MMA Aquarium & Sea Shop
Located on Nantucket Harbor at 32 Washington Street, the Aquarium displays local Nantucket marine species and is an excellent place to learn about the amazing sea life around the island.
The Aquarium is a great place to learn about the unique marine environment of Nantucket. Visit us to learn about marine ecosystems, see live animals, and discover more about Nantucket's biodiversity!
Hours & Admission
The MMA Aquarium will re-open
June 9, 2025.
Join us at our new location:
32 Washington Street.
Aquarium Hours:
Closed until June, 2025.
It is strongly encouraged that you reserve your tickets in advance. Tickets for members and non-members can be purchased
here or on site.
Discovery Center and Aquarium Project:
The Maria Mitchell Association is on a mission to create a Discovery Center & Aquarium that takes on climate change education and coastal resiliency adaptation. We've unveiled plans for renovating our waterfront property into the first coastal resiliency project on Nantucket. The project is specifically designed to adapt to the rising waters in real-time.
The re-imagined space will feature hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, an expanded, state-of-the-art aquarium and marine biology lab, rotating exhibits highlighting the history of Maria Mitchell and her role in history and science, community gathering spaces, and improved residential housing for MMA staff. We remain grateful to our community and colleague support to manifest this vision.
Read more here.
A huge thank you to the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation for our first
1 million dollar grant to our Aquarium & Discovery Center capitol campaign. Thank you for supporting our community and our vision!
Exhibits
Touch Tank
Ever wanted to learn how to hold a crab? Get a feel for the marine life that lives on and near Nantucket beaches at the most popular aquarium activity. Home to crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, and more, the touch tank is a place where all ages can learn something new.
Outdoor Circle Tank
One of the larger tanks at the Aquarium, the circle tank is home to larger animals, such as baby sharks, horseshoe crabs, flounder and more! It overlooks the harbor and is a perfect place to contemplate the natural beauty of Nantucket.
Aquarium Room
The aquarium room is filled with more than 50 animals including jellyfish, lobsters, shrimp, tropical fish, and common local species. Our live microscope exhibit changes daily to highlight small critters we find in our area. Animal displays change weekly to highlight new species or local ecosystems. There is always something new to discover!
Displays are always changing and range from crabs and jellyfish to tropical fish and seastars. All animals at the Aquarium are locally-collected and are released back into the wild at the end of the season.
Visit Our Sea Shop
Stop by our aquarium Sea Shop adjacent to the MMA Aquarium at 32 Washington Street to pick up educational toys and books, as well as scientific gear to continue your exploration of the world around you, including binoculars, field guides, insect vials, butterfly nets, apparel, one-of-a-kind gifts and more! Shop our signature apparel for a great Nantucket gift or souvenir perfect for a summer spent outdoors.
About the Animals
All of the 80+ marine species displayed at the Aquarium are found around Nantucket and the exhibits change every year based on what is found throughout the season. No summer is the same as the one before! Sometimes we even find stray tropical fish!