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Wedding or Reception at the Oregon Aquarium in Newport, Oregon

Our parties feature fishtastic aquatic entertainment
From elegant sit-down dinners to casual get-togethers, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is a wonderful place to hold your daytime and after-hours meetings, wedding receptions, holiday parties, or family reunions.

Entertain your guests with an intimate visit within "Passages of the Deep," our newest exhibit and view the rest of our Aquarium residents.

Enjoy exquisite cuisine prepared especially for you by our full-service caterer.

Just ask, and our event coordinator will help you plan a memorable dining experience to accommodate groups of 30 to 500 or more.

For prices and more details, visit the After Hours Planner or call 541-867-3474 ext. 5319.

Dining Under the Sea
"Passages of the Deep" features a private event room with a large viewing window and outdoor terrace for your sit-down or buffet dinner. Or, you can entertain in our main lobby with picture windows overlooking our Butterfly Garden.

Education Is A Main Entree
Your guests can enjoy private visits with our seals, sea lions, sea otters and seabirds in a naturalized setting. Indoors, our four large exhibit galleries plus “Passages of the Deep” are also yours to explore, from Sandy Shores to Coastal Waters. Volunteers are on hand to answer questions about the exhibits and animals.

Do You Need A Meeting Space?
With a seating capacity of 50 persons, our classroom can be arranged for an informal slide show, luncheon, board retreat or whatever your meeting needs may be. The classroom has a separate entrance and exit to give your guests privacy. "Passages of the Deep" also features an event room with complete A/V facilities that can be arranged to accommodate most any function.

The Qwest Theater
Offers you a perfect venue for slide presentations, lectures or formal meetings. The 90-seat theater is equipped with a projection room and excellent acoustics. When not in use for meetings, the theater presents brief videos on gray whales, sharks and seabirds.

Private Events
What We Offer After Hours Planner

After Hours Planner
Experience the beauty and natural setting of the Oregon Coast Aquarium during your private event designed especially for your group. From elegant sit down dinners to casual get-togethers, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is a unique place to hold your after-hours functions.

Aquarium Facilities
The lobby overlooking our Butterfly Garden, has vaulted ceilings and bay windows, and is perfect for elegant sit-down dinners and receptions (2.140 square feet). Four indoor galleries provide opportunities for strolling buffets and cocktail parties.

The Sandy Shores Gallery (1,360 square feet) features exhibits that include leopard sharks, skates and sea pens. A touch pool in the Rocky Shores Gallery (1,051 square feet) permits guests to gently handle tide pool animals. Moon jellies and sea nettles are focal points in the Coastal Waters Gallery (1,125 square feet). The New Currents Gallery features educational feature exhibits. Slide presentations or lectures can be held in the Qwest Theater (1,037 square feet).

Our 1.32 million-gallon exhibit, Passages of the Deep, offers several areas for special events, including a state-of-the-art event room (1175 sq. ft) complete with a large viewing window into the shark exhibit. Fully equipped for all of your A/V technical needs, this is the perfect venue for a daytime conference or lunch meeting. For special evening festivities, the event room with the adjoining terrace is the perfect setting for everything from a casual barbecue to an elegant sit-down dinner.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is available for booking year round. All exhibits are open for most after-hours events.

Room Capacities
Groups from 30 to 500 or more can be accommodated for an exclusive event


Location Function Capacity
Main lobby Sit-down (formal or buffet)
Stand-up reception 100-344
Entry Plaza Reception 500
Classroom All functions 55
Qwest Theater Lecture or Formal meeting 90

Location Function Capacity
Event Room Sit-down (formal or buffet)
Stand-up reception 60-125
Event Room & Terrace Stand-up reception 160
North Lobby Sit-down (formal or buffet)
Stand-up reception 80-170
South Lobby Sit-down (formal or buffet)
Stand-up reception 100-220


General Information

Daytime Events/ Rates
Daytime rental of the Passages of the Deep Event Room includes the following:

Use of the event room for meeting (60max)
Group discount for entrance to the Aquarium (10%)
Exhibit areas open for viewing
Fully equipped A/V services
Set up and clean up
For a two-hour minimum period: $250. Add $25 per additional hour. Plus group rate per person for Aquarium admittance.

Full Day: $500 (non-exclusive). Plus group rate per person for Aquarium admittance.

After-Hours Events / Rates
For a three hour base period:
Corporate Function or Wedding Reception: Admission for 100 people: $1200
Ceremony and Reception: Admission for 100 people: $1500
A 20 percent deposit is required upon booking with the balance due within two weeks of event.


Catering
Any caterer used must have a catering contract with the Aquarium. Please contact our Event Coordinator for catering options.


Entertainment
Our Event Coordinator can help direct you to local entertainment, party equipment rental and decoration businesses. All decorations must be approved by the Aquarium in advance.

Reservations
Contact Event Coordinator, Jo Swain (541) 867-3474 ext. 5319 or jo.swain@aquarium.org

To receive an event packet, please email the Event Coordinator with your name, email address, type of event and at least two preferred dates.