It was my first time visiting this aquarium with my family. They have private parking for customers which was great. They have so many exhibits it's hard to see in one day with a toddler. I can't wait to visit again and take time to see everything. Next to come in the morning. I just wish the souvenirs weren't so expensive. read more

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I haven't been to the New York Aquarium in over 20 years (damn, that made me feel realllyyy old)! I remember coming as a kid and always loved it there. It seemed like such a huge place. Back then, they had dolphins, beluga whales and it was so cool (but also pretty sad, now as an adult thinking back). Today, the aquarium is pretty underwhelming. It's definitely a lot smaller than what I remembered, and there seemed to be a lot of empty exhibits (as of May 2026). The coolest new addition was probably the shark exhibit, which is a tunnel tank, so you'll see sharks swimming above you. We got there right after it had opened at 10, so not too many people were there yet. By the time we finished the sea lion show (started at 11), it was starting to get crowded. Luckily after that, we only had one more exhibit to visit + the gift shop, so we quickly finished up and got out of there. Parking is $18 for up to 3 hours but I heard there may be street parking nearby, if you're lucky. I did get free tickets, but I would have been mad if I had to pay $32.95 per person for this. I would say to go if you can get discounted tickets somehow but if not, I don't think it's worth it, and you're better off just spending the day at the boardwalk. read more

New York Aquarium - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We visited the New York Aquarium on Jun 26, 2025 as part of the Road Scholar's "American Mosaic - An NYC Exploration" program. Tickets were provided by our tour group. Parking isn't free, or cheap. We didn't have to worry about that since we took the subway. We started at Glover's Reef and slowly moved through Conservation Hall. By "we", I meant me. There was a lot of people, and they kept walking into my shots. That meant waiting and more waiting, but it was worth it. From Conservation Hall, I exited to an outdoor area known as Sea Cliff. This area housed the otters, sea lions and penguins. More on Sea Cliff later. I approached the Ocean Wonders: Sharks! building, went in, and was immediately greeted by the wonderful underwater glass tunnel. This was easily the most impressive gallery in the aquarium. Multitudes of marine creatures were swimming over my head with every step I took. It was breathtaking. The rest of Ocean Wonders was all about sharks... mostly. There were rays, turtles and other fishes too. Next was the Spineless and PlayQuarium building. The Spineless gallery was not impressive, with the spider crabs and the octopus being the only standouts. No sturgeons. The collection of fishes wasn't as impressive as Ocean Wonders or Conservation Hall. We bypassed the PlayQuarium and into the gift shop. Last but not least, the sea lions. They were adorable. I took some videos but am unable to post them here. They can be found in my YouTube channel @1Somber. Look for "2025-1: American Mosaic - An NYC Exploration" playlist, and the "Day 5: Sea Lions" video. Thankfully, we didn't have to pay for our tickets. If we had, I would insist on visiting the 4-D Theater and the Aquatheater. But we did not due to lack of time. We were given less than 2 hours and the time was almost up when we were done with the main exhibits. The New York Aquarium is definitely comparable with the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. The visit was enjoyable. It's worth visiting one time. read more

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Visitor rating: 4/5 | Local rating: 3/5 As a visitor, I really enjoyed this aquarium! I hadn't been in years, and it was great to see all the updates and changes. During my visit, I saw jellyfish, sea lions, seals, otters, penguins, fish, and sharks. There's plenty to see both indoors and outdoors. The aquarium also does a sea lion show twice a day, and there's a new sea tunnel where sharks and other sea life swim all around you--it's really cool! After your visit, you can walk along the boardwalk and explore the nearby area. I rated it lower as a local (3/5) because if the exhibits don't change often, it can feel a bit repetitive and less worth the price. Overall, a fun visit--I'll definitely be back. Check out the aquarium today! read more

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Just a fun place to visit for all ages. So many different species from the ocean, they really have made this place entertaining for school trips or family fun. The gift shops are really nice and affordable. A nice area for having lunch, bringing your own or purchasing snacks from the truck located on the premises. If not, it is located in Coney Island so you can find something. I wouldn't mind coming back with my teens and adult daughter. I'll give a thumb up and Happy Yelping! read more

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The only aquarium in nyc. Was super busy and you don't really want to spend too much time in each place, but it was still super cool and I enjoyed everything I saw. Ticket is kind of expensive. Right next to Coney Island and the subway. Would definitely recommend if you want to do something less touristy. read more

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Not sure why the New York Aquarium[1] has only 3 stars on Yelp, but I recently took my family there during a school break and we had a fantastic time. I had been to the New York Aquarium previously, but that was a long time ago, before the renovations following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and before the "Sharks!" tank and exhibit hall was built. At the time the aquarium was rather sad; I remember some of the tanks only had tiles on the floor. Well, I was pleasantly surprised as the aquarium is now pure awesomeness! All the different exhibits are really great. The "Ocean Wonders: Sharks!" exhibit is amazing, with a massive tank that hosts a lot of amazing creatures, not just sharks. The tunnel is great, and it has a smaller tunnel on the side which is great fun for kids. The Conservation Hall, the Spineless exhibit, and the PlayQuarium are all great. In the PlayQuarium kids have the chance to gently pet horseshoe crabs while learning about marine conservation. They let people in by family rather than by number, which is smart. The Sea Change exhibit tells the story of our changing climate and the effect it has on marine ecosystems and ocean life. The outdoor Sea Cliffs exhibit features sea lions, harbor seals, otters, and penguins. We also enjoyed the Sea Lion Celebration[2], which takes place outdoors in the Aquatheater. The MC was funny, the sea lions were awesome. The show is only 15 minutes, which is enough in my opinion, and it featured two sea lions and one harbor seal. The star of the show was Pickles the harbor seal! I was also pleasantly surprised by the cafeteria, which offered plenty of options and seating space both indoors and outdoors. The sandwich plus soup for $10 is a great deal. I also like that the aquarium offers many programs including school break camps, field trips, birthday parties, and even "Sharks After Dark" overnight sleepovers by the massive shark tank for families or groups. Also, reduced admission tickets are available on Wednesday afternoons--you can book them at 3pm the Monday before. If you live in Brooklyn, you may want to consider becoming a member. Membership will give you one year of admission to the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and the NY Aquarium. The Family Aquarium membership (2 adults, 4 children) is $165, and it pays for itself in just 2 visits for a family of 3. ----------------------------------- [1] The oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States. It was founded in Battery Park in Manhattan in 1896 and it moved to Coney Island in Brooklyn in 1957. [2] It takes place 3 times a day: 11am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm. read more

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Haven't been to this aquarium since I was in public school before college days. I remember eating school lunch in the aquarium with my classmates and that was pretty much it. I did not remember anything at all about this aquarium. Now that I returned back for the first time, everything is so new to me like I was in school. It felt like a school field trip with the teachers. Very boring. I did not read any of the descriptions of any fish because who remembers all those species? I only remember sharks, jellyfish, and piranha. I don't know the other names of those fish but they were colorful and different in size. Some of them had Frankenstein heads! The piranha stood out and had very red eyes. They did not move at all and were all next to each other. Really cool! Also I saw the sea lions but they were mostly hiding in the water so it was hard to get pictures unless I'm recording the water the whole time. So all in all this aquarium was just very small and it took me literally 2 hours to finish the whole aquarium. Then I saw some reviews and pictures and realized I missed out on the jellyfish. I guess next time. read more

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This is the oldest aquarium in the United States and it absolutely sucks! Hardly any seals/sea lions, only a few sharks, the facilities are old, glass hard to see through because they are so dirty. Very disappointing. The aquarium out in Riverhead is much nicer read more

We had a fantastic time at the New York Aquarium! Our 4 year old loved the underwater viewing, spineless exhibit and play area! read more

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The New York Aquarium right next to Coney Island ! This is another attraction that you can't miss. It's good to drop by after a hot day outside. Check in was a breeze they scan your qr code if you purchase tickets online and if you didn't you can put has it outside the entrance. Lots of different aquatic animals to see. The big ones are the sea lions and sharks. They have a live sea lions show look for the hours. You are seated outside, there are no shades to cover you so make sure to make your sunglasses or cap. Sharks and jellyfish are also a hit ! There are also live performances to kids on shark superhero, I thought that was pretty awesome. You can probably spend half a day wondering around the aquarium. Lots of food options outside. read more

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Came here for 3 PM free Wednesday. It really lifted my spirits. The jellyfish are mesmerizing. The seals are so fun. They have many impressive creatures like sharks, Japanese crabs, and penguins. Every section has its own building. Some really impressive walls of animals and fish tanks, which was so cool to see. read more

New York Aquarium - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The New York Aquarium is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, a non-profit that also runs all the zoos in New York City. The aquarium has its origins at Battery Park in 1896 and was relocated to Coney Island, opening in 1957. Most of the original building architecture still looks to be from the mid 1950's. The last time I had been to visit the aquarium was over 20 years ago, when I went as a chaperone for my son's 2nd grade class. Before that, I went with my 3rd grade class! Back then, the teachers could bring entire classes onto the subway for an hour long ride down to Coney Island. I remember buying an inch thick book describing many species of fish and aquatic animals that I pored through, memorizing the descriptions and wondering if I could be a marine biologist one day. It has not changed or expanded very much, with the main building housing most of the marine life, the shark tank building and the sea lion stadium (which used to also be the dolphin stadium). The large tank on the right as you come in from the main entrance used to house the beluga whales and they could be seen from the open top on the 2nd floor. The last of them were eventually moved to the Georgia aquarium for breeding and their tank was converted to a reef tank, which now has a giant 6' green moray eel as a resident, along with a giant puffer fish and other coral reef dwellers. The outside Sea Cliffs exhibits have the harbor seals, sea lions, sea otters and African penguins swimming in their individual areas. There is an entrance by the gift shop that allows you to see them swimming from below the surface. The sea lions love to come right up to the window, nose to nose with the kids. When you come out the other side, you are right next to the entrance to Ocean Wonders: Sharks! There is a water tunnel walking under the smaller sharks and rays, but further on is the giant tank where the larger sandbar and sand tiger sharks patrol over the groupers and stingrays. You might even spot a few of the nurse sharks down at the bottom. There is also the newest exhibit: Spineless, showcasing aquatic invertebrates like jellyfish, sea anemone, cuttlefish, octopus, starfish, spider crabs and a family of sea horses. There is even a rare, 1 in 30 million orange American Lobster. Don't miss the sea lion show at the Aquatheater stadium. There are 3 shows a day starting at 11am. You'll meet the trio of California sea lions: Bruiser, Townsend & Clark (sounds like a law firm), as they go through their training. You might even see the elderly Osborn leisurely cruising around the tank as the young'uns are showing off their moves, jumping in & out of the water and waving to the crowd. Pro-Tip: If you come early on a Sunday morning, all the metered street parking is free along Surf Ave and the side streets. They fill up fast when the rides in Luna Park and restaurants open. We parked right next to the Cyclone roller coaster on W 10th St and walked a block over to the entrance on the boardwalk. read more

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Look at all these fish in the aquarium! Are you having fun in the aquarium? I love it! read more

New York Aquarium - Seahorse are in the tank - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Booked free Wednesday 3-4pm tickets on Monday at 3pm for free. I haven't been here in a decade and it's definitely a lot better than back then. For a free ticket, it was a great time for me and my friend who was visiting. There was even a seal show at 4pm which was unexpected (sit on the left side if possible). The only con about the free ticket is the first room you start in where the fish are is very busy and cramped and if you can't really go back if you leave it for the end. Otherwise, seeing the sharks, otters (my personal favorite), seals, and penguins were great. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and would definitely come back with the free tickets. read more

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Great little place to take the kids! Easily walkable and hard to get lost in this place, but still lots to see. The older kids might get a little bored, but it was great for the little ones. We can see most exhibits twice in a four hour day here, but we still really enjoyed it. read more

New York Aquarium - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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As a Brooklyn native, I love that I now come back with my grandkids. This has always been a small aquarium, the only complaint I had was the seal "show" was so short, it took more time to get seated than anything. But the staff, top notch, fantastic! Kid friendly & entertaining read more

New York Aquarium - My spirit animal - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Always a great experience at the aquarium . I have hd a membership with the zoo for a couple years and I always head to the aquarium with my family. I like that it's on Coney Island so you can take a stroll down the boardwalk, the sea lion show is great and they even have a touch tank for the kids. read more

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Great attraction for all ages. It was a Shell-a-bration weekend. There were different activities and educational information. The activities were mostly coloring. It would have been nicer if there were more crafts other than coloring. The parade was cute. I love the shark exhibit but I wishes there were neon strip on the floor to guide you. It is pretty dark inside. There are plenty of picnic tables but no umbrella for shades. The sea loin show and penguin feeding were entertaining. read more

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I wanted to bring my daughter to visit the animals. She's always talking about fish's. We had a wonderful time. The animals where all so beautiful. I enjoy the history they give on the animals and what you going see. Staff is extremely attentive and friendly. It's very clean throughout the entire Aquarium. Cost are reasonable. read more

I love animals. My nephew kept talking about all the animals he wanted to see. I surprised him with a day to the Aquarium and he was so excited. It's the little things that count. We went to the gifts shops and purchase a book and pencils. Staff was extremely informative. read more

Need to get timed-entry tickets online. Can get up to 4 tickets free by going to their website on Mondays at 3pm for a visit on Wednesday 3 pm of the same week - huge savings. If by train, West 8th-NY Aquarium or Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. There is a lot for cars- $18-40 based on # hours. We lined up at the boardwalk entrance at least 1/2 hr before the 3pm entry time (there was a line already, and longer behind us). An employee walked by to remind everybody to be ready with timed tickets only. in the lobby, some visitors rushed thru the staff scanning tickets. Small aquarium, around 9 main areas, which was manageable for us with 3 hours there. Note where the entrance/exit doors of the bldgs are which help the flow of people traffic. There were times it got really crowded in the indoor areas so we just returned later to take our time to see the many interesting fish/sea life/animals. To the aquatheater first for the sea lion show (only 2 showtimes after 3pm). We were directed to fill up the next available seats. Show was informative, entertaining and wasn't too long (esp in the heat). I liked the Spineless exhibit esp the jellyfishes - mesmerizing. It's connected to the Playquarium- a fun area for kids, too bad it wasn't there yet when my kids were younger. There is a touch pool but it closed earlier so check the hours. The shark tunnel at the Ocean Wonders Shark exhibit, was new to us; was popular so there was a line to enter it. We remembered Sea Change with the underwater viewing areas, activities, esp the sea lions giving flying kisses, but was bare in there now. The water's green and cloudy too with algae bec. of mating season (divers can't clean the tanks). There's a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, just got self-serve drinks there. Giftshops are by the Playquarium, and near the exit. A few restrooms available. After the aquarium, went back to the Coney Island boardwalk so not as hot. Then long train ride home but we got seats (Coney Island-Stillwell Ave is the first/last stop for the F line. Can catch D, N, Q trains too. ) read more

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My kid and I decided to visit here in January since it was raining. It took us about 1 hour with subway from Manhattan. Since it was winter, the aquarium & surrounding was quiet. It was a good smallish aquarium. The sea lion show was closed when we were there. Some great attractions include shark tunnel, the big floor to ceiling aquarium (very calming), outdoor enclosures (penguins, sea otter, sea lions), and the basement viewing area for the sea lion. My kid was disappointed when saw that the touch pool was also closed. However, we spent a good 2 hours while keeping ourselves warm inside. read more

New York Aquarium - The sharks tunnel - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Haven't been to this aquarium in so many years. It was nice coming back and revisiting. We spent 3 hours here on a cold Saturday. I had corporate tickets from work for my family. There were a lot of people and many families with kids, so it does take some time to walk through the different exhibits. I would say 2-3 hours is good here if you don't have kids. We saw the 1:30pm showing at the aquatheater, where we were able to meet a few of the sea lions and seals ranging from 4 years old to much older (16) and they showed us a few tricks! There is a spineless hall (jellyfish, octopus) and a few outdoor viewings (penguins, sea otters) with some feedings at specific times. A shark exhibit, but I found it a bit small and dark. Being that it was a weekend, there were so many people crowded in the little walkthrough tunnel. A much bigger tank comes later with a seating area as well. There is also a 4d theater with a 12 minute showing of the Octopus movie. It was included in my ticket. It was cute, but if I had to pay extra, I probably would've skipped. You feel like you're sitting on a ride in Disney with all of the effects. Overall a nice experience for all ages. You learn to appreciate it differently. read more

I've spent a lot of time here over the past couple of years, and while it's not as large as some aquariums around the country, it's our aquarium, and I love it. More importantly, my children love it. They aren't yet of an age where they're reading all the information about the exhibits and really engaged with all the conservation edutainment, but it's always fun to see them excited about the sea life. The main attractions (as I see it) are the Shark building, the Spineless building, and the sea lion show. Everyone knows sharks are cool. Seeing them swim over your head in the tunnel, or in the giant tank, or from the crawlspace under the tank...always a win. Jellyfish are the most gorgeous animals to watch move around, and the sea lion show, while loud and crowded (usually), is a winner. My kids have a short shelf life, and if we can hit these three things, it was a good visit. Personally, I try and avoid the concessions here, and the gift shop. Everything they offer is predictably overpriced and mediocre, but I'd be lying if I told we'd never stopped for Dippin' Dots, or if I claimed we didn't have a few pink sea turtle stuffies around my apartment somewhere. Much like other cultural institutions around NYC, if you're going to go more than once a year, you might as well be a member. It feels like a donation to a good cause, and then you just get to go whenever you want without worrying about the ticket cost. And you park for free, which is a nice bonus because it lets you walk out on the boardwalk for lunch after a visit, or play in the sand for a little while before heading home. So become a member, and enjoy the glimpse under the sea. read more

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Would come all the time to this aquarium as a kid and finally came as a mom and had a great time. My son was obsessed with the penguins. Loved the changes done it's def more modern now. More interactive as well. Highly recommend purchasing tickets and not coming during the free day/time...it doesn't include everything and the line was crazy to get in. I'm glad i purchased tickets and left b4 that crowd came in read more

Nice aquarium but relatively small especially with the Aquatheater currently closed during the winter for construction work. A visit can be completed in 1-2 hours. Exhibits are nicely done especially the Sharks display. read more

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The only aquarium in NYC. We got free admission via my son's school science program. We paid $18 fir 3 hours parking. Parking is hectic outside the aquarium parking lot due to nearby DMV Dept of motor vehicles. All park admission includes 4D movie, which located in another building across the main entrance. The sealion theater was closed for renovation when we went, so we didn't see the sealion performance. We especially went for the Halloween week. They have special events such as carnival games ( prize is temporary tattoo or a cookie), magic show, scavenger hunt ( no prize), exhibition booths. Parade, special halloween menu at cafe etc. It's a small aquarium but it's inside NYC. Coney Island boardwalk/ beach is right behind the aquarium. The carnival is also right there. Family can make it a day there. Just mind the parking is $40 for 4 + hours if you are not aquarium member. We enjoyed the 3 hours spent there. Enough to cover everything we want to see. Will return. read more

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I haven't been here in a very very long time and from what I remember it was small and you went thru the whole aquarium pretty quickly but they had Beluga Whales which was awesome. Well, they don't have the Beluga's anymore but they definitely replaced it with good stuff. I probably spent a good two or three hours there this time! Lots of animals to see and there a few buildings to go check out too. Shark world is very cool. There is a pretty good show with the seals as well but it was a long line but worth the wait. There's a cafe which I didn't check out and a food truck on site as well for lunch, snacks or even early dinner. I'll definitely be back. read more

Great place. It was an exquisite experience. The sea lion show was amazing. A bit crowded though. They had the sea lions close up to the front of the crowd, with precautions of course. Then they had multiple exhibitions to go to. Whoever designed those had great ideas. Super pretty. Interactive for kids and was very informative on topics of climate change and environmental issues inside some exhibits. The gift shop was a bit overpriced but that is expected with these places. Seating all over the place. Great place for all ages. They have a cafe that offers some choices of food. You are allowed to bring your own food here and into some areas, although not all. Had information on every animal. Had variety of aquatic animals and the exhibits seem comfortable for the animals. read more

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The Shark/Ocean Wonders exhibit is a good update to the aquarium. It was great seeing the fish and sharks swimming above you in an underground viewing tunnel. I like the exhibits and glass aquarium. The same goes for the Stinging Reef which is another new exhibit. The aquarium is still very small and super crowded on weekends. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder that it's hard to see the exhibits. Some of the tanks and area do need serious updating and cleaning as well. The admission prices is very steep. $33 for adults and $30 for children for a small area. read more

EVERYTHING IS OPEN!!! The renovations are FINALLY done and MAN - they did a great job keeping in mind little explorers like my 2.5 year old. I highly recommend coming as soon as they open on a rainy weekday like we did last Friday. I'm not sure who enjoyed their experience more - my son or me! Gosh, I loved how they made a fully covered enclosure to look behind the scenes and at the tanks for the seals, otters (removed because they could get COVID), and the penguins. There's plenty of panels to read and learn more about what can be done for conservation. One seal was particularly playful, and really made our trip memorable! It was so enjoyable to see also the scuba divers maintaining the tanks, and waving to my son, who thought we came to see them. Playquarium was alot of fun and we spent a great deal of time there. There's plenty of room to run around, climb, touch, explore, crawl, and much more; highly recommended! We also LOVED the seasonal gift shop that was there. The plushies were all adorable, and we were tempted to bring them all home. This was much better stocked than the gift shop at the exit of the aquarium. The tunnel in the shark exhibit was also a huge highlight, and is a must to do! Take time to walk back and forth and point out all the various sealife; really amazing. My one star was removed for the extremely high prices in the new Sea Cafe that was just opened. $15.99 for chicken fingers and fries? The options didn't seem special enough for us to eat here, and we opted to eat at Nathan's afterwards since it's literally in walking distance. Looking forward to coming back in warmer weather! read more

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If you have seen EVERYTHING there is to see in NYC except the NY Aquarium...still don't go! It sucks. However if you were going to Coney Island anyway for a Nathan's hot dog or were hitting up spumoni gardens and you were thinking to yourself..."hey self, what is the best way to flush $100 bucks down the toilet" then this is your place! It's small, it's crowded, it's dirty (not just for the guests but for the fish and aquatic life too) and it's expensive! On top of that they have nothing interesting worth seeing. Some penguins and seals and that's about it. Everything else is boring. Save your time and money and just go to the Bronx Zoo. read more

I been to other aquarium and this is my first one in NY. This one was a bit small or the smallest one I been to. The shark area was cool but the outside area the didn't have much. I saw some sea lions but they were hiding from the sun. Unfortunately some shows and stages were blocked off due to construction as well. Maybe there would be more attractions in the summer but as of right now, there wasn't much aside from the indoors area. The penguins also were hiding from the crowd as well. There was no one in the outside area attracting the crowd. Again at the time of this it seems like maybe summer there will be? I am reviewing this just for today. There wasn't much at this aquarium but it is a nice place for what it is. May come back again in summer. Maybe things will change more then. read more

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I spent a part of the day at the aquarium with my wife and son. It was a chill day and we had a very nice time, but this place is definitely on the small side and can be viewed in an hour or 2 tops (unless you stop and read all the information posted). It is also rather expensive in my opinion, as adults are around $30 each. The best part was the feedings. We saw penguins and other animals get fed outside in their tanks, and that was cool. They offer a free entry time on Wednesday afternoons, I believe, but you have to reserve online in advance (a small price to pay to save on the admission cost). read more

New York Aquarium - Zoos Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I enjoyed my day trip to the Aquarium. Even though it was crowded and an extremely hot that day, ugh, 97 whopping degrees! I saw various interesting exhibits, but the highlight was definitely the Shark exhibit. This is where most people stop and linger in awe at the glass tunnel filled with Sharks and other types of exotic fish. It was gorgeous! Definitely picture / video worthy. The Spineless Exhibit was amazing as well. I had no idea jellyfish were so beautiful up close..the way they move is so graceful lol. It was an amazing sight. Didn't watch the sea lion show but i did stop at the Sea lion section to watch the other non-performing sea lions enjoying their swim and sun bathing. My only gripe was seeing trash in a small section of the water they resided in, that made me a bit sad. I deducted a star for that. The water should be kept clean and maintained at a higher standard. If you drive here finding parking is tough on Surf Ave! This is Coney Island! I suggest parking in the Aquarium's parking lot and paying a cover fee of $18 for a 1-3hr stay, I may return on a cooler day to see more exhibits and watch the Sea lion show. read more

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Who could imagine an aquarium in NYC but yes we have it and believe it or not it's one of the oldest in the US and in Brooklyn near Coney Island. I guess it actually was started like 100 years ago in Manhattan and moved to Brooklyn in the 50s. There is the Ocean Wonder sharks and the Aquatheater as well as Conservation Hall plus Sea Cliffs and Spineless. All wonderful displays of vast sea life and a very good take! read more

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Nice aquarium. The sea lion show was cool. Very helpful staff. That shark room was really cool; it made for a photo with my kid and I. Overall we had a great time. Make a quick visit part of a day trip to Coney Island. read more

I took the kids on an educational field trip to New York Aquarium. It wasn't that crowded on Friday in April. While it was clean and well maintained, I was surprised at how small the aquarium was. Granted this is not Sea World, but I would have expected something more spectacular in NYC. There was the obligatory live Sea Lion show ... and that was it for live shows. We also saw the large marine tank with the sharks, turtles and sea life. There were some penguins and smaller tanks of tropical fish. It's a good 2-3 hour field trip, but not enough to explore for a day. read more

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We took the Q train subway from NYC to the end of Brooklyn. It took about an hour and decided to make of day of it while also visiting Coney Island. The Aquarium has Free admission on Wednesday from 3-5 but you have to register on their website on the previous Monday after 3pm. So we were able to get three free tickets. This smaller aquarium has many impressive areas. As we entered through different aquarium tanks and exited to the outdoor area, we viewed the sea lions, otters and penguins. We were able to enjoy the sea lion show in the Aquatheater. Then went inside the impressive Shark exhibit with other sea life. It can be seen overhead as well. We continued on to the spineless exhibit with jellyfish and others. They do have a cafe for food and drinks. It was a fun time. read more

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