If your family loves to learn about marine life and spend time near the ocean, the Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center is a wonderful place to visit. Keep reading to find out more about the center!
About the Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center is a beautiful collaboration between the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Aquarium Foundation. The aquarium carries out many vital missions and projects throughout the year that benefit the ocean and marine life. While working very diligently to accomplish all of the goals and efforts, the staff at this location work tirelessly to share all of their work with the community. The Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center team is super involved in research and collaboration and has put forth efforts for coral restoration and endangered species rehabilitation.
Exhibits
You and your family can discover the underwater world below at this 800,000-gallon aquarium. With thousands of animals and over 300 different marine life species, you can get a hands-on, up-close experience with some of the great things this place has to offer.
In addition to the fun excursions, you can also explore all the great exhibits on the property. For example, in the Wetlands and Watershed, you can experience the life vital to regional wetlands. You can also learn about native plants and frogs. You will also be able to see different types of birds and salamanders. The Restless Planet exhibit is home to habitats and wildlife from Africa and Asia’s Ring of Fire. You can also visit other exhibits, including the Offshore Gallery, Sharks, Sea Turtles, Chesapeake Bay, Stranding Response, and Harbor Seal.
Events and Experiences
This Virginia Beach aquarium hosts daily events that are included in admissions, such as Dolphin Watching and Sensory-friendly mornings. You can also take full advantage of the Aquarium Experiences. These include getting up close and personal with animals, divers in the tank, questions and answer sessions, virtual pods, Discovery Garden, and Guest quests. If you happen to be looking for other things to do at this location, you can also book a boat tour for a few hours. These include the Dolphin Watching Boat Tour, Whale Watching Tour, Sunset and Moonrise Cruise, and Oceans Collections Boat Tour. Prices for all of these tours vary based on whether or not you are a member, adding on to a daily ticket, or just coming for a tour.
Want to know how everything happens behind the scenes? You can now book a behind-the-scenes tour. Here, you can get up close to some incredible animals like the komodo dragons, sea turtles, and sharks. A team member will walk you through the facility and educate you on the remarkable things about these animals and their homes.
A looking for more adventure? Take a trip over to Adventure Park. You can buy a ticket to explore the ropes courses, ziplining, and other fun adventures. This is a pace-yourself adventure, so you can take your time and take in all the awesome things you’re going to see.
Pricing and Hours of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
Tickets for the day start at about $20 per child and $25 per adult ages twelve and older. If you are a member, a part of the military, or coming with a huge group, you may be able to snag a special rate for the day. Parking is $5 per car. Keep in mind that the location is very busy during April and May when most schools go on field trips. The aquarium is wheelchair accessible, but strollers over 36” will not typically fit around the location.
Location: 717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, USA
Hours: Open Daily 9:00am-6:00pm
Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center
Dive deep into the fun of marine life and all things related to the beautiful ocean. There is so much that has yet to be explored. Visiting and supporting the Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center is a wonderful way to get involved. The proceeds from your tickets allow the team at the aquarium to continue their research and rehabilitation. The more we know about our oceans, the better we can take care of them and the animals who call the ocean their home.
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