Seattle Aquarium lays off 12 employees

The Seattle Aquarium laid off 12 staff members last month as the cost of opening and operating its new waterfront Ocean Pavilion in 2024 outpaced the facility’s revenue.

The layoffs, which constitute roughly 4% of the aquarium’s staff, represent a step back after a dramatic uptick in the number of people working at the facility. The aquarium roughly doubled its staff to 280 people in anticipation of the new campus opening.

Those let go include people in the aquarium’s education and outreach teams, such as the coordinators for school, volunteer and public programming. It also includes a graphic designer, a marine science interpreter and a member of the fundraising team.  

The aquarium saw visitations in 2024 increase by nearly 200,000 people, to just over 1 million total, according to the aquarium’s internal numbers obtained by The Seattle Times. But even with that boost, the aquarium’s revenues fell $4.37 million short of its target for the year.

“We have learned a great deal in the five months we have been open to the public,” said spokesperson Tim Kuniholm, who described the reduction in staff as part of “natural” adjustments. He said the report is not final and could be subject to edits.

“These were challenging decisions, and we are deeply appreciative of the staff who are no longer with us — but adjustments help ensure a sustainable path forward for our organization,” Kuniholm said.

At the same time, the cost to complete the new pavilion — which opened in August — is now projected to climb $15 million to $20 million higher than the previously forecast $160 million, and that’s already up from the original $113 million price tag. Kuniholm said the campaign team would work to cover that cost increase through private financing and it was not a factor in the decision to reduce staffing.

The Ocean Pavilion is an anchor on the city’s new waterfront, which stretches from the new beach south of the ferry terminal to the overlook walk connecting Pike Place Market to the water.

The pavilion’s primary feature is a 500,000-gallon tropical tank tucked at the base of the overlook walk and filled with an array of fish, rays and rare Indo-Pacific leopard sharks.

Seattle contributed $34 million to the pavilion’s construction and owns the building. The city also issued a $20 million loan to help its construction as costs increased, which was fully paid back with interest in 2023.

The aquarium is operated independently of the city.

Kuniholm said the aquarium does not anticipate needing to make additional layoffs in 2025 and that the “financial outlook is strong.” Staff there expect 1.2 million visitors in 2025.

Much of the city’s new $802 million waterfront is now open. In recent weeks, new art has been installed along the promenade near the piers and most of the planned bike lane has opened. Pier 58, just south of the aquarium, and its jellyfish playground are still under construction. The waterfront’s official opening date is some time later this year.