It's not a bad aquarium. Most of the exhibits are wonderfully designed and well maintained. My only gripe was the sea lion exhibit, which is pretty small. The sea lions swim in the same pattern on an endless loop. It's not the type of aquarium that is focused on conservation efforts like Sea Life .(@ American dream mall, totally recommend the behind-the-scenes pass) The touch tank creatures are wild caught from NJ, not rescues like Sea Life. I understand and value the education purpose behind displaying these animals, but I really don't think it's good to take animals from the wild that don't need to be rehabilitated. Again...It's an attraction meant to gain profits like every other thing down the shore. It's not a fault of the workers at all, who are very educated and clearly love their jobs. They also have some other animals there like birds and monkeys. I can't speak on the suitability of their enclosures. Overall, it's a great experience if you can look past the small issues. I myself am an avid ocean and marine life lover, so it's hard to not feel guilty about these wonderful creatures being kept in captivity. If you have kids or are just looking for something to do down the shore on a rainy day, this is the place! read more

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We visited for my daughter's birthday, and overall we had a nice time. First, I have to say I loved the entire Jenkinson's area. It was our first time visiting, and it's such a cute place to spend the day. The aquarium itself was nice, but it was much smaller than I expected. I had read online that most people spend 1-2 hours there, but we were able to see everything in about 45 minutes. Because of its size, I wouldn't recommend making a special trip just for the aquarium. However, if you're already planning to spend the day on the boardwalk or enjoy the other attractions, it's a worthwhile stop. One thing I really appreciated was that they allow re-entry. We were able to leave, grab something to eat, and come back in time to watch the shark feeding, which was a nice perk. Overall, it's a pleasant little aquarium, but I expected more. read more

This aquarium continues to improve every time I visit. There are so many large tanks to look at. They have both saltwater and freshwater species. The second floor has monkeys and parrots. There are also penguins. You can go in and out as many times as you want each day with a stamp. One note of advice: if you go during the summer months, try to go after 12 noon. There were many camp kids when I arrived at around 10:30. read more

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While visiting the New Jersey this mid April (2026), my wife and I decided to visit this aquarium. This aquarium is very popular to take young ones, when visiting the boardwalk. This is considered a very small aquarium but it is perfect for young children. The more popular attractions are the feeding of the penguins and seals It is also a sanctuary for sea animal rescues. There is a very cool large tank which features sharks, stingrays, grouper and other large and small fish There are other tanks filled with frogs, turtles, snakes and other creatures. There is a small tank that allows children to pet some small crabs and fish. Overall, it takes about 30-45 minutes to walk through the aquarium. At the end of the tour is a small souvenir shop. There are clean restrooms and water fountains inside the aquarium. It was fun to see the excited and curious faces of the young children. I highly recommend this aquarium for young families and the young at heart. read more

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What a lovely aquarium and activities to do. Reasonably priced for families. Stamps available to re-enter. Highly recommend. read more

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I was honestly really impressed with Jenks. Based on other reviews I was expecting less, so this was a really pleasant surprise. Sure this is a small aquarium, but there's still lots to see and do. You can easily spend 2 hours walking around and checking everything out. It's a great way to spend a day by the beach in the winter - especially if it's sunny out so you can walk the boardwalk after. Anyways, back to the aquarium! My kids (2.5 and 4.5) had a blast. We loved watching the seal feeding and the penguin feeding. There were so many fish and reptiles to check out, and even some land animals like little monkeys and parrots. There are some seriously impressive sharks, jellyfish, sea horses, turtles. I could go on and on. A special highlight was also seeing a real life Axolotl - my girls have been obsessed with this animal lately. We got here close to opening so it wasn't hard to find a spot. I'm sure it can be mayhem if you come on a summer beach day! The gift shop at the end was cute, but don't get lured by the low prices. I got my girls each a plastic mermaid for $5 (felt low for a gift shop) but everything cracked and broke after a few minutes of play time. This was a perfect little activity for my kids, and I could definitely see us coming back again. read more

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Great aquarium not only is it clean it's also very informative. I see the staff is great with kids. I enjoy going everytime I go

If you have young kids (10 and younger) I definitely recommend bringing them here. Our family came here on a sunny Sunday afternoon and was able to enjoy all exhibits in under 2 hours. Toddlers are free, and tickets for children and adults are reasonable. For a small aquarium, they a good variety of different sea and land animals. read more

Even though this aquarium is the size of a postage stamp, it's still really cute. Honestly it's the perfect size if you want to take your toddler there, since you can see everything and they won't get overwhelmed. The animals seem well cared for and it's mostly well maintained. The recently renovated upstairs was just re-opened and it looks lovely up there, with a nice view of the seals and a good mix of land and sea creatures. I will say it's kind of overpriced considering the minuscule size and it would probably take an adult all of 15 minutes to see everything, so just be aware of that. My son loves it here, so I'm sure to be back. read more

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A little aquarium on the boardwalk!! What an idea!!! Even it's small, it has good amount of stuff you can see!!! There's seal and penguin feeding in the morning and at night, if you go on the right day you can even see sharks feeding!! You can go in the morning, leave and go to the beach or do some boardwalk thing, and go back again!! They open till late at night, so you can go in as many time as you want!!! They even have a sloth, and 3 axolotls!!! I was soooo excited about these axolotl!!! I always wanted to see one and I got to see it!!! They also have a nice little gift shop next to it!!! You can always get some cool gift there!!! read more

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I came here for the first time last weekend and had a very pleasant experience. There was a lot to see such as penguins, sting rays, sharks, turtles, etc. it was only $18 admission and I found that very reasonable. I like how it is open at all times not just during the summer. The staff was very nice, I had a basketball that I won on the boardwalk and they let me hold my ball up front at the desk so that I didn't have to carry it as I explored the aquarium. Also, you're allowed to come in and out all day until closing. This is great especially for bathroom use. My only complaint is that the first floor was so so hot it was unbearable. Only the second floor had air conditioning. read more

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Amazing aquarium with many good exhibits. I've been to many aquariums all over the country. This was a little smaller than some others, but had very well set up exhibits. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - Aquarium entrance - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

Much smaller than I expected and was a little underwhelmed by the size of the tanks...but, for the size they have, they had some interesting animals to see (both land and sea). The staff was nice and there are interactive sessions (eg, seal and penguin feedings) where you get to see them eat and learn more from one of their staff members. The marmoset was actually one of our favorite ones. The seals they have were rescued as they wouldn't be able to survive in the wild, so their mission is good and for that, they deserve a visit to support them! read more

Felt a lot smaller than I expected, but for a boardwalk-style aquarium, it actually surprised me in a good way. There's a decent variety of fish, amphibians, and even some mammals. The kids were super excited to see the sharks, stingrays, and seals, and they loved watching the penguin feeding. The staff was really friendly and knowledgeable, which made the experience even better. Also, the place was very clean--no strong aquarium smell at all. Because of its smaller size, you won't spend a ton of time here, but it's definitely a fun little stop to keep the kids entertained for a while. read more

What a cute aquarium ! Right on Jenkinson's boardwalk and with plenty of parking , this aquarium was really cute . It is small but entertaining. I went with my 3 year old and she loved it. The decor is nice , they have a good variety of animals and some photo ops. I would say to definitely stop by at least once if you're in the area. They have some promotions going on and do military discount. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

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Super small aquarium on the boardwalk I guess for rainy days? The stars are sharks, penguin and seals. They also have a sloth. You can cover all grounds in less than 10 mins. There's a penguin, seal and shark feeding. Shark feeding only 3 days per week. There's also an area where they explain sea animals to the kids and let them touch them (starfish) and the there's a big gift shop. Kid of wish they make the exhibit a little bigger and the gift shop a little smaller. They have a good selection of fish and is about half the price of the aquarium in Camden but it's also a lot smaller. There was a long line all day long, they must be doing something right. They stamp your hand so you can go back anytime during the day though I don't know why you would unless you miss a feeding and want to go back at a later time. read more

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We were initially hesitant on making the trip to an aquarium located on a boardwalk (it appeared to be a whimsical idea to just slap this type of venue between arcades and food & beverage stalls), but glad that we ultimately chose to go. The Jenkinson's Aquarium is a gem of the Point Pleasant beach area. The pricing is comparably less than what you would pay at Adventure Aquarium (Camden) and Sea Life (American Dream Mall, Secaucus); we spent around $58 on admission for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children). For the sake of ease and proximity, we parked in the medium-sized lot (the parking spaces are a bit tight and the lot itself will fill up quick, although there appeared to be a decent throughput of these spaces) right behind the venue for $15. Overall, the experience you get at Jenkinson's Aquarium arguably exceeds what you're paying for. As identified by others, it is a smaller aquarium. However, it makes up for its size with the variety of unique exhibits that surprises you as you round each corner. We found ourselves circling back quite a few times just to view the different species of aquatic life; compared to some of the bigger aquariums we visited around the nation, we surprisingly spent quite a bit of time in this aquarium as opposed to breezing right through. The aquarium had a perfect ratio of different animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) that appeared to be perfectly situated around the premise; the floor design was effective and made most of the "small" size. The Jenkinson' Aquarium had over a dozen unique animals (to include some Jersey natives) that we have not seen in any other aquarium around the nation which was perfect and ideal for this New Jersey landmark. The added bonus to Jenkinson's Aquarium is its effort to raise awareness on environmental stewardship and conservation. A good amount of the animals at Jenkinson's Aquarium are rescued/rehabilitated, which helped produce a unique identity for the exhibits. The staff were also incredibly friendly and informative which is a breath of fresh air on the Jersey shore. Jenkinson's Aquarium is definitely worth the trip - make this your destination and walking the boardwalk an afterthought! read more

whoever the nasty old woman at the front desk is with the dark brown hair should be fired. I went in here with my service animal showed all the correct documentation and she questioned what my disability was and why I needed the dog. clearly she is uneducated and doesn't know that's illegal to ask. It wasn't even worth arguing with this idiotic woman so we decided to give our money elsewhere and will let everyone know what terrible people they have working here. She also questioned my documentation and told me it was fake. Just because a disability isn't visible to the eye doesn't mean it's not there!!! My disability has been quite challenging for me as i recently Just got diagnosed and this was one of my first times out with my service dog so to be questioned and basically sent away was very upsetting to me. Screw this place I hope you find better staff in the future read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium is a privately owned facility located on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. They opened in June of 1991, The Jenkinson's Aquarium has proven to be a valuable educational and recreational resource, as evidenced by its growing popularity. The aquarium is dedicated to educating the public on all aspects of marine life and conservation. Each exhibit is designed to promote awareness of the animals, their habitats and conservation. Exhibits such as Atlantic sharks, Pacific sharks, coral reefs, penguins, and seals give you the opportunity to get up close to animals from around the globe. Another attraction, the touch tank, allows visitors to touch live animals ranging from a sea star to a sting ray, which my granddaughter loved. At certain times, they have watch feeding the seals, watch feeding the sharks... at two different times on Wednesdays they have Magical Mermaids ‍ in the water for the young crowds. We went and it was Christmas in July, so We arrived just in time to see Santa with some of the sea animals and just in time to watch the seals be fed. There are two levels, so if you have strollers , you need to keep them on the first floor and walk your little ones up the stairs. The have only a handicapped elevator for a wheelchair. And to exit, you leave through a really nice gift shop. read more

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First time going into the aquarium although we have walk past it many times! It's small but we loved it. It was my grown daughter and I. We took our time and really enjoyed looking at the sharks, sting rays, penguins, crabs etc. The decor is cool with the big pirate ship in the middle. It was also very clean and nice the way it was set up. Nice gift shop as well. read more

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Cute little aquarium! We love watching the seals and penguins. Even when crowded it's still a nice place to see unusual species and learn some new thing. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - Seals - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

Boo for still sharing full Price when your entire second floor is shut down. The first floor is still sweet though. read more

Very wonderful aquarium on the boardwalk. We were on the fence about going, but were so glad we decided to visit. It's the perfect size and has a wide variety of sea creatures and other animals (a monkey & sloth!). Be sure to catch the feedings for the seals, penguins and sharks. Extremely clean and well-kept. Highly recommended for all ages, but especially good for families with kids 10 and under. read more

Cute aquarium but very small, I do not suggest bringing a carriage since there is barely any room Unless you go on an off day. There is no elevator for strollers. We were in and out in 30 minutes. read more

Great aquarium on the boardwalk Covid protocols enforced Small but cute Affordable Staff is friendly and helpful You're allowed to pay and come back as long as you have a wrist band. Has a cute gift shop Wish it was a little brighter in the there and had more to see. But I think my 1 year old enjoyed the tanks for sure. Will definitely come back at some time during the summer. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

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This is a great spot for young kids. It is still open during the pandemic, so if you are able to go out and about, get over to the aquarium. Most exhibits are still open, although the touch exhibits are understandably closed. This aquarium has a full suite of fish to admire. There are also more active animals like sharks, seals, turtles, and penguins! The penguins are near the end and were a big hit with my 2 year-old. I do not remember the price of admission but it was affordable. There is a gift shop when you exit as well with lots of goodies for kids. Also a shot glass for me. (Hey I collect them ok??!) It's nice that the aquarium is here as a backup for days when the beach weather is less than ideal. or you can get out of the sun for a couple hours before heading back out there. Either way, its a great option. read more

This is a very cute little aquarium! We have come to this boardwalk many times, but this is the first time that we came here. They really do pack a ton of stuff into a very small space! I grew up going to the Brooklyn aquarium and other large well known ones, and yeah they don't have a crazy amount of features, but they pack a ton of features in a tiny space. This is the first aquarium that we took my son to. He was captivated by the fish for a few seconds lol! When he gets older he will appreciate it more. Sadly due to covid, the touch tank was closed... But we had a nice time watching all the different types of fish swim by. We also really enjoyed the penguins! They were very cute. They also have a second floor with a few birds and other small animals. The staff was very friendly! They were also very helpful. They took a nice family picture of us with the penguins. We didn't get a chance to ask many questions because of my son, but one day! The aquarium is also very clean! It was a bit dark inside, but from what I could see, it was clean. They also had a hand wash station upstairs and hand sanitizer stations all over the place. All in all a very cute aquarium! If you are on the boardwalk and have an hour or so, it is a great place to spend that hour! I cant wait till my kid is older to experience this better. read more

I came in with a friend and her 3 year old daughter around 11 am in late December. Being the week of winter break, there were more families than I would suspect during any other winter week, but it was definitely not overcrowded which we appreciated. I haven't been to this aquarium since I was a child, and didn't know what to expect. For a three year old it was good. Enough to see with a fair variety of fish, amphibians, mammals,etc. the space itself isn't small (there are two floors) but I tend to be a fan of larger aquariums, so I was a bit let down. Also, it was very dark inside..which eh, might bother you or might not. All in all it was a fair trip. Clean, accommodating and the animals looked to be in good shape. It was good for a day trip, but I will probably visit another aquarium in the future for the sake of trying something new. read more

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This is a fairly small aquarium but it worked perfect for our 1 year olds first aquarium trip. It wasn't too packed and we were able to walk at our own pace. Lots of fish to see and they even had some sea lions. It was nice and quiet inside as well. Great atmosphere to take kids. They also have a cute gift shop at the end read more

I arrived at the boardwalk to meet family and was informed that we had tickets for the aquarium. I love aquariums so I was immediately excited, but had no idea what to expect. I've been to some cool aquariums around the country, but I have to say I was impressed by this one. It's not the biggest, but they really pack a lot into this space. Right when you come through the door you are at the touch tank with horseshoe crabs and rays. Take your time going through as there is areas you can miss. There are so many unique types of fish and sharks. They even have sea lions, turtles, penguins, and an octopus! You could easily spend hour here and if you need to take a break, you can come back in later if you get your hand stamped on the way out. Oh yeah, the kids loved it almost as much as I did haha! read more

Nice place to go but a little pricey. However enjoyable my granddaughter, and I go a few times a year. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - One of the things and I say things because there more then just fish - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

What an upgrade! Last time I was here I recall walking through this aquarium in a matter of 15-20 mins and our highlight was feeding the pirahnas. This time around it took us about an hour to an hour in a half to complete and our highlight was just about everything. The aquarium is consisted of two floors with various animals from under the sea sharks to an on land owl. I did notice a few animals that seemed to have been injured/ill such as the seals. Turns out they were stranded on shore and rescued; yet, due to its blindness its best to not release them. Therefore, although I am not an animal expert, these seals seemed way better in this aquarium's habitat versus in the wild. Look on their website to adopt an animal. Adoption comes with a fun kit that kids and all animal lovers will love! Pricing is reasonable. $14 for adults, $8 for children and $9 for seniors. Arrive an hour prior for half off admission. Dine at Oceanside Dining on Fridays between 5-7pm, each adult spending $20 receives 50% off a kids meal and a free admission to the aquarium. read more

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Aquarium lovers here, we were not expecting much from a private aquarium but we were blown out of the water (pun intended). Creatures were all very healthy, tanks were clean or actively being cleaned while we watched. Good variety of creatures and lots of staff were around to answer our questions. Would definitely recommend to everyone to visit. read more

Though small any Aquarium is awesome to visit. A few interactive activities to do. It was fun watching the penguin feeding. I think they did a great job with this place. read more

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First time going back to Jenkinson's, I only remember coming when I was a little girl. Recently went on a date here, perfect date idea honestly. The place was clean, a little crowded, but overall cute. The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. The animals were beautiful to look at, it is a small building. Only two small floors. If you want something with a lot to do then this isn't the place for you, but if you love learning and interacting with animals this is a great place to go. Plus side is that it's right by the boardwalk. We were also lucky to see a small show with the macaws and a sloth! Overall a pretty good experience if you're an animal lover or want to chill from the boardwalk. Price was reasonable. $14 each for adults. read more

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Not a huge aquarium, but a lot of fun facts and fish as well as other animals from all around to see!

Kids will LOVE it here! Need a break from the boardwalk and the heat?? The Aquarium is a great place to go inside and cool off while learning and checking out the animals! Inside is not as big as other aquariums I've been too but they've got a good amount of animals to check out! Lots of fish, sharks, stingrays, penguins and even a sloth was there! Snakes, crocodiles, turtles and more! They've got different tanks where you can pet the animals.. like the sting rays. Jut be careful to read the signs where it says to only dip your arm up until your wrists. There were many people excited and stuck their whole arm haha, but someone was there to correct them right away. You can spend a good hour or 2 inside, depending on how fast you go or how much info you want to read, but definitely a nice break from the crowded boardwalk! Not an aquarium I would go out of my way to visit, but great if you're at the boardwalk. read more

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This is a very nice spot to visit on the boardwalk of point pleasant. Admission was affordable and I couldn't complain. The tanks all look beautiful and it's more than just an aquarium as they had a few reptiles and birds as well. You can re-enter the aquarium as well if you wanted to enjoy the rest of the boardwalk and then come back a second time. Staff is also very friendly and invites you to ask questions about the animals. read more

Jenkinson's Aquarium - I forget the name of these fish but they were the most interesting thing I saw during my visit. - Aquariums Near Me - Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

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Great aquarium for the price! It's two levels of different sea creatures. They have a touch tank for rays. We did the entire thing in about an hour and fifteen minutes. You are able to come and go throughout the day, which is awesome and they have a great gift shop. Great place to spend the afternoon with kids as they get to explore the different kind of sea species. Staff was great too! read more

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The employees are what make this aquarium an exceptional experience! They are friendly, knowledgeable, and wonderful with kids, even putting scientific information into simpler language for them. We had no less than three meaningful interactions with employees that helped our seven-year-old understand penguins, seals, and axolotls better and answer all his questions. If you are curious and willing to engage them, they are a wealth of additional knowledge. Definitely get there right when it opens and see the morning seal and penguin feedings! read more