The REEF Ocean Exploration Center welcomes individual visitors and families to enjoy self-guided exploration at no cost during regular operating hours. Admission is made possible through the generosity of REEF donors, members, grant partners, and supporters who help ensure the Center remains accessible to the community and visitors alike. While there is no required admission fee, guests are encouraged to support REEF’s mission through donations so we can continue providing educational experiences and marine conservation programming for future visitors.
To help maintain a safe, engaging, and high-quality visitor experience for all guests, organized groups of 10+ and commercial visits require advance coordination with REEF staff.
Are you planning to visit the Ocean Exploration Center with a group of 10 or more?
Advance group reservations are required for organized groups of 10 or more guests. This includes schools, camps, youth organizations, clubs, community groups, travel programs, dive groups, educational organizations, and other organizations bringing multiple people for a coordinated visit. Group visits are scheduled based on facility capacity, staff availability, scheduled programming, visitor flow, and operational considerations. Approved groups receive coordinated facility access during their reserved visit window.
Reservation Fees are based on group size and provide self-guided access to the Ocean Exploration Center during a pre-set time frame on a given day. Self-guided group reservations include scheduled access to public exhibit spaces during a reserved visit window. They do not include dedicated educational staff, guided instruction, structured programming, exclusive facility use, or extended supervision. If you are interested in organized programming, see below for more abou REEF Discovery Programs.
Reservation Fee Schedule
| Group Size | Reserved Visit Window | Group Reservation Fee |
| 10-20 guests | Up to 60 minutes | $250 per group |
| 21-40 guests | Up to 60 minutes | $400 per group |
| 41+ guests | Custom coordination required | TBD based on staffing and operational needs |
Ready to request a Group Visit?
Contact explorers@REEF.org or call 305-852-0030 to inquire and book your group visit. Requests should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the desired visit date.
- A group of students visiting the Ocean Exploration Center.
- Visitors watching a lionfish dissection in the Ocean Exploration Center.
- Visitors exploring the reef sculpture in the Ocean Exploration Center.
- Visitors in the Ocean Outreach Gallery of the REEF Ocean Exploration Center.
How group reservations differ from REEF Discovery Programs?
If you are interested in booking educational programs, please visit the REEF Discovery Program page to learn more about our offerings. Discovery Programs are structured, hands-on educational programs led by REEF educators and are separate from self-guided group reservations.
| Self-Guided Group Reservation | Discovery Program |
| Reserved access to the Ocean Exploration Center | Staff-led education activities and facilitated access to the Ocean Exploration Center |
| Self-guided exhibit exploration | Structured hands-on learning activities |
| Limited staff interaction | Facilitation by REEF educators |
| Facility coordination and visitor flow management | Educational programming aligned with REEF conservation themes |
| Appropriate for groups seeking coordinated facility access | Appropriate for groups seeking a guided educational program |
Commercial and Recurring Group Visits
Commercial tour operators, travel organizations, charter operators, educational travel companies, and organizations arranging recurring group visits must coordinate directly with REEF staff before scheduling visits. Groups arriving as part of a coordinated commercial itinerary, charter activity, camp schedule, educational travel package, or organized tourism experience may be classified as commercial group visits regardless of group size. Large commercial groups, recurring operators, and groups of 40 or more people may be required to participate in REEF’s Ocean Explorers programming or another contracted group experience.
Unscheduled Group Arrivals
Groups of 10 or more people arriving without advance notice may not be accommodated depending on facility capacity, staffing levels, scheduled programming, visitor safety considerations, and current visitor volume. Unscheduled groups that can be accommodated may receive limited staff support and modified access based on operational needs. REEF is not obligated to provide programming, guided instruction, or extended supervision for unannounced groups. REEF reserves the right to decline, delay, modify, or reschedule group visits that cannot be safely or appropriately accommodated.
These policies apply to organized group activity across the full REEF Campus, including the Ocean Exploration Center, outdoor garden and gathering areas, docks, classrooms, and other REEF-managed spaces. Organized groups, travel programs, commercial operators, and coordinated gatherings may not utilize REEF campus spaces for scheduled activities, meals, tours, or group assembly without advance reservation approval, facility coordination, or an approved rental or group-use agreement, as applicable.