Oregon Coast Aquarium | |
---|---|
Date opened | May 23, 1992 |
Location | Newport, Oregon |
Land area | 23 acres (9.3 ha) |
No. of animals | 64,000+ |
No. of species | 375 |
Annual visitors | 450,000 (2012) |
Website | www |
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is an aquarium in Newport in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1992, the facility sits on 23 acres (9.3 ha) along Yaquina Bay near the Pacific Ocean. The aquarium was home to Keiko, the orca who starred in the movie Free Willy, from January 7, 1996, until September 9, 1998, when he was shipped to Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland. USA Today considers the Oregon Coast Aquarium world-class[1] and Coastal Living magazine ranks it among the top ten aquariums in North America.[2]