Come see the 15,000-pound octopus ice sculpture that has our Front Plaza in its chilly grip. The icy representation of a giant Pacific octopus and its habitat is made of 50 blocks of ice, each weighing 325 pounds, and celebrates the Tentacles Take Hold program at the Aquarium. It was created by ice sculptor extraordinaire Don Chapelle of Brilliant Ice Sculptures for New Year’s revelers and school vacation visitors, and is a first for the Aquarium: it’s in color.

The real giant Pacific octopus is the planet’s largest species of octopus. It can have an arm span that stretches up to 10 feet across or even more. At the Aquarium, these intellectual octopus are a favorite of visitors and aquarists alike. They have been known to solve puzzles when a tasty crab is on the line.
See the octopus ice sculpture on the Front Plaza for free, but come inside the aquarium to see the real giant Pacific octopus, which is part of our Tentacles program that also includes the red octopus, cuttlefish, chambered nautilus, and sea jellies. Buy tickets online and skip the line outside.

Over the past 10 years, Chapelle has also carved larger-than-life-sized penguins, seals, and sea turtles on our plaza.