Visit In Person
Join us for a free Friday afternoon docent-led public tour as an individual or a group of less than ten, or for groups of more than ten people, book a weekday large group or class tour.
Visit Virtually
Visit the Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve in a virtual, self-guided tour. Explore some of our favorite places in the lab and on the reserve, learn about the different research labs housed here, and more!
Contact Us
Email: ucdbml@ucdavis.edu
P.O. Box 247 / 2099 Westshore Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923-0247
BML Main Office: (707) 875-2211
Fax: (707) 875-2009
Friday Public Tours
Free, docent-led tours are available to the public on Fridays with a reservation. These tours are for individuals and groups of up to 10 people and are geared toward adults and children over the age of 12 years, though all ages are welcome. Visitors will learn about ongoing marine and coastal science research at Bodega Marine Laboratory and its history on the Sonoma Coast. Plus, they will get to meet a variety of colorful and diverse ocean creatures. Tours run approximately one hour.
These tours take place on flat and gently sloping floor surfaces that can accommodate most mobility aids. For additional accessibility questions or requests, please reach out to ucdbml@ucdavis.edu.
For questions about public tours or to schedule a tour for a group larger than 10, please reach out to ucdbml@ucdavis.edu. We cannot accommodate tours for RV groups or car clubs, as we do not have the parking space.
Please sign up for a tour date and time using the link below.
Large Group and School Tours
Tours for groups of ten or more are scheduled on weekdays. Group tours must be reserved and scheduled in advance, and the tour size is limited to 45 adults or 30 children. A minimal fee is charged for group tours.
For more information about arranging group tours, please contact ucdbml@ucdavis.edu.
What Kinds Of Things Will You See On A Tour Of BML?
Tour content can vary depending on weather and other factors, but these are some of the exhibits tours may visit.
Tidepool Mesocosm
This display near the lab entrance allows visitors to experience the biodiversity and dynamic energy of the northern California coast. In these shallow waters are a mix of sea stars, urchins, kelp, and other local species.
Great Hall Aquaria
Just inside the entrance are displays of colorful local fishes and invertebrates, residents of our local estuary, Bodega Harbor, and anemones and other organisms in our nearshore subtidal habitat.
Touch Tanks
Get your hands wet in a shallow touch tank filled with marine critters. Snails, urchins, crabs, shrimp and sea stars are just some of the creatures you might meet during your visit.
Thank you to our volunteer docents!
Our docents introduce BML to over 12,000 people annually. We are extremely grateful for their dedication to BML and enthusiasm for marine science interpretation: