Amazon Exhibit At The Oregon Coast Aquarium

The Oregon Coast Aquarium opened “Amazon Basin: An Adventure for the Senses” on

Saturday, May 23, immersing visitors in one of Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems through sight, sound, smell and touch. The changing exhibit, running through Jan. 2, 2028, features the largest collection of animals in a temporary exhibit at the Aquarium in decades. Entry is included with general admission.

True to its name, the exhibit is designed to be felt as much as seen. An interactive smell wall releases notes of the rainforest floor, sound-matching stations echo with bird calls and rushing rivers, and touch boxes invite hands-on discovery of textures from the canopy to the riverbed. A crawl-in log lets younger visitors experience the forest from a creature’s point of view.

Guests explore five distinct ecoregions: the Terra Firma Rainforest, Flooded Forest, River and River Banks, Savanna and Cloud Forest. Dozens of species are featured, many appearing at the Aquarium for the first time. Animals on display include red-bellied piranhas, a Cuvier’s dwarf caiman, a rainbow boa, an electric eel and a mata mata turtle.

One early breakout star is Chowder, the Aquarium’s Argentine black and white tegu — a charismatic, remarkably intelligent lizard from the Savanna whose curious personality has already earned him a growing fan base on the Aquarium’s social media channels. Throughout the exhibit, original artwork by illustrator Alexander Vidal pulls guests deeper into the Amazon’s rainforests, rivers and cloud forests, ranging from expansive murals to finely rendered spot illustrations.

Hands-on interactive elements are designed especially for children ages 5 to 11, with discoveries for visitors of all ages. The Amazon Basin carries roughly two-thirds of the world’s freshwater and stretches from South American rivers to the cloud forests of the Andes. “This exhibit invites our community to step inside an ecosystem that shapes life far beyond South America,” said Kerry Carlin-Morgan, Director of Mission Engagement. “It lets visitors see, hear, smell and feel why the Amazon matters — and why protecting it matters too.”

The exhibit also spotlights pressing conservation issues. An area of rainforest twice the size of Los Angeles is lost each year to mining, burning and cattle ranching, and at current rates of deforestation, scientists warn the forest could collapse within decades. “Amazon Basin: An Adventure for the Senses” was made possible in part by support from the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County and supporters of the Aquarium.

Entry and parking are included with general admission. Guests can plan to spend 30 to 45 minutes exploring the full experience. For more information, visit aquarium.org/amazon-basin.