Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center

Tucked into the heart of Homer at 95 Sterling Highway, the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center brings to life the extraordinary world of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge — one of the most remote and ecologically significant protected areas on earth. Spanning over 4.9 million acres across more than 2,500 Alaska islands, the refuge shelters the largest concentration of seabirds in the United States.

Operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the visitor center features immersive exhibit galleries dedicated to the tufted puffins, horned puffins, common murres, kittiwakes, auklets, and dozens of other seabird species that nest on Alaska's outer islands in extraordinary numbers. Live tide pool touch tanks let visitors interact with intertidal life up close, while marine mammal displays and habitat galleries round out the experience.

Admission is free and the center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during summer, with reduced winter hours. Located on the Homer bench just off the main highway, it draws birders, naturalists, and casual visitors in equal measure. The center is a natural complement to wildlife boat tours departing from the Homer Spit into Kachemak Bay — a full day of Alaska marine wildlife exploration starts here.