I'm torn about how to rate and write about Austin Aquarium. I was visiting family that recently moved to the area. My son and his girlfriend came in from Houston to see us while we were there. We planned out a day outing which included a visit to the Austin Aquarium (the girlfriend studied marine biology). I've been to a few aquariums, most of which were run established universities and/or funded by grants and operated as not-for-profit. I wasn't expecting to drive into a strip mall to visit the Austin Aquarium. Being located in a strip mall area really isn't of importance or relevance, just different. As we entered, I looked around to see what the organization was about; the familiar not-for-profit donation seeking and this is our mission type of literature. I didn't see any form of literature at all. We paid the entrance fee for 5 visitors. A gift shop are on one side of the lobby and some misc items about. On the day of our visit, there were groups of school kids via school bus(es) - seemed pretty typical for a museum/aquarium. As we moved through the exhibits (sea life, reptile, birds, etc), I did notice the condition and/or quality of the exhibit spaces and enclosures. Not that they were in bad shape, just somewhat oddly placed, simplistic design, a bit worn in spots, and the ceiling was open to the rafters. No big deal; funding for these types of ventures can be sketchy and dollars stretched for best use. Kids everywhere, somewhat annoying, but enjoying themselves. It didn't occur to me until about half way through the displays that this aquarium may be a private business venture and not the not-for-profit educational operation I had assumed. This is where my dilemma about rating comes into play. Expectations are different when considering a for-profit vs not-for-profit experience. I've been a part of building not-for-profit low budget difficult to fund ventures and making use of every dollar. I've also been a small business owner and know that there are customer expectations. At this point, I don't really know which is the case, whether FOR or NOT-FOR. Since I haven't found any reference (in literature or website) that indicates not-for-profit, I assume it must be a business venture. Hence, a lower rating as a reflection of my expectations. All this written, I will say that the care and visible condition/health of the animals looked good. The floors and enclosures appear kept up (clean, neat, and tidy). The staff was attentive with the groups of kids so that animals weren't harmed and were handled correctly. read more

See all

I get it that people have reviewed that this place is a little sad. It is, and I think that the employees know that it seems that way too. We pre-paid for our tickets out of state on line thinking that this may be a cool thing to do while in Austin... so imagine what we were thinking when we pulled up to a strip mall and this was the size of a pet shop. Actually, it felt like we were visiting a fish store while going through it. That said, there are living animals here that are cool to see and I have a feeling that a place like this takes a lot to take care of it. So, I am trying not to be too harsh. Little kids may like it. As an adult, you are done here in about 15 min. I did get to feed the stingrays and the little sharks. There is an octopus, iguana, snakes, caiman and birds to see in addition to fish. A turtle. (Poor guy was being bombarded by flies) You can learn something from the little cards on the wall about each exhibit. The gift shop section is huge. As in half the building. More I could say but it is what it is, just keep your expectations low perhaps if you go. read more

Austin Aquarium - Stingrays! - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Worst aquarium I've ever been to! The owner was told by a court of law in Florida to never open up another place like this again. He was fishing the animals out of the ocean without proper permitting. They have an octopus in a very tiny dirty aquarium. I have pictures of the scum on the top of lots of them. I plan to go to the news media regarding the disturbing conditions. These people should be ashamed of themselves. Very disturbing! read more

See all

All of a sudden my friend was grabbed by a bouncer and taken into the backroom where he was punched repeatedly in the face. not only that they refused to let him leave. after some struggling we got him out but he was pretty beaten up. Shady bar never going back. read more

It is smaller than what us texans might be used to but it's pretty dang amazing when you consider all that they have packed in there!! All the employees clearly care and are passionate about this place and talk to you and are very nice. AND there's a petting zoo!!!!! You can pet sharks and stingrays and birds and feed fish! You guys have to understand that it can take years to set up just the environment for some of these fish! We should keep supporting them and let them grow a few years then we will be very proud to have a wonderful place like this. Hoorah Austin aquarium! read more

Austin Aquarium - Big lizard! - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

After seeing a mix of both good and bad reviews, it was hard to decide whether or not we should visit. But I'm so happy we did! Below is my full and organized review. PERFECT FOR AGES 1-9 YEARS OLD As a Mom of a 2.5 year old and 12 month old this was perfect. The mix of interactive exhibits, play areas, and kid friendly activities was amazing. My little one got to pet and play with turtles, stingrays, rabbits, komoda dragon, boa constrictor and more! At the near end of the aquarium there was a kid zone where they had an interactive dance floor, candy shop, indoor activity playground and tunnels. IF YOURE LOOKING FOR AN AQUARIUM LIKE CHICAGO'S SHEDD AQUARIUM Then please adjust your expectations. This place is geared more towards creating an amazing experience for families with younger children. And it should be! Sometimes it's hard to find places that cater to younger children and nurture their curiosity at a good price point. There was so much to see and do, not to mention that your kids could play with the kangaroos and the birds. There was also a reading corner in the gift shop set up for the littles. Just perfect! STAFF Oh my gosh super friendly. Heather in particular was friendly and engaged with my children during checkin and checkout. At checkout in the gift shop she explained that some of the previous bad Yelp reviews were before they made improvements and expanded the exhibits. They've also done alot of rehiring which has also helped the customer experience. There was another staff member that picked up a turtle for my son to pet because he was too short to pet the baby turtles. She was wearing a Cinderella dress. Come to think of it there were multiple staff members wearing Disney character dresses. See another indictactor that this aquarium is for younger children. You can see a picture of my son about to pet the bunny which Tinkerbell was holding. FINAL VERDICT We loved the Austin Aquarium and will be going back in a few weeks! I included pictures in my review to help anyone else who is on the fence about going. If you go, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did with our two small children! read more

I've been to Austin Aquarium at least four times over the years, and they keep on expanding and creating new experiences and exhibits so it's been different every time. They are very careful about making sure all the animals are socialized so they can make the experiences interactive. Cody and Leah were very knowledgeable about the otters. read more

The workers are so nice. Everything is clean like Cages and tanks. The animals all seemed healthy. And me and my family enjoyed it.

I probably won't ever go back unless they seriously update the facility. I had a great time and that's only because I was with my sister and nephew. We drove from South Austin and my sister drove from 4 hours away! Do yourself a favor and go to Houston or Dallas for a great Aquarium! CONS: 1. Wasn't educational. There were a FEW signs explaining what were in the tanks, but nothing educational. These signs were either laminated and tapped up or on a small screen with a powerpoint slide! The employees never mentioned what kind of sharks and starfish they were petting. These things I want my nephew to experience. 2. The hand towels are recycled! It's weird and seems VERY unsanitary. They are removed and then washed/dried nightly. Weird. 3. THE PRICE! (should be number 1, but it would be worth the price if the things mentioned above were fixed) it was 45$ for me, my sister and a 3 year old! WHAT? For that shopping mall aquarium that had nothing educational? 4. Organizational layout of the place sucked. They should have each place with animals pertaining to where you find them in their natural habitat. PRO: 1. A playground. When 3 year olds get bored, it's great to have a play ground. Even if it's a super TINY one. 2. The interactive tanks. It's nice for the young kids to interact with animals, but they need to learn something from this! Like how to treat animals, where you can find this species and what the species is called. 3. As mentioned above, interactive areas like, hand feeding the birds. I liked this, but they weren't even giving us information about them. I had no clue what kind of birds they were, where they were located or what their daily diets or habits consisted of. Most of the tanks weren't even on display. Overall the employees could have been more knowledgable, price cheaper, better displays, better organizational layout and hand washing stations. I understand kids don't care about educational activities, but just saying these encounters open their tiny minds in a subject they might not have been aware of before. read more

Austin Aquarium - Starfish interactive tank. - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

Had an amazing date here actually. It's much bigger inside than you would think. I love that you can interact with so many of the animals. I'll never forget being able to pet a lemur! read more

Austin Aquarium - Lizard - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

The price to enter the aquarium is reasonable. Once you start adding interactions with the animals well it's pricey. Keep in mind that animals have different times they nap or are not allow to interact with humans and employees do not give you any information. They just allow you to purchase tickets and no refund. That was a bummer. Cool to experience once but not a return for us. read more

Austin Aquarium - Kissing booth - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

Staff were very friendly but you definitely have to know that this is a strip mall aquarium. Looks like maybe the location used to be a Party City or... regardless seems like they take good care of the animals and neat that you get to pet and feed them... but definitely NOT a destination aquarium... read more

Insanely overpriced, weird vibe. I took 4 kids there. ($80) Then you buy "tokens" that are used to buy food for the animals or go in their areas. It starts at $14 for 5 tokens. I bought 10 tokens ($27). A small Gatorade is $4. (Of course, there are no water fountains.) Lots of junk you can buy, all overpriced. No refunds on unused tokens. My kids wanted to see the lemurs, which is 4 tokens per person. So I bought 10 more tokens (another $27) and we waited for 40 minutes for them to be able to see the lemurs. Then I was informed that because two of the kids are under 9 years old they had to be accompanied by a paying adult. I didn't even want to go in. It looked gross. They said it was necessary for me to pay to go in "for safety reasons." Apparently my extra $12 on top of what I'd already spent was going to ensure some kind of safety standard. I will NEVER go back to this place. I wish I'd read the reviews before going. I don't really know anything about animals and zoos, but it definitely has a weird vibe. The Dallas Zoo is cheaper and actually cares about the animals and educating the public. read more

We came here about three years ago - my how things have changed! They have added several new exhibits, all of them with interactive features. We did the lemur, octopus and cayman experiences. These experiences allow you to get hands on and up close and personal with the animals. They cost extra, about $9 a $12 per person but are totally worth it! Ryan was amazing during our encounter with Hank the octopus It is apparent that he and all the other employees we met love their job. Everyone was knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic. My 10-year old son is attending home school and we used this as a field trip. It was not only fun for him but a wonderful learning experience. I would recommend coming here on a week day so you are guaranteed to do more encounters with the animals. They have a sloth exhibit coming soon and will be getting more lemurs. We will definitely be back to check out what's new! There is a Groupon for 50% off two adult entries and if you check in on Yelp they have a discount off of 10 tokens. Tokens are used for encounters and feeding the animals. read more

See all

I have been to many aquariums and I like taking my gf to them because she loves her aquatic animals. This one is by far the weirdest one and the worst one I've been to. We bought our tickets off of Groupon and we were a little thrown off by the cheap price. We were able to get 2 adult tickets for under $25 and we were surprised and excited to be fair for the good deal. Upon arriving we saw that it was located in a strip mall next to a Salvation Army. I think it might have actually been as big as the Salvation Army next door. Knowing the small size, we walked in and the first thing that hit us was the stench. It smelt like a zoo but it was a constant bc everything is under one roof. We soon realize that the reason was because of the copious amount of birds they have in their cages. All you can hear is the birds squawking and cawing throughout. All of the cages for the animals seemed really small and tight, especially for displays like their koi tank where there were like 200 or so squished in half a tank. Their lemur cage too was over crowded with them all sitting on top of each other. A big thing to note about this place was the fact that when they say interactive, they really mean interactive. More than half of their displays were interactive whether that meant, feeding them with food capsules, petting the animals, or even holding them. Some of the usual ones like feeding/petting the stingrays, having parrots perch on your arm, or petting the iguana seemed more like normal staples of aquariums/zoos. The problem comes out really when you make almost every tank an interactive feeding opportunity. All the fish become pressed against the wall waiting for you and they all looked hungry and just not in good condition. I saw many instances of kids using the learned instinct of the clownfish, koi, or other fish coming up to the edge of the tank as an opportunity to touch or even grab them. On top of that, the interactive exhibits, where they hand the animals to you to let you hold and pet, like the lemur exhibit and other exhibits like that just felt really exploitive overall. Sloths need their sleep too and I don't think they should be profiting $40 a person trying to get their sloth to eat off of customer's hands, and crawl around. On a side note, we drove around back on the way to park our car and we saw a couple of small built-in cages behind the building. I saw another review stating they saw animals in there and the fact that they use outdoor cages for these animals when it's a 100+F on the regular here is ridiculous and cruel. TL;DR This whole aquarium overall just felt as an excuse to exploit animals. A lot of the animals looked malnourished and jump at the chance to be fed. The exhibits were unnecessarily "over-Interactive" and it leads to abuse towards the animals. Me and my gf just walked 20-30mins through the exhibits instead of paying $2 per token to participate in the interactive exhibits. I guess you do get what you pay for. read more

I'm originally from Chicago and I'd visit the Shedd Aquarium often growing up. When I moved to Houston I was disappointed in the Downtown Aquarium because it was one big restaurant that happened to have some aquatic creatures and a random tiger. We recently moved to Austin and we wanted to take a break from unpacking boxes so we made a visit to the Austin Aquarium with our kids ages 11y and 18m (without looking at the reviews). Admission is $14.95 for adults and $9.95 for kids at the door. If you buy them online tickets they're$11.95 for adults and $6.95 for kids. I ended up finding a coupon code via ValPak for more savings and bought them online. Let's be fair people. It's in a shopping mall and the tickets are (or can be) pretty cheap. Did you think you would see Shamu or a great white shark? I sure didn't. You're going to see salt water and fresh water fish and yes a million koi fish (lol). But you know what else you'll get to see? Smiles on your kids' faces from the excitement of feeding a variety of fish and even birds. If there's happy then I'm happy! My nose did flare up from a strong scent of fish as we walked in the door, but again...you're at an aquarium...that's in a shopping mall. Don't expect to spend an entire afternoon there, but do expect to be treated like family! Everyone we met from the managers to the volunteer staff were AWESOME. Hannah was super sweet and friendly. My youngest went straight to her and even stayed with her for a good 30 minutes to feed the birds and the old turtle. In fact, she didn't want to be put down when it was time to go. I'll be taking the kids again. read more

See all

We visited three years ago and have not been back. I grew up in Seattle Washington - home to an exceptional aquarium. This place even calling itself an "aquarium" is an insult to real aquariums everywhere. Two stars only because young children can still have fun with the touch tanks. Other than that - avoid this place. read more

The only word for this place is depressing. My boyfriend was in town & we were looking for something to do. I remember going here when i was younger and not being a huge fan but we decided to give it another try just to see. We paid $50 for two people- general admission. You would think that since you payed $50 the animals would have big enclosures- no. All of the enclosures are so small, every animal looks SO sad, and every exhibit has a sign taped to it with a number of "tokens" you can purchase to feed or touch the animals. Some of the reptiles & amphibians didn't even have enough room to turn around in their enclosures. The entire place is just a huge money grab and it seems that the animals are poorly cared for. Should be shut down. read more

I've been here a handful of times now. A couple for school field trips and a couple times with my own children. I LOVE that teachers get in free, because it definitely is a little bit pricey for a family. It's great that everything is so hands on. It's a bummer that a tiny little thing of feed is $3 ($4/10) but you have to get the feed for the experience. I love the sting rays. My son loved the birds. I couldn't get him out of the enclosure. The staff are really nice and very helpful. They walk around with snakes, lizards, birds and turtles that you can touch. read more

So much fun! Love this hands-on experience of so many animals. Lots to see, touch and experience! read more

See all

...this was a pretty horrible experience. Our Girl Scout troop paid really good money to stay overnight and sleep with the sharks. The shark tank was basically about waist high and incredibly disappointing. But what was more disappointing was the fact that all the girls were set up to sleep on a hard, smelly floor only to be invaded by cockroaches. Needless to say we did not stay the night and we all left about 2 1/2 hours after getting there. read more

My girlfriend got bit in the face by a lemur and then when asked about it by a reporter they blamed her not following the rules. This is not true. Don't give this place your money read more

I was skeptical about this place given its location in a strip mall, but wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. I could not have run out of there fast enough. I would have given it 0 stars if that was an option. Here is a rundown of my experience: 1. The smell was off putting when we entered and seeing the condition of the enclosures, I'm not surprised. The space was dirty and the building looked like it was crumbling. 2. The first thing we encountered after paying was one of the large birds in the open space with no supervision and it's droppings around the floor. 3. The next thing I noticed was the makeshift electrical throughout the space. There is no possible way this is up to code. I thought at any moment someone was going to get electrocuted or a fire would break out. 4. As others have mentioned, the treatment of the animals was distressing. Many of the fish tanks looked overfilled and most of the interactive exhibits had no supervision. Even the ones that did, it was like a free for all. 5. As we were walking through, construction workers were carrying drywall through the already small and overcrowded space. Didn't seem like an ideal time to add to the chaos with construction in the gift shop. Nor did it seem appropriate for workers to carry their construction materials through the exhibit hall. 6. There were huge metal racks laying around the floor of the gift shop, again adding to the chaos. I could barely find a path through with my stroller and 3 year old. I've been to several other aquariums in other parts of the country (Long Beach, Chicago, Monterey) that offer clean, safe environments for both the animals and visitors. The Austin Aquarium was one of the saddest animal environments I've seen in a long time. In fact, I think it is sham that it's even promoted as "The Austin Aquarium." This place felt more like the setting of a horror film, not one of the primary zoological facilities in the capital of Texas. Do not spend your money here. I wish I could get my $30 and 45 minutes back. read more

Austin Aquarium - One example of the exposed wiring throughout the space. - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

They have lots of opportunities to interact with animals. The animals are well looked after and the caretakers take every precaution to make sure the animals are treated kindly and handled safely. It can be an expensive experience but it's well worth it and deserved for the care and attention the animals receive. read more

See all

My teen daughters and I really enjoyed this place. Was skeptical when we pulled up because the location is a bit odd but where pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was nice inside and the animals all seem to be well taken care of, well except maybe the octopus because the tank he was in seemed a bit small. There was sting rays that you can reach in and touch, either crocodiles or alligators (not sure) as well, a very cute and giant tortoise and so much more. My daughter loved it so much she is thinking about volunteering. read more

See all

This place is PERFECT! LOTS to keep you entertained for a couple hours or so. Make sure you do the animal encounters, they are great! We got to pet and interact with a Kangaroo and Lemurs. Fed lettuce to LOTS of lizards/Iguanas and turtles. Just the right size and the staff is so friendly. Cody made our visit extra special and was very courteous, as well as was all the staff. Great little gift shop at the entrance/exit. Pricing was good and parking is ample. Don't hesitate GO!! read more

See all

I can't say I wasn't warned. I read the reviews and had some idea of what I was walking into. But I still took my daughters. To sum up- disorganized, sad, and unclean. I waited 5 minutes after walking in to even be acknowledged to pay the entrance fee. Three people standing there with 2 iPads while multiple people waited to pay. Once in, we were confused about which animals you were allowed to touch/not touch. We assumed that the aquariums that had paper towels or sinks by them (with empty soap dispensers) were ones we could put our hands in...? There were many exhibits that had no marking as to what animal was in there. I had read there were mermaids we could see- the only mermaid we found charged one token ($3) to put a glitter tattoo on each of my daughters. If they had any that were supposed to in the water, I don't know where they would have been- there isn't a single tank large enough for a human to swim in. I think what was the hardest part for me was seeing how unhappy the animals obviously were. We saw one lizard (Komodo Dragon? Couldn't tell you- wasn't marked) scratching the glass trying to get out. I think that it's great people are allowed to be hands on and pet many of the animals, but at the same time is sad to see how these animals have been treated. There just weren't enough employees to monitor. There are two different sections you can walk in with the birds- we paid one token ($3) to get a small plastic cup the birds would eat from. We had several around us (warning- be prepared to get pooped on. I got hit about 4 times), but as soon as the food was gone so were the birds. We went to the second area where there was no one sitting and finally had to get the attention of the girl working there, since she was too busy on her phone to notice people waiting to enter. Bottom line- don't waste your money. I'm from the Dallas area- up here we have an AMAZING aquarium that definitely loves and protects their animals, and only for a few dollars more per person. I feel like I just spent a ton of money to go to a filthy pet store. Save yourself. read more

You know what, this place deserves a break. Sure it isn't the shedd aquarium in Chicago, but what made our day is the enthusiasm of it's employees, especially the dude tending the sharks. A must if you have little ones. The birds landing on you was a great experience as well. read more

See all

We had a great visit at the Austin Aquarium! If you don't compare it to other, large fancy aquariums - you can appreciate our hometown aquarium for what it is - and what it will become over the years. The highlight of our visit was one of the staff who came over and shared his vast knowledge and first hand experience. I wish I caught his name. Learning about "Chuck" (Norris) the mantis shrimp was astounding. Hearing about the coral reefs, the rocks and poisonous fish blew my mind. We also loved the stingray tank, feeding the stingray, touching them...and the sharks too! All around fun visit... I look forward to future visits to see how the salt water tanks fill out. read more

Austin Aquarium - Near an outlet at the flying stingray tank. .. - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

This was an unexpected fun visit. Wish I spent more time feeding the sharks, fished, turtles tortoises and birds. Kids loved this place of course. We didn't get to hang out with the lemurs this time....on the next visit. Everybody was friendly and helpful... love the atmosphere and kid approved. We will be back Austin! read more

See all

Cool hidden aquarium inside a strip mall. No it's not a joke. The aquarium is actually pretty large once you step inside. I feel the entry fee and the tokens are a bit pricey, but it does take some funds to house these aqua-life. Long live little mermaids and aqua man! I do like that you can touch these animals and they have really knowledgeable staff working to answer questions. The bathrooms are clean and good live tours so you can have some close encounters with creatures, birds, turtles and such. Not a bad get away if you have kids and want to spend a few/billion hours of entertainment. Splash on! Pro tip, if you don't spend all your coins on close encounters, you can exchange them for gifts at the shop. read more

If only there were zero stars as an option. We spent wayyyyy too much money for a very sad experience. The website made it sound like you needed coins to do most of the activities. Not at all true. We bought way too many coins to get the online deal. The entire place was dilapidated and sad. Not at all what I expected for what we paid. Even if it's in an old building, you could at least make it clean. It's definitely just thrown together in the shell of a closed grocery store. The most upsetting part of the entire visit was the unprofessional employees. While we were walking around one employee was scolding another that he had a snake out that was not to be out and touched by people. My children had just touched and interacted with it! Very upsetting. Save your money. There are so many great things in Austin and this isn't one of them. read more

Wish they had more hand washing stations that were easier to access for the kiddos. Overall staff isfantastic and live their knowledge of the animals. read more

Austin Aquarium - Glitter tattoo - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

Probably my favorite aquarium i've ever visited. I love how interactive it is compared to all the other aquariums i've been to. We got to hang out with the lemurs, pet an octopus, and hang out with the kangaroos. Ryan, was very helpful and friendly. He knew a lot about the animals and made it a really fun time. read more

Austin Aquarium - Lemur - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

First of all DO NOT BELIEVE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS!! I wish I could give you 10 stars. I am a nanny and I took the 2 year old girl I care for to the aquarium today, we had a wonderful time!! Don't go expecting to see sea world or something humongous. The aquarium is very small, but what they lack in size they make up for in customer service( everyone was absolutely wonderful and great with kids! And great with me because I turn into a kid when I'm around animals) also the great hands-on experience. For $10 you can get four containers of shrimp to hand feed the sting rays and sharks or four containers of honey water for the birds! You can also pet the iguanas, star fish or the other fish that'll let you :) I had such a great time and wish it were a little closer so that I could go there every day. We will definitely be back and I am so happy that we were able to go today! Thank you to everyone who made our experience so enjoyable. From the front desk all the way to the wonderful girl who hung out with us in the bird house. read more

Austin Aquarium - You can pet the star fish! Use only Two fingers please! - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love this little aquarium!! We went twice because it was really cool. Took our 6 month there and she loved looking at all the animals. It's not too big, but it's still enjoyable! We got tokens to feed the fish, stingray, baby sharks and crocodile. The tokens are separate from the entrance fee. I would recommend checking in on yelp, if you get tokens because they give $5 off, when you get 25. You guys should check it out :) read more

See all

Whoever thinks this is a wonderful place needs to get the facts about how these animals are mistreated and abused. They don't get medical treatment they need, they're kept in horribly cramped quarters, they're forced to interact with humans even after they've bitten some from being scared. Most of these animals would never be forced to interact with adults or over-zealous children if this h*ll-hole wasn't open. read more

I had a great time at the Austin Aquarium! I went with a small group for a seven month birthday celebration for my son. It was around $12 to get in I think, but you can buy tickets online and save $2 (which we did). They have so many different kinds of fish! Our favorite was the stingray tank, where you can buy food to feed them - they get close enough to touch. They also have non-sea creatures, like birds and snakes, which was a nice surprise. The gift shop was cute and they have lots of fun things for kids to do along the way (a photo booth, a mermaid to take pics with, a playscape, coin press, etc.) People who left bad reviews need to not be so snobby and remember it's so new and is still being completed. We had a great afternoon. If you want a Dallas caliber aquarium go live in Dallas! read more

Austin Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been to a lot of aquariums, I really like them, a lot of them help out animals or rehabilitate, but this one.... Kids are manhandling animals! Children should be taught to respect animals. There is a mermaid too, but what about the quality of the water that she is sitting in?? The animals are living in squalor, and I can't believe people call themselves "animal lovers" and just assume that the animals are well cared for when you can clearly see by the conditions they are in that they are not... I just wanted to cry! Please don't go here. read more

Had a great time! Particularly enjoyed the stingray tank-you can pet and feed them! They have lemur encounter that is fantastic. The staff set this place aside from any aquarium I have ever been to. Very hands on-which made it different. read more

Austin Aquarium - Lemurs! - Aquariums Near Me - Austin, Texas