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    The Dallas World Aquarium

    3.7 (1.4k reviews)
    Open 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Dallas World Aquarium Photos

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    Interior of the zoo Jan 2026
    Samantha G.

    The "Dallas World Aquarium" is more like a zoo than an aquarium as many have pointed out. There were a lot more tropical animals inside this aquarium than arguable marine animals. The upper level of this complex had a variety of tropical animals including, but not limited to alligators, monkeys, variety of birds, sloths, and flamingos. The upper level was kind of stinky. It definitely smelled like a zoo! The lower level comprised of the "aquarium" part of this complex. They had a large tank full of a couple of sharks, and a variety of different kinds of fish. The lower part also had a manatee, and giant otters in a separate tank. Outside of the aquarium had penguins, and a variety of other tropical animals in mini tanks. However, due to the unseasonably cold weather in Dallas that day, those smaller animals were moved inside for their safety. Overall, the "aquarium" was a fun date experience. There were plenty to see for adults and especially for kids. There were plenty of zookeepers inside the tanks and exhibits feeding the animals and taking care of their habitat, which I appreciated seeing! Ticket price: ~$37 per person (adults)

    Susan B.

    Great parking, you do pay. Easy to get to, we walked from the hotel. Cost us $85 for one Senior and 2 grands. The interior is lush and jungly, more like a tropical rainforest than an aquarium. You start at the top and walk the path down. Many birds, reptiles, and amphibians so far. Found the fish at the bottom.

    Krystle M.

    Dallas World Aquarium has made my trip a success! I love aquariums and this aquarium has provided me the opportunity to see my new favorite animal the Shoebill Stork. I liked the layout of the aquarium. It was different from any other aquarium I've been to before. However I was consistently lost. I didn't really pay attention to the areas I was in or the display signs. I had to ask several times which level I was on. The map didn't help me much either. I just went with the flow and followed the crowd around me. I dont feel like I missed anything or any animal. There was an aquarium feel throughout the aquarium but the majority of the aquatic animals are on the bottom level. I loved all of the plants and small terrariums throughout. You can see both a cared for and natural aspect to the growth of the plants. I wanted to try the Eighteen O one restaurant. Once we got there and was ready to sit down the restaurant was closing. It was only around 3 pm on a Saturday. We ended up not eating anything at all during our visit. I was very upset there was nothing to purchase in any of the gift shops of a Shoebill Stork. I did find that one of the decorative penny makers had a Shoebill Stork on it. Overall we throughly loved the aquarium!!! Dallas World Aquarium 1801 N Griffin St Dallas, TX 75202 (Review 38 in 2025 and 881 overall)

    Penguins
    Lisa W.

    This aquarium is pretty cool. It doesn't look like much on the outside and it's quite a walk from downtown area and in a weird area but it's a totally different world inside! You start at the 3rd level and work your way down. It's really cool! They have a whole different environment inside. The waterfall and jungle feel is amazing. It's also cooler inside even though it feels like outside. It's beautiful. We saw so many animals. And the aquarium at the bottom floor with all the sea life was really cool. There was an exhibit that was hard to find, you have to go through the gift shop which was pretty weird, and had one door out. Otherwise everything was really easy to get to and cool.

    Under the sea
    Teisha V.

    Brought the nieces to this aquarium to see something new and educational. We had a great time looking at all the different animals. The price is about $35 per person and my favorite are the frogs and sloths. The otters were not in the cage, but it's always great to see the manatee and water turtles. They also have information for you to read about some of the animals. Some maybe missing depending on the weather. The gift shop, has lots of stuff animal toys that were cute. You can get through aquarium in like 45 minute or 2 hours depending on your pace. The animals have been rescued and are there educating others while recouping. This place has military discount with valid ID card at the entry.

    Andy Warhol Exhibit
    Rachel Z.

    This Aquarium is a little misleading by its name. There were more birds than any other animal there and lots of reptiles & amphibians. I did like the layout as it felt like you were in a forest, but again, being labeled an aquarium was weird for the atmosphere. They had numerous places to shop, which I loved because I love shopping. And they have food and alcoholic drinks. My favorite part was their small gallery that was currently housing Andy Warhol prints I had never heard of or seen. All the staff was friendly, but I will probably not visit again when I go to Dallas next.

    Ryan G.

    I think they've done a nice job with this place. The layout is thoughtful (there are layers/levels) and it keeps people generally moving in one direction. As many have said, this is far more than a standard "aquarium", having all kinds of animals that don't live in the water. There's not a ton of interactivity, and it's mostly just looking at the animals, but that's fine for me. One thing that could be better is the signage. In some places there are multiple ways to go or open staircases, and it's unclear whether that is the"next" place to go or not. I found myself looking around corners to find service elevators or dead ends. Overall though, this place is cool and definitely worth checking out. Plan to spend a couple of hours, if you want to look at most things. Parking is available in several lots around the building for like $10.

    Shelby Z.

    This is definitely one of the most unique aquariums that I've ever visited! Consider it more of an 'open-air aquarium zoo,' as I felt like there were more animals out of water to see here, but they have all kinds of interesting species! It is a bit on the smaller side, but if you take your time you'll probably feel like you've gotten your money's worth. It consists of a few different floors, so you'll find yourself up high and down low for different portions. I'm glad I got to visit and definitely think it's worth it!

    Jerry D.

    I alway love visiting any aquarium. It so relaxing. This one didn't disappoint. It me about 2 hours to view every display. As the place wasn't packed, got there early. Great displays of fishes and other animals (birds, frogs, snakes). Overall it was great to finally visit this one!!

    Natalie A.

    I am a huge fan of aquariums. It was a great experience a d there was so much to see. Birds, fish, more birds, frogs, lizard, penguins, sharks. So much to see. Fun for all ages 3 stories. I wish there were more signs they had so many areas and gave a documents to showcase the offerings but it was hard to know which way to go. Overall so many animals to observe and enjoy the ambiance.

    Karen 2.

    there were a lot of non aquatic animals and lots of birds. they did have penguins shark a manatee seahorse pufferfish stingray toucan. the anteater was hiding or not available at the time. there was an overwhelming amount of field-trippage going on. walking paths are rather small.

    African cichlids in extremely small enclosure
    Colin C.

    The place was way to overcrowded and small. If you are claustrophobic DO NOT go here. Everything was over priced and don't get me started on the size of the animal enclosures. They were way too small for the animals and all the animals did was pace around their enclosure. They made it obvious that they were completely money driven.

    We were staying downtown and needed something to do while waiting for our flight. Thankfully the aquarium was able to hold our luggage while we explored which was 10/10. Tickets are definitely on pricier side but some of the animals are so unique and the experience overall was great

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    It was great and not just fish it was everything. Food was good, but you get what you pay for.

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    2 months ago

    Worst experience ever, rude staff and animals have the smallest enclosures. Not a place to support. Would give no star if possible.

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    Page 1 of 34

    The Dallas World Aquarium Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Dallas World Aquarium

    Would the morning be a good time to go on a weekend to avoid large crowds?

    Weekends are always busy with families and tourist no matter the time. Weekday mornings would have a less crowd than weekend mornings. No matter what time you go enjoy yourself.

    Are mobility chair scooters allowed?

    Yes, they have elevators.

    Can you bring in water bottles and juices along with small snacks for children?

    Yes you are able to bring snacks and drinks in

    Any hands on stuff for toddlers and parents to enjoy?

    There are special programs at specified times where aquarium staff give talks and work with the animals that children might enjoy. For example, in the morning I think they have an otter feeding that kids and adults can watch. There is usually a… Read more

    Any military discount?

    If I remember correctly active duty member is free. No discount on the whole family's admission though.

    How expensive are the restaurants?

    Sorry I did not pay attention but there is a big one that was very busy so maybe it is reasonable.

    Do they have wheel chairs available?

    We loan wheelchairs with ID for deposit. Call ahead if you need us to meet you outside at 214/720-2224 and ask for admissions. We look forward to your visit!

    Can you see everything here in 3 hours?

    Probably. My family & I were there for 2.5 hours. We went to all the exhibits and took a bunch of pics. Unless you are going to eat at one of their restaurants, you should have plenty of time to walk around.

    View All 10 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Dallas World Aquarium

    They have fish, sharks, turtles, jellyfish, crocodiles, spiders, lizards, birds, monkeys, a sloth and more.

    Mentioned in 100 reviews

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    Monkey See Monkey Do Exotic Petting Zoo - Kangaroo waiting patiently for the pats and snacks.

    Monkey See Monkey Do Exotic Petting Zoo

    4.5(6 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    Literally, the best. I reached out the MSMD to come out to my daughter's 1st birthday- and yes, yes…read moreI know, my daughter is 1, she really has no idea what an exotic petting zoo is...but guess what? Her mama is unique and doesn't do things like everyone else and I knew from the moment I found this company that I wanted them to come to the party! Best decision ever! Richard and his crew were amazing! Down to earth, patient, and so willing to work with us to get photos and interact with kids and answer all their questions, all the things! So so happy we were able to have them at the party! It was super hard to choose which animals we wanted to meet but here are the ones we chose and how it went: -Sloth: best hugger, sweet, a little slow but we loved him anyway LOL -Spider monkey: arms for days, will work for pizza ;) -Lemur: one grape for him and one grape for me -Asian leopard cat: shy and takes a bit to warm up, but absolutely beautiful -Crocodile: was definitely a little more scared in person than I thought I would be, but it was so cool to be able to pet him! -Kangaroo: Didgeredoo was super sweet, gentle, and very easily pleased with Cheerios!

    I was really excited to have the mobile petting zoo, the food truck, the train ride, Hairy Gary and…read morethe inflatable movie screen at my son's birthday party. However, the person that was texting me was incredibly terrible at her job so I decided not to give them my business. Extremely disappointing. The first message I sent was telling her all what I wanted, listed above ^ (I also asked if any animals had African origins because the bday is Tarzan theme, I tried to look online but not all descriptions had the animals origins) she asked me the date, I sent it to her (June 20) and she didn't respond. I texted again the next day saying "I can have the party early morning since it will be hot around that time of year" out of concern for the animals because I assumed maybe it would be too hot during the day and that's why she didn't respond (still rude) then she sends me a screenshot of my own message, the one where I told her what I wanted & asked to know if any animals were of African origins, just that message. She goes on to apologize and explains she's checking on the dates "sorry wrong person, I am checking the date" but there was no date in that message that she screenshot. The date was sent after that message so that didn't make sense. I say "haha that's okay, thank you" anyway because I really wanted them at my son's birthday party. She says they don't have the train ride and the movie doesn't work during the day then asks me how many snow cones and cotton candy. I respond and say "I could have the party later 5-9 and 40" she then says that the movie isn't available at all and tells me prices including 40 snow cones ($200) and mileage ($500) mind you, I was texting a Dallas number and I am only an hour and a half away from Dallas. But I was willing to pay the $500 fee anyway if I was going to receive the animals, Hairy Gary and the food truck or wagon still so I asked "would it be the food truck or the wagon?" (to provide snow cones and cotton candy) She says "likely just a set up on a table so we don't have to haul an extra trailer" I'd just go buy a snow cone machine if I wanted a simple set up. The prices made no sense, she was short, offering no clear explanation or apology as to why certain things weren't available, she kept changing her reason for not being able to provide what I wanted and never answered the question about the animals origins either. It was incredibly confusing and disheartening. I will not be suggesting them to anyone. I'm giving two stars because at least the options for animals are great, though you might not get much else they offer!

    Photos
    Monkey See Monkey Do Exotic Petting Zoo - Sloth doing a big stretch!

    Sloth doing a big stretch!

    Monkey See Monkey Do Exotic Petting Zoo - Feeding spider monkey!

    Feeding spider monkey!

    Monkey See Monkey Do Exotic Petting Zoo - Teacher feeding the kangaroo.

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    Teacher feeding the kangaroo.

    Perot Museum of Nature and Science - Mars rover

    Perot Museum of Nature and Science

    4.1(816 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    I've heard so many great things about this museum and was super excited to finally visit over the…read moreweekend! It was SO big. Definitely spent hours in here, as there are so many levels, room, activities, etc. Really loved the activities that were super engaging, both for kids and adults. The spots area on the bottom ground floor was super fun and not crowded at all. The price is well worth the visit! perfect place for families, and even just adults (i saw some adult friend groups who were visiting and they looked like they were having so much fun!) Parking is across the street under the highway. it's $15, which is not the best but at least it's a short walk. It was pretty easy finding a spot too.

    It was our last day in Dallas and we decided to bring our 3 year old son to Perot Museum of Nature…read moreand Science. This place is huge with multiple floors of hands-on and educational exhibits that kept our son moving the whole time. We even booked the soccer exhibit with our general admission tickets and had a lot of fun exploring different soccer challenges and interactive spots at our own pace. Our son especially loved building a Lego arena and creating his mascot at the soccer exhibit. The museum is clean and the staff are friendly. We booked our tickets online which was very quick and easy. We went on a weekday and it wasn't too crowded, which made chasing our little one around much easier. There's a parking garage within walking distance to the museum and you pay before you leave. We had an absolute blast especially our son. If you have an active little one who loves to run around and explore, this is a fantastic spot. Highly recommend - we'll definitely be back the next time we're in Dallas.

    Photos
    Perot Museum of Nature and Science - Tylosaurus skeleton

    Tylosaurus skeleton

    Perot Museum of Nature and Science
    Perot Museum of Nature and Science

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    Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park

    Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park

    3.9(99 reviews)
    2.6 miFair Park

    We have a membership here which is perfect for my little one. It's on the small side but really is…read moregreat for kiddos. We enjoy the presentations they give and all the fact that you can do the whole aquarium in an 45 minutes or less.

    Near and dear to my heart is the Children's Aquarium at Fair Park. A large portion of the Big 5…read moreTexas Stars I've awarded are due to this facilities history. Let me point out from the beginning,one of my earliest childhood memories was standing in front of the tank of Piranha in a dream state . Originally built as part of the Texas Centennial Celebration in 1936,it remained to be used in Fair Park all year and during the State Fair of Texas. One of dozens of buildings built in the Art Deco style,this aquarium was one of only 12 in the US at the time In 1963 it was expanded making it the 3 rd largest in the nation . It was placed on the National Historic Landmark registry and a Has cycled through decades of ups and downs. Most recently closing after the pandemic. Fortunately a company has stepped in to save and operate it. Fare warning,this is a local niche treasure and not a word class facility. Someplace you can take kids for an hour or so without spending a fortune. My grandsons and I went here and had a lot of fun for an hour. So,if your expectations are historic small aquarium,easy parking, reasonable admission and interesting sea creatures. Go!

    Photos
    Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park - Stingray touch tank

    Stingray touch tank

    Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park - Feeding the stingrays squid

    Feeding the stingrays squid

    Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park - Walking batfish

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    Walking batfish

    All About Animals

    All About Animals

    5.0(1 review)
    19.1 mi

    What an awesome deal. During 2020 COVID hell, this was the happiest day we've had in ... a while…read more I saw All About Animals somewhat randomly on Groupon, and it piqued my interest immediately. We'd been trying to figure out what to do for both kids' birthdays this summer with the no-normal-parties bummer going on. Maybe we could do a masked-up animal show n tell on the back patio...? So I called Cindi (owner of All About Animals) after reading up on her website. She was generally doing online only stuff and was NOT doing birthday parties. I totally understood, I said - we weren't about to have a bunch of kids over right now. But would she do a "private" show n tell for just our 4-person family? She would. Score! Outdoors is too hot for some of the animals during the Texas summer, so we set up inside, with a table for her and 4 chairs facing the table, about 8-10' away. The agreement was she'd be masked up the entire time and so would we. She also left her shoes at the door, which we didn't even ask her to do. The kids loved it. We loved it. It was... just perfect. We picked 10 critters and geared it towards ones we could touch and often hold. The pictures don't show all 10, but dude... it was just awesome. Fun AND highly educational. If you're an animal person AND can be safe and respectful during this time, I HIGHLY recommend this. The kids were immediately asking when the next time Ms Cindi could come over again with her animals. Just... awesome!

    From the owner: All About Animals is a mobile live animal educational outreach service. We bring the zoo to you!…read moreServicing parties, schools, churches, scouts, libraries and more!

    Photos
    All About Animals
    All About Animals
    All About Animals

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    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium - Entrance

    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium

    3.5(285 reviews)
    18.7 mi

    I've been to huge aquariums before, but this one is the perfect size for my little toddler. He was…read morevery enthusiastic, walking around and looking at every tank, then quickly tired out. I love the round tanks because that allows for multiple families to see the same fishes without having to wait for each other. We saw sharks, turtles, pufferfishes, lionfishes, eels, seahorses, jellyfishes, and much more. Our favorite part was the fish tunnels - you can see fishes swimming all around you, including at the bottom of your feet. They kept the glass pretty clean, so you can see everything clearly. FYI: There's no opportunity to pet any of the marine creatures. They have hand sanitizer dispensers throughout to promote hand hygiene. The place is located in the mall next to Legoland. I would purchase tickets ahead of time to save money. It can get pretty stuffy and crowded on the weekends, so timing matters if you're looking for a more comfortable experience.

    So from the outside this place doesn't look like much, but I do think it was worth a view…read more I don't know if I would pay twenty dollars however, we did do a ten dollar upgrade after going to lego land and that's why I felt like it was worth it even more. Parking, so this is in the mall so you're gonna expect to find the same parking.You're going to find with mall parking. What to see: so this place is deceiving when we first walked in. I kind of thought it was going to be a scamp and I was pleased to see that there was multiple different fish tanks and they seemed like they were all in good repair. There was a turtle area as well. That I thought was pretty cool but only half worked. Anyway, we were having a good time and it was not very crowded.But there was one family that just allowed three screaming.Children to go through and we had to wait in order to let them get far enough ahead because of how disruptive they were. The one gripe I would say is the staff didn't seem to care even though the signs on all the fish tanks indicate to be quiet and not do flashes with cameras... Facilities: they had a gift shop which wasn't too expensive.But we did not end up buying anything, and we did need to use the bathroom upstairs.They were kind enough to let us back in when my son realized a second that we walked outside that he had to go potty. Anyway overall I'm glad that we went.

    Photos
    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium - Entrance

    Entrance

    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium
    SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium

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    The Dallas World Aquarium - aquariums - Updated May 2026

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