Reviews of Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. (Other) in Virginia Beach (Virginia).

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

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Aquarium

717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, United States

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Information of Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Other in Virginia Beach (Virginia)

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Reviews of Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Jason Persaud

Lovely aquarium. $25 for ages 12+, $20 for ages 3-11. Lots of parking in front lot, but there is a $5 fee (pay at muni-meter). At this time, reservations are required. We were lucky enough to show up at around 12 pm on a Wednesday and get a 1 pm reservation…as we didn’t know and didn’t book in advance. Masks are NOT required throughout the aquarium. The beginning portion of the aquarium did get very crowded as it is a narrow pathway through a few exhibits, including the glass aquarium tunnel…when you consider tons of kids and parents taking a gazillion photos, this stretch of the aquarium can get chaotic at times…even with the timed reservations. After that area though…there is more than enough space to explore at your leisure. Lots of interesting and well-thought-out exhibits…be sure to look and read everything. There is so much to learn. The entire aquarium is well-kept and maintained. All staff were very nice and helpful. I highly recommend the aquarium to those of all ages.

Charles Nye

I found this to be a fun and educational aquarium well worth my time. I am a NC resident and decided to take a day trip to explore the Virginia Aquarium. The staff here was warm, friendly, and eager to share information to enhance my experience. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the boardwalk and learning about oyster beds and reefs and the efforts to restore and protect them. There are quite a few large tanks here, each with different offerings, and more than one touch tank. I did not take the whale watching boat tour but I will come back to participate in the experience. I spent more than two hours here and still did not take in all that the aquarium had to offer. I also really appreciated that the gift shop had a large selection of eco-friendly options and things made by local artists. This was a trip well worth my time, and I look forward to returning with friends.

Shanell M

Such a beautiful place our 7 month old had an amazing time. Highly recommend this experience. Loved that it wasn't crowded but did seem to be really busy when we were leaving so I recommend earlier times. Parking was also smooth too by being early (1130).

Anthony Hinds

Fun, easy to navigate around. However, all staff need to tell patrons coming in that tickets can be purchased inside rather than waiting outside and purchasing online. One staff wouldn’t even help us and was on his phone. Come to find out, we could have gone inside to get the tickets and paid cash for since we did t want to pay with a card. Some staff just don’t want to do their jobs these days. All the other staff we encountered were very friendly and helpful.

Eric Gorskie

Lord of exhibits and talks to see! They have finished refurbishing and renovating most of the exhibits. The harbor seals out front start you with a fun time and it keeps up throughout. I’m a fully grown adult kid when wandering through the underwater tunnels! Admission is reasonable for what you get here and everyone left happy!

Elizabeth Stoke

I love the aquarium!! They run so many fun events. I have a membership with a guest and it's so worth it. You go twice with a guest and it's already paid for. I love Sharks After Dark and the other special events they come up with. 10/10 recommend.

Lana Luscomb (soslowsushi)

Absolutely awesome. I only give it a four star because the seal and the sting ray exhibits where not available due to updates in the environments which was understandable as well as the nature path. It took us about 3 hours to get through and has so much education to offer. The education went much more beyond the standard wildlife education you normally get at these places. They were interactive and immersive set up that taught about the wild life, our effect on it, and how things have changed over thousands of years. It was very captivating for the whole family. The wildlife was well taken care of and everything was clean and beautiful. Will definitely go back next year when the whole new wing is open!

Ryan Rodriguez-Bishop

It was a good time. A lot of things are empty either due to covid or them getting ready to remodel. My husband and I took our son for his first visit and we all still enjoyed it. Wish the city would invest more money in the aquarium so they could expand and add more things.

Teresa DeYoung

What a great place to visit. It was clean and had a great flow to be able to make it to each area. The animals all seemed happy and very well cared for. It had a lot of information about native aquatic animals and the ecosystem. A lot of the aquarium had hands-on learning areas and activities. The staff was friendly and had stations set up to help engage and educate visitors.

MICHELLE GARAYUA

This was a nice place to visit. There were even interactive things to do and listen to and see. Some of the interactive things didn't, but the ones that did were fun. There was a submarine simulation area and the tank that's all around you was amazing to see. There are a lot of different areas that you can miss so you have to explore. It's not an all day activity. A few hours at best.

Ashley Zartman

The aquarium was so much fun, and everyone really knew their stuff when it came to education! I was amazed and learned a lot. Then the boat tours were so cool! We really got to see dolphins and even in pairs or more! The boat was very clean, the ride was smooth and the crew members were extremely friendly. This was a lot of fun and definitely worth going to! Thank you!

Peter Oissar

Very nice aquarium and definitely a pleasure seeing the tank's all kept clean. Overall clean establishment with friendly staff. Ample parking available for $5.00 with an 8 hour grace period. The larger touch tank was being built when we visited but from what I can tell it will be a great addition. I reccomend visiting this location.

Cheryl Crouch

Wonderful experience for all ages. Easy to navigate and handicap friendly. There are many places to sit and just watch the fish, turtles, sharks, stingrays, and various other animals. The staff is super friendly and will answer any questions you have about the animals. The Cafe is affordable and great for lunch.

Pia Boje

Got tickets for Saturday 11am in January. You have to get the tickets online for a certain time slot. Purchase was no problem at all. We walked right in and didn't have to wait. It was busy but not overcrowded. My kids (6+8) and us adults enjoyed our visit very much. There were sharks, all sorts of fish, reptiles etc and turtles (my absolute favorite). There was someone talking about the turtles too so it was very informative. We got to touch the stingrays too which was fun for the kids. We really enjoyed the walk through aquarium tunnel too, I wish it would have been longer. I could have just sit/ stand there and watch the fish for a while. Don't forget to walk outside on the boardwalk too, it was a cold and windy day when we went so we didn't see much. But we spotted some herons and pelicans. Also there a lookout tower outside and a very nice outside area. I'm sure it's pretty busy on warmer days. At the end you can visit the souvenir shop. There's also a restaurant which we didn't visit though. All in all we had a great time and by the time we left the parking lot was full of cars. The bathrooms were clean.

Nate Howard

I grew up going to the Virginia Aquarium - or, as I knew it (and will probably always call it), the Virginia Marine Science Museum - several times a year for at least 15 years. I haven't lived in the area in some time, but it's just as great as I remember! While the South Building is still closed after renovation, the website says it should re-open soon, tentatively later this year! The South Building is all about the local marsh ecosystem and was always my favorite part of the museum. Even though the South Building is currently closed, there's still so much to see and it is DEFINITELY worth a visit. It's so beautiful! The animals are well-cared-for. The staff is passionate about what they do and they treat you like family (a phrase I don't use here casually). You will learn so much, and love every moment of it. I have been to many aquariums since moving from the area, and though you might find larger aquariums in your travels, you will be HARD-PRESSED to find a better aquarium experience. It was such a joy to take my wife for her first visit and share with her what was such a cherished experience growing up, one that was truly formative to my childhood and young adult years. The animals and the environment are amazing, God's creation is on magnificent display, and the caring staff really elevate the experience. Go, go, go! IMPORTANT: reservations are currently required! Make them online or by phone.

誰もUriah

A great experience to learn about Virginia's Marine life and more. A fairly small place, however at a steady pace you can stroll through in about an hour and a half. If taking your time I would expect to easily double that amount of time spent. Worth the admission cost. Pay to park is 4.50 adult ticket is 24.95

Vanessa Mowdy

The exhibits were great! No seals out front any longer :( they weirdly shuffled the members to a different side door than the regular entrance. Super clean and animals looked happy.

Lexi Marquis

We had a great experience at the aquarium today! We had four adults and an infant. The day started off rough when my husband and I both purchased tickets without realizing the other had, but guest services refunded us with no trouble whatsoever. The aquarium itself is very clean with so many interactive and interesting tanks and exhibits. The restrooms were clean and the family restroom was spacious and clean as well.

Robin Craus

My large family visited here with 4 children. We all had a great time. We cant wait to go back. The older boys loved getting to try and pet the sting ray. The little one loved the jelly fish exhibit. It didnt take us very long to go through it but it was fun for everyone. The staff was very polite and helpful. We saw the gift shop but didnt stop. We were on a time crunch to catch the boat for the dolphin tour.

J R

I’ve seen this place before but today was not a 5 star visit. The staff is friendly and what exhibits that we got to see was really nice. It was short though for spending $100. Over half of the exhibit was closed (otter, manta ray, and the entire other half/building.) I don’t mind exhibits being closed but if it’s a lot then the prices should match. 25 adult and 20 per kid still!

diannamarie0596

The seals and the sea turtle was my families favorite. We were disappointed that a few of the attractions were closed down for renovations/upgrades, but we can’t wait to see what they’ll be like when they are reopened. We reserved tickets online for 10, and it wasn’t crowded at all, bus as we were leaving it started to get busy. I don’t remember having to pay for parking when we went a few years back, but parking is $5, and you can pay either through a QR code or parking meter. Thanks for a fun filled day!

Manisit Das

Great aquarium and love their nature trail which gives you an overview of the marine organisms that are naturally found around (pond frogs, crabs, oysters). It was also cool to see the Komodo dragons. Parking on main site can get tricky in rush hours but they have additional parking across the street.

Alex Forkner

If you have small children who want to see fish and sharks then it's cool. But if you're looking for a big exciting aquarium, this isn't the place. The staff was very kind and there were some cool fish, but it's not very big.

Elaine Fisher

Great place for the whole family, especially a very active toddler. There is something for everyone & it is so immersive. I could have done without the green screen photos at the beginning; especially when we left & they told me the package of 3 images to purchase was $49.95…I only liked one of them & asked if I could just buy one, & they said it was all or nothing. So, they got nothing. Other than that, we still had a great time at the aquarium.

Peng Hsu

This is a great place for family fun. Well facilitated and fun courses.... I have visited Virginia Beach many times, but this is the first time. Pretty impressive. It's not a small aquarium, neither a big one. Good to take young kid here and I believe they will have great fun before they get tired or losing focus. It also features 3D under water tunnel display and you can touch the manta from the pool.... A++++

Thelma Cox

I found this to be a fun and educational aquarium well worth my time. I am a NC resident and decided to take a day trip to explore the Virginia Aquarium. The staff here was warm, friendly, and eager to share information to enhance my experience.

Omar Navarro

Super fun place to go and relax, I don't know if Saturdays are normally free parking but that was a bonus. Lots of things to see and some exhibits you can touch and interact with. I spent the entire time running from one exhibit to the other like a little kid! No outside food allowed, but you can bring drinks with lids. They have three areas with bathrooms for small breaks.

Shaylah

Awesome aquarium, totally worth the money! The sea turtles were majestic! We easily spent 1.5 hours there and then we had to go but the time flies by.

Kundan Sen

Tiny aquarium - compares to the one you get a free ticket to at Niagara Falls. Took us about an hour and that's with all the time spent sitting on the benches to look at the fish, and patiently taking hundreds of photos. Did not see the justification for the nearly 100 bucks spent for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. When we went - June 2022 - the seals exhibit was closed. For comparison - the Mystic Aquarium costs $5 more per person and takes several hours to go through.

Colby Freiseis

Highly recommend. Not overwhelmingly huge, just the right size and time to see everything in a few hours. Very child friendly even for toddlers. Stroller friendly. Price is slightly high in my opinion (but I’m sure it’s costly to run the aquarium) but I do hope they will one day incorporate a program like for example the Norfolk Zoo Power-up program for low income discounts. That would really bring access to more people in our community. I appreciate that it’s not overcrowded due to the ticketing system. We didn’t feel rushed in areas that our toddler wanted to discover and explore. However there are viewing areas that are very tight and you’re very close to others if that is a concern to you. Don’t miss out on the outdoor marsh overlook areas- it’s a perfect way to get your steps in. And the seals on the way in and out are so much fun to watch.

David Humston

The aquarium was smaller than expected. But, there were any good species to view. The outside has a nice walking area and the adventure through trees looks really cool!

Derrick Coady

Clean place but overall very small. The first time there I waited for the weather to go on the nature walk, I was able to go this time but it was extremely small and most of the information panels were weathered and barely legible. Overall flow of the aquarium is slightly disappointing.

A B

Spent a good 4 hours on a Saturday visiting. We had a great time! This is a must see if looking for something to do while in Virginia Beach. Highly recommend! Parking was $5.

Che Henderson

Great place to take the family for a day trip. This aquarium rivaled many of the aquariums we have visited including the Baltimore aquarium at a much more affordable price. You purchase your tickets in advance on pretty much an honor system because they only scan your barcodes without looking at what kind of tickets you purchased. If you tell them I sent you they may let you wrestle the komodo dragon or feed the sharks.

C Kozak (Ckozak55)

Many interactive and sensory sections to explore. We had kids aged 15, 14, 12, and 8 with us and they all liked different parts. The aquarium hall where you can look up and see inside was beautiful! It took us around an hour and 15 minutes to walk through and we didnt explore every information/interactive display.

Kev keepingitreal

If you’re interested in taking your family to the Virginia Aquarium, please view there website, prior to visiting the Aquarium. This Aquarium offer a Boat Tour next door and a variety of exhibits, just to name a few, a huge Shark tank, the outdoor Seal tank and the Stingray exhibit tank, this exhibit allows you to place your hand on the water and touch the stingray, but, don't worry the stinger was removed. The staff will offer you a chance to take a picture with your guests in front of a awesome backdrop for a small fee. There’s a gift shop on site that offers a wide variety of items to choose from. Parking available at this location but you have to pay the parking meter to park in the parking lot. The staff was great throughout the aquarium, they were helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. This aquarium was organized and clean.

Greg

The aquarium was great! Parking was a challenge in the main parking lot as the parking QR code for the $5 fee was difficult to upload, even with 5G. We eventually got it, but it's more of an honor system. It was very busy on Thursday July 7th 2022. There wasn't anyone going around checking plates to see who registered. That is ok, it goes to a good cause for renovations and conservation. The ray petting tank and seal tank were closed for renovations, and parts of the raised trail were closed, I assume for renovations. It would be nice if all of those were mentioned on their website so we would have known. The sea creatures were all a joy to see, a great spot for families and groups. A small aquarium that is doing some great things, get here and check it out.

Sara Fauls

We had kids ranging from 6 to 17 on our visit. They had a great time, there was lots to look at. Navigating through a a little difficult and the touch pond was down when we went which was a little disappointing. We made it through the whole aquarium in a little over an hour or so. All of the kids enjoyed seeing all the different types of wildlife.

Ruth Voelpel

The Aquarium was awesome and they are expanding from what I hear. We would love to see a bird sanctuary or primate exhibit added. The stingrays & sharks were cool & the staff was so friendly and helpful with our questions.

Mark Hamilton

This is an amazing place to visit for kids and adults! The exhibits are amazing, interactive, and full of interesting information. One can easily lose track of time sitting near the big tanks and simply watching the fish, sharks, rays, and turtles swim by. It can be a little on the pricey side, especially if you’ve got a big family, but it’s well worth the visit!

Cameron Hudson

Had an absolute blast there! The staff was very helpful asking any questions we had and were beyond knowledgeable about the subject they're talking about. The kids loved the entire tour with stops both inside and outside. We learned a ton about the local area and the gift shop is absolutely amazing. The seals outside have so much personality too. Stop by for a great family visit!

Ashley Dillingham

In general, we had a good time. The animals were very interactive. The only thing I have to say is that I wish there were time slots to get into the aquarium… it was filled with people and that made it a lot less enjoyable. You could barely look at the exhibits without being right on top of people.

Pam H

Wonderful aquarium. We loved it so much we came back the next day. I loved the sea turtles and the outdoor nature trail. We also did a behind the scenes tour with the turtles.

Brandon Ketterman

Amazing place to take a family. They have a good range of things to see and prices aren't bad as well. So much for young minds to learn and so much to do. Definitely will be going back to bring my littlest one to see.

Debbie Blair Williams

The space was very beautiful and informative. Unfortunately, we visited when the aquarium was quite busy and crowded. We managed to see most exhibits but felt the aquarium oversold tickets. When we purchased tickets the day before, there were "plenty of tickets." When we arrived, they announced the aquarium was sold out and were turning those without any tickets away. Even those with tickets had to wait quite a while to enter.

Kellie B

Giving this 4 stars because it's a nice little aquarium with a great view in back. However, it is small and a little pricey and can be gone through in 45 minutes. Having frequented Monterey bay aquarium in California, (my favorite) I like to visit other aquariums to see how they stack up. While this aquarium offers a little of everything that most others do, their most notable exhibits were the alligator, the shark tank, and the sea turtle. We sat and watched these for some time and really enjoyed these the most. They have a nature walk out back which was refreshing and simply beautiful where you can see how they used oyster shells to build a reef to bring wildlife back to the river there. Worth a visit, but if you're ever in Northern California be sure to check out Monterey bay aquarium, you won't be disappointed!!

Eileen h

Everything was great but the parking. The parking meter where you pay, wasn't working. I wasted so much time trying to figure out how to pay through text. I notified the front desk about the issue. They said that can't fix it because it's the cities meter. Well call the city and tell them to fix it!!!!! I

Brian Merzbach

While I haven't been to a lot of aquariums, I came away underwhelmed after visiting this one in Virginia Beach. It's not that big as it will likely only take you an hour or so to get thru all the exhibits. And the variety of sea life is really not that great. Kids will surely have fun here, but for the price I was expecting more.

M LD

Nice little aquarium to enjoy with kids. I had a membership for a year and got to explorer entire year. In the winter time some of the exhibitions are closed. Summer times are better but could get crowded and have to find parking across the street.

Jannette Antochow

As of September 23rd, some of the aquarium is under construction, I would recommend waiting til the full renovation is completed for the price of admission. (No seals, otters, sting Ray touch) The boardwalk outside in the oyster bay was very nice and the kimono dragon was a highlight as well. There is a short water tunnel and sea turtle education.

Tiffany Taylor

Absolutely amazing! It was my first time going and it definitely did not disappoint. My son and I definitely enjoyed ourselves; I have never felt so relaxed and serene in my life than when I was in the 180 aquarium. So beautiful! The volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable also. I loved it!

James Darren Hicks

Been here several times always an interesting place to go. The children loves it every time we bring them. Great place to visit!

Jazmyne Stanford

First I'd like to begin my saying I am an out-of-state visitor. But overall while I enjoyed the experience, it felt like a bit of a cash grab. There were certain activities (Such as being able to touch the rays) that were unavailable due to Covid restrictions, and while I understand, it was roughly 50 bucks for two people, in addition to paying for parking, it felt kinda overpriced considering not everything was available. When you first walk in, you get your picture professionally taken (Which you are not verbally warned about, youu CAN skip it, but it really is apart of the experience.) The photographer was very nice and inviting. After getting your photo taken, you get a voucher for it, and the first big thing you get to look at is a Komodo Dragon. There were a surprising amount of reptiles in this museum, so if you're afraid of snakes, lizards, or frogs, I suggest making yourself hyper aware of what's on display. They ARE avoidable, but they do catch you by surprise. There's the expected sea creatures, sharks, sea turtles, and rays... But outside of that, I feel like you end up seeing the same fish. Not to say I didn't enjoy myself, but still. Not very varied. I didn't find Nemo or anything. I do like that there are signs that let you know what areas are high contact, and they let you know not to touch the glass, but when there's a small crowd, it's very hard to take pictures, everyone is all up on the glass, and you can't even see without a phone. I wish there was a good way to facilitate that. Honestly the best thing about this are the seals before you even walk in and buy a ticket. But still one of the highlight locations if you're staying down at Virginia Beach. It's like a 10 minute drive there if you have a hotel at the beach.

Gina Nickols

It was enjoyable and there was plenty to see. I liked how they had interactive things for kids to do to keep them entertained. Also I appreciated the multiple places I could sit and just watch the animals swim.

Tracy Boswell

It was our first time there in Virginia Beach for me and my wife and we wanted to go and see all the animals and mammals We arrived at 11 am on 11/3 and was informed they were closing at 12 pm in 1 hour and we had to hurry to see everything instead of having a relaxing experience due to a flood warning that was in the area that was the fastest $50 ever ! I wished we could have received a discount or a full refund but we really wanted to see what was inside so we did it despite the inconvenience !!

Lemair

I Know. Everybody is dealing with the inflation. Right now. But being charged $25 to visit the Aquarium. To me. Doesn't fit it. Which I think. They should charge $15. Then they have slot times. Of when you can come in. Instead of a walk-in. Also add there where some exhibits that closed as well.

Safa

So beautiful! This is one of the best aquariums I have been to in Virginia. The staff is very friendly and the exhibits are breathtaking. You can learn so much and see so many different marine animals and some lizards too! It is such a wonderful experience and worth your time and money! You definitely need to go there and have a look around!

angie hall

My husband is a Virginia native so it has been years since we visited this place alot has changed it still very nice and I'm sure we will be back with the kids soon, however I wished we didn't make through so fast, which it was a little more to enjoy, I'm sure with this crazy pandemic alot has changed but nonetheless this was fun and an amazing date day for us, and we will for sure to come back and try the other activities and tours they have to offer on the property.

K. Clarke

It was ok, a little underwhelming when compared to other aquariums I've been to in Baltimore and New Jersey. It was a very short tour, a lot of informative and interactive displays but few actual live ocean tanks displays. A good number of exhibits were closed for construction like the stingray tanks. Towards the end there was a touch display with crabs, but I saw a dead hermit crab among the living ones so that was not pleasant to see.

Ryan Smith

Planned our trip to Virginia Beach for over a year. Aquarium was one of our stops from the beginning as our daughter with special needs loves watching fish and otters swimming around. After getting our tickets online for 3 adults and 2 children, we arrived to find that not only were the seals off exhibit outside, but also the otter exhibit was closed and there was no ray touch tank for them to explore. She loved the sharks and other aquariums, but was very disappointed there was no touch tank or otters. Over $150 CDN and still had to tell the kids maybe they can see everything next time. I understand that improvements and cleanings need to happen, but everything closed at the same time is really poor planning.

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