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The Virginia Aquarium
Rating Details »
717 General Booth Blvd
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 385-3474
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 385-3474
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
13 reviews for The Virginia Aquarium
This is a great way to spend an afternoon. It costs just as much as any of the other museums in the area but features a wicked cool shark tank and a place to pet the rays. (Which you could spend hours standing with your hand in... ) Last time I went this summer 2009 it was still under lots of construction which gave it a shabby look, but I am sure when it is done it will be great.
Don't forget if you go to walk the path to the second building and see the otters!
You are greeted by the beautiful seals in front of the Virginia Aquarium. For the price, Virginia Aquarium is a nice day excursion while visiting Virginia Beach (the Aquarium in NJ will run you triple the price albeit it is a nicer aquarium but with different offerings).
We enjoyed the Aviary and identifying the different birds. The Marsh trail that connects the two buildings is nice, gives you a bit of the outdoors (the tower has a great view of the marsh). Visiting an aquarium AND learning more about a marsh and its inhabitants was educational and fun. It was a very different experience from other aquariums we had been too. We didn't do the IMAX experience.
I agree with another Yelp poster. Most of the Virginia Aqaurium is under construction but there are still many hands-on exhibits and things to explore. We stayed about three hours and had a wonderful time. My favorite part was petting the rays which I had never done before and the shark and turle tanks. Amazing.
There are online coupons to save on admission as well.
Unfortunately, anyone visiting this summer will not get the best that this aquarium has to offer. My family visits Virginia Beach at least every other year, for the past six years, and on the inevitable rainy day of the week we will always come here.
This is the first year that it was disappointing - but we should have known, since a major part of the aquarium was under construction. The Restless Planet exhibits should be amazing once they're installed, but right now there is little in the first building besides the sharks and sea turtles. The second building has all its exhibits running, and is very well put together. My cousins had to be pulled away from the otter exhibit, and the attached aviary is awesome!
Can't wait to see these new exhibits next summer!
I'm a biiiig aquarium fan. I've come from LA to SF and Sydney where the world's largest and most know aquariums are located. I'd say for what I expect for the Hampton Roads area, the Virginia Beach is "a ok". Most of what they have is more geared for the little little kiddies as opposed to an educational experience for everyone in the family.
I was disappointed that most of their signs were speaking to people like they were 5 and didn't at least try to reach out to those who actually enjoy going to aquariums. If they want to become anything like these other places, then they've got to fix that.
However, even with all my complaining, they are a very decent aquarium in terms of presentation. They have sea lions, otters, some jelly fish and sharks. I was particularly interested in native Hampton Roads animals and fish which was displayed very well in my opinion. They also have little gadgets and gizmos that demonstrate how waves work and water funnels occur.
They also have an IMAX attached to the aquarium which you can purchase as part of your ticket. There are different movies throughout the day and you can see which ones are playing online at their website.
All in all, a nice place to go (only once for me unless they improve a bit). Definitely a young family place and great for the little kiddies.
We went here because we got free admission and tickets for IMAX as part of the whale watching package through http://vbfun.com. This was not one of the better/larger aquariums I've been, but it was a nice place to spend maybe half a day.
The most impressive was the big shark tank that had 10 or so of 6-foot long scary looking sharks swimming around. It's funny that there is a second building that's about 10 minute walk on a trail from the main building. Otters hang out there, but not much more.
Oh, and the 3D IMAX movie was very entertaining.
I'm glad The Virginia Aquarium exists because it was the perfect getaway during my recent rainy visit to VA Beach. Beware that they are under a lot of construction, and will be for quite some time. I'm a bit of an aquarium snob seeing that I grew up next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but I was really excited to see their skate/ray petting tank and the fact that I was indoors away from the cold rain.
I'm not sure if this will improve after they finish construction, but I found that the layout of the aquarium was hard to maneuver and was often confusing. There is no natural path for you to walk through, and I found myself seeing the same strip of exhibits multiple times because I would be essentially circling. Also, in order to exit you have to backtrack the way you came. Not so great when it gets busy with crying babies and tired parents. However, they did have a lot of things that were kid-friendly- definitely a plus for families. And I thought their gift shop was reasonably priced, especially the stuffed animals.
I'm appreciative that there were so many volunteers and young workers there, but their complete boredom and frowning faces really puts a damper on your mood. The fact that it was so obvious they didn't want to be there was off putting at first, but soon I just felt sorry for them and thought it was kind of funny. Don't worry ray-tank-girl, I'm sure you won't be working there forever...
This place left me crabby!
Not worth waiting in line for-- not at the price we paid. I guess I'll have to check it out again after the renovations are complete but when we went in the summer of 2007 this was NOT a top-tier aquarium.
The special attraction at the time was the Penguin Exhibit. That exhibit enclosure for the handful of penguins was extremely small and bordering on inhumane. Hopefully that was only temporary.
We did enjoy the nature walk (warning: very, very long walk) between buildings, but this would not be enjoyable on a hot muggy day or in inclement weather. Which means you would have to go back to your car and drive to the other building's parking lot.
I didn't expect this aquarium to be as good as those in Baltimore, Boston, or Monterey; but when it's only one tenth as good, then they should only charge one tenth as much. I would not recommend this place as part of your Virginia Beach vacation unless you get some kind of steep discount.
Andy's right - this place is a bargain. $20 for two tickets, including my AAA discount. The aquarium was undergoing many renovations, but once those are completed this is a top-notch destination for adults and kids alike.
There's much to see and experience - from the hands-on scientific displays to the sea animals - one is never not delighted upon the premises. I enjoyed the large tank of sharks and the freshwater fishes native to Virginia bays and estuaries. The skate and ray exhibition was overcrowded with kids longing to touch one of the beautiful animals and it was cool they were actually allowed to. Another of my faves was the horseshoe crab exhibit - those guys sure are neat and scary looking.
We opted not for the IMAX but the great nature walk which leads into another part of the aquarium which houses its own aviary. Everything from turkeys to owls to the storks and other waterfowl. Along the way we saw the Native American stop featuring authentic-like housing and the aquarium actually hired a Native American man who works the exhibit and teaches the kids about Native living! It was crazy and fascinating all at once.
The gift shops are kind of lacking and are mostly geared towards kids, obviously, but what little adult things available were so atrocious and so out of style I couldn't stop wincing. A ceramic mermaid playing the harp? A porpoise necklace?
Overall a satisfying destination for kids. Parents won't be bored and kids surely won't be disappointed.
Wow!! Talk about an amazing and awesome aquarium!!! you really get your monies worth with coming here. This place is so lovely and amazing and I just think that everything here was such an amazing experience!!! All the staff here was so friendly and nice. They have a nice little marsh ride where my friends and I saw so many different creatures and so much lovely sea life!!! this ride takes you to the edge of the Atlantic ocean. AMAZING!!!!!!
Bay & Ocean Pavilion
From the rivers to the Chesapeake Bay and finally, into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, this journey of water through Virginia introduces you to the many aquatic animals and plants that are native to the state. See the largest collection of Chesapeake Bay fishes and meet a horseshoe crab at the Chesapeake Bay touch pool. Observe Loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and Green turtles in the Chesapeake Light Tower Aquarium. Watch in wonder as sharks, stingrays and other ocean dwellers navigate Norfolk Canyon Aquarium. Learn about the science of oceanography through engaging, hands-on exhibits.
Marsh Pavilion
See river otters, seahorses, snakes and other marsh dwellers. Take a closer look at life in the "macro-marsh," where plants and animals are magnified up to ten times their normal size. Then walk outside on an elevated deck through a half-acre bird aviary to see 55 different species of native birds.
Nature Trail
Take a walk along a 1/3-mile nature trail that meanders through salt marsh and woodland preserve between the Aquarium's buildings. Climb the 30-foot observation tower to get a view of Owls Creek from tree-top level. During the summer, stop by activity carts stationed along the trail, where an educator will provide information on the plants and animals in and around Owls Creek.
A Hands-On Experience
Does a stingray really feel like wet bologna? What do a horseshoe crab's mouth and a toothbrush have in common? Find out for yourself at our two touch pools. Examine skulls, shells, shark jaws, and other artifacts at our Curiosity Carts. Try out some of our 300 interactive exhibits to learn more about marshes, the Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
IMAX - Larger Than Life
Experience life on a larger scale in the Aquarium's own 3D IMAX Theater. The film experience doesn't get any better than this. Images jump out into the seats off a screen that's big enough to show a life-sized whale. And our state-of-the-art sound system is so realistic, you'll be crouching in your seat for cover.
The Aquarium's 3D IMAX Theater is open daily and showcases a variety of films ranging from educational pictures to major Hollywood releases. Please call (757) 385-FISH (3474) for the latest show times and more information.
Admission Prices
Adult
Senior (age 62+)
Child (age 3-11)
Member Adult
Member Senior
Member Child
Aquarium Only
$11.95
$10.
7.95
Free
Free
Free
Combo Aquarium + 1 IMAX*
$16.95
$15.95
12.95
$6.50
$5.75
$5.50
IMAX only*
$7.50
$6.
6.50
$6.50
$5.75
$5.50
DON'T GO ON TODDLER TUESDAYS! While I *now* understand that this place is geared mainly towards children, we went on a "Toddler Tuesday" and it was packed jammed with ill-mannered rug rats of all ages and sizes. A good third of the place was under construction (quite a few hard hat signs and one could hear a lot of loud noise), but we still had to pay full price for the tickets. I was also disappointed that there weren't that many displays of fish and other wildlife.
I wish I could have gotten my money back or at least gotten a discount for what I saw. We spent about an hour in here and we saw stingrays, sharks, turtles, fish, lobster and thats about it. I lost count on how many displays were empty or weren't open. Then we had to take this really long nature walk to go to the marsh building. I'm just glad we didnt plan out a whole day for this and we went to ocean breeze right after.
A superior attraction that we would put up against any other aquarium. From the touch tanks to the IMAX theater to the behind-the-scenes tours to the dolphin- and whale-watching tours, the Virginia Aquarium is a gem!
This is a really nice aquarium with a beautiful location. The otters and the penguins inside are really fun to watch, but I especially enjoyed the large marsh area outside - if you look closely at certain times of the day you'll see thousands of tiny little crabs come up and scurry around and occasionally battle with each other. :)
