Living Shores features several touch pools, six aquariums, and three interactive computer kiosks to help the public discover the different habitats of the Laguna Madre, and Padre Island bays and estuaries. The journey through Living Shores begins in the Bait Stand. Here, visitors learn about the major coastal fishing areas, read hurricane tracking maps, and see red drum and trout up close in the pop-up aquarium. Visitors exit the Bait Stand onto the Dock overlooking the underwater sea grass exhibit.

The Underwater exhibit has four main components:

Touch Pool—Visitors can safely interact with species such as hermit crabs, lightning whelks, sheepshead minnows, and pencil urchins.

Invertebrate Exhibit—Built into a dimensional scenic wall representing the rocky coastal habitat, the Invertebrate Exhibit hosts blue crabs, horse conch, spider crabs, and shrimp.

Interactive Kiosks—Interact with touch screens containing interpretive messages about the many life forms and ecosystems found in coastal Gulf of Mexico.

Seahorse Aquarium—Be intrigued by the odd features of local seahorse and pipefishes as well as their closest neighbors.