YOUR OCEAN
ADVENTURE AWAITS

Discover a world beneath the surface and experience marine life like never before—up close and personal.

Who We Are

Open seasonally from June through Labour Day, the Back to the Sea Centre in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia brings the beauty of local marine life up to eye level. Visitors can interact with and learn about the incredible animals and creatures that call the Atlantic Ocean home.

The Back to the Sea Society’s mission is to foster curiosity for marine life and inspire a desire to protect the ocean. We recognize the vital role that marine life plays in our world, which is why our dedication lies with education, conservation, and community engagement.

In 2017, we opened our miniature marine interpretive centre, the Touch Tank Hut. The hut hosted over 15,500 visitors, paving the way for our full-scale centre, which opened in June 2023. Through interactive exhibits, guided tours, and unique hands-on experiences, the centre continues to fulfill the society’s vision of inspiring love and respect for the ocean.

Upcoming Events

Invest in Our Ocean’s Future, Donate Today

Back to the Sea Society is a public non-profit aquarium and charity. Support from the community is essential in helping to keep our doors open. Your donation will go toward the society’s conservation initiatives and developing more meaningful, hands-on educational programs and events. Single and monthly donations are welcome and appreciated

Get to Know Us

  • We are currently closed for the season and will re-open in May 2025. You can still book group visits, birthday parties and our portable touch tanks!

  • You can expect to see many species of marine invertebrates native to Nova Scotia's waters, such as sea stars, rock crabs, sea urchins, scallops and more!

  • Our main entrance facing the parking lot has a ramp leading up to it for wheelchair users. Depending on the size of your wheels, you may be more comfortable using our back entrance, which is level to the ground. If this is the case, our staff are happy to help you out. There are no steps inside the facility.

  • Yes, we would you to have you join the team! Please click here for more information on volunteering with us.

Come Make Waves With Us

Come Make Waves With Us

  • Season Opening

    Thank you to everyone who visited the Back to the Sea Centre on June 8th to splash into the 2024 season and celebrated World Ocean Day with us!

  • Sea Squirt Sunday - Raina the Mermaid

    Thank you to the visitors who came out for the mer-mazing morning with Raina! Stay tuned for more sea squirt activities!

  • World Ocean Week Tidal Trek

    We had a fin-tastic time on our tidal trek on June 7th in collaboration with Ocean Week Halifax! We found lots of marine life along the shore of Regatta Point Walkway!

  • Sea Squirt Sunday - Sandee Bottoms

    We had a successful and exciting morning with Sandee Bottoms for a drag queen story time!

  • Animal Release Party!

    Thank you to everyone who swam out to Black Rock Beach to help us release our animals Back to the Sea! Over 100 people gathered on the beach for a morning of crafts, hot cocoa, and returning our animals home.