Ways to give
Membership gift certificates
A membership gift certificate will be emailed to you (the purchaser) and the membership will become active upon redemption. You will have the option during checkout to have a physical gift certificate mailed to the address of your choosing.* Gift certificates can also be purchased in person at the Aquarium. No information about the recipient is required at the time of purchase. All membership information will be collected when the gift certificate is redeemed.
*Please allow two to three business days for processing before the physical gift certificate is mailed. Then, standard USPS mailing times apply.
Gift memberships
A gift membership is active upon purchase. All recipient information must be provided during checkout. The recipient will receive their digital membership card via email within one week. If the recipient is already an existing member, this membership will be used to extend their current expiration date by one year. It is the responsibility of the buyer to share the order confirmation with the recipient.
Membership gifts FAQ
Are memberships active at the time of purchase?
It depends!
Gift memberships are active at the time of purchase. Therefore, we need to collect all of the recipient’s information during checkout.
Membership gift certificates are active upon redemption—the member gets to choose when they want their membership to start. We don’t need to collect any recipient information when the membership gift certificate is purchased; the recipient will provide their information when they redeem the certificate.
How will the recipient be notified of their gift?
Gift memberships: It is the responsibility of the gift purchaser to notify the recipient. However, since the membership is active immediately, the recipient will begin receiving regular email communications from the Aquarium and will receive their digital membership card via email within one week.
Membership gift certificates: It is the responsibility of the gift purchaser to notify the recipient unless they have selected to have a physical gift certificate mailed directly to the recipient during checkout. The physical certificate will be mailed within three business days, and then standard USPS mailing times apply.
What if the gift recipient already has a membership?
You can call us at (206) 838-3900 to renew an existing membership for someone else over the phone. If you’re not sure whether the gift recipient is already a member, you can purchase a membership gift certificate for them. The recipient can use it to start a new membership or renew their existing one.
More questions?
See our general membership FAQ, or email us at membership@seattleaquarium.org.
