats, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. As a family-friendly destination, we do not permit swimsuits, cutoff tops, transparent clothing, or the like.

Shoes and shirts/tops must always been worn in-park. In the best interest of all of our guests, Maui Ocean Center reserves the right to refuse entry to any one should they not comply.

Complimentary wheelchairs can be picked up upon check-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability is limited. Maui Ocean Center is ADA compliant. Strollers are currently not available.

Service dogs that are trained to do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities are absolutely welcome. Per the ADA, dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals. For more information, visit ADA.gov.

We sure do! Please refer to our Buy Tickets page for current senior ticket pricing for those 65+ years. We encourage seniors seeking fewer crowds to attend the park during Maui’s shoulder seasons of January, May, September, October, early November, and the first week of December. Generally, there are fewer crowds in these months during the late afternoon.

You absolutely can! Donations will go directly towards Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to inspire lifelong environmental stewardship and ensure the survival of coral reefs and sea turtles in Hawaiʻi through science-based conservation efforts, education, and outreach.

There are three ways to donate to the Marine Institute while visiting Maui Ocean Center: donate via credit card at Maui Ocean Treasures gift shop, "round up" your purchase at Maui Ocean Treasures, or donate directly through this form. All donation proceeds directly fund MOCMI's mission of restoring Hawaiʻi's reefs and rescuing and rehabilitating Hawaiian green sea turtles.

Nā Hoa Kai (Ocean Friends) annual memberships must be purchased online. Visit our Membership page for pricing information and a complete description of the wonderful benefits you'll receive as a member!

Our knowledgeable marine naturalists provide in-person presentations at various exhibits throughout the day. Be sure to bring your questions!
Guests may also tune in to virtual marine naturalist presentations at any time via the QR codes posted at exhibits throughout the park. Bring your smartphone mobile device and scan the QR code to access expert information anytime. As a courtesy to other guests, we recommend bringing personal headphones or purchasing a pair at Maui Ocean Treasures gift shop.

In June of 2021, we launched Ocean Aloha, go green for blue, Maui Ocean Center’s island-based marine conservation program. With Ocean Aloha, we focus on further educating our visitors and residents on the importance of caring for our natural resources. Visit our island cultural practitioners for storytelling, demonstrations, and interactive learning opportunities. Keiki (children) can also enjoy video edutainment with our 8-year-old Maui Keiki Ambassadors, Imani and Liam, in the shaded outdoor Lauwai area. Ocean Aloha

Our marine naturalists love sharing ocean education with our guests! Catch presentations daily at locations throughout the aquarium, or learn more virtually by scanning our virtual presentation QR codes at various locations throughout the park.

Presentation Schedule:*
Shallow Reef: 9:30, 10:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30
Blacktip Sharks: 10:15, 12:00, 3:15
Open Ocean: 11:00, 3:00

*We exhibit marine animals in realistic, natural environments and feed them according to their needs; therefore, regularly scheduled feedings are not guaranteed, and presentations may be canceled without notice.

Maui Ocean Center respectfully complies with the County of Maui ordinance prohibiting the exhibit of cetaceans (whales and dolphins). We invite you to visit our Humpbacks of Hawai‘i Exhibit and Sphere Experience for an in-depth look into their deep-sea realm.

Maui Ocean Center’s newest exhibit is an astonishing, virtually immersive experience that brings you eye-to-eye with Hawaiʻi’s humpback whales. The Sphere Experience is included in your ticket price (a $6.95 per person value). Showings begin every half hour on a first-come, first-served basis and are 12 minutes long. The final showing begins at 4 pm. No reservations are required.

We have two sustainable dining options available: Seascape Restaurant and Reef Café. Seascape Restaurant offers outdoor seating, harbor views, and award-winning cuisine and cocktails. Reef Café is located at the park's center and serves fresh bistro-style salads, sandwiches, and refreshments. Enjoy shaded outdoor seating, and don’t forget to order a Pineapple Dole Whip!

Outside food or beverage is not permitted at Maui Ocean Center. Exceptions are made for toddlers (under 2 years), school groups (with prior approval), and those with special medical needs. Please see a park entrance attendant for more information. No chewing gum is permitted in the park.

Through our Ocean Aloha program which supports marine conservation for future generations, we are committed to our island sustainability and to mālama kekahi I kekahi (to take care of each other). From contactless payments to sustainable gift items, mineral sunscreen dispensers to our water refill stations, and our 100% platinum-certified sustainable Seascape and Reef Café dining, saving our planet is at the forefront of our minds every day. Whether front or back of house operations, we are always striving to reuse * reduce * recycle. Please support sustainability by also disposing of garbage and recyclables at designated bins throughout the park. We donate redemption to The Marine Institute, a 501©3 non-profit organization that supports sea turtle rescue and recovery efforts. For more information about MOCMI, visit MOC Marine Institute

Yes! Unique Made-in-Hawaiʻi and marine-themed treasures are available at Maui’s world-class gift store, Maui Ocean Treasures. Shop artful collectibles, island spa luxuries, eco-friendly solutions, educational toys, our own Fin-Tastic Fudge, and so much more.

Open daily from 9am to 5pm and there’s no admission ticket required if you just wish to shop!

Absolutely. Headphones in various styles and price points are available for purchase at the Maui Ocean Treasures gift shop.

We are the only Maui retailer offering Pandora collectible jewelry. Peruse our extensive collection of made-in-Hawaiʻi art and indulge in our housemade Fin-Tastic Fudge. Visit Maui Ocean Treasures’ Support Sustainability department featuring a selection of products that support marine conservation for our future generations.