Biomes Marine Biology Center

Fantastic local aquarium with live exhibits including Darwin the 26 year old Galapagos Land Tortoise. Great place for family and young kids. Super for field trips. Love what they do here and the education provided! So fun and exciting learning and seeing all the local wildlife. Most of the exhibits come from the bay and Rhode Island. Love the octopus also the seahorses! Touch tanks are really cool. Staff is super friendly and the owner is very involved. Lots of parking too. If you are lucky you’ll get to see Darwin roaming the center on one of his strolls. This stop is great on the ebike tour from Warwick to Narragansett. Staff and the owner are so friendly and walk around answering questions and providing education. Feedings times throughout the day are posted so you can watch them feed. Open daily. Plan on a few hours to take it all in. Enjoy and thank you to the Biomes team!

A great little aquarium for kids! Lots of touch tanks to keep them engaged, and the staff were super knowledgeable and friendly. During the feeding sessions they didn’t just explain the animals. They shared fun stories and really made you feel connected, like describing how clever the octopus is or how she has her own personality. The highlight was definitely the big tortoise roaming freely around the venue, such a fun surprise! We stayed for about two hours and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

Gift certificates make great gifts. Fun trip w kids and grandparents spending time together while learning and exploring by touch, multiple hands on experiences sea life and shells, stingrays, etc. Friendly knowledgeable staff.

A small center but extremely fun! If you love marine life and the ability to touch as many animals as you can, this is the perfect place for you. The staff were very knowledgeable and kind, feedings were entertaining and the fish/marine life are obviously well cared for. We will definitely be back!

I took my girlfriend here on a date, because we are both both fish nerds and we were beyond amazed by this place. The workers were all super friendly. We had an interaction with who I assume was the owner and told us all about the big eyed fish. This place is super kid and adult friendly. Very reasonably priced tickets and very reasonably priced items at the gift shop. We will definitely be coming back!

We've got memberships to Mystic, but if you're looking for a safe, interactive place to keep your kid entertained for hours, this is it. We have an almost 2 year old who LOVED this place. I was worried to leave. Where do I start. They have a tortoise that roams. He's huge and adorable and super friendly. The toddler could not get enough of him. Incredible. So many fish and touch tanks. So, so many. Little exhibits and quirks like an African cichlids tunnel for little ones and some more interactive exhibits kept up with his attention span. There's tables and games on the side to pass more time by as well. In the corner, there's a toddler/small child space with ferrets, more tanks, toy boats, books, and a ball/pipe section. He could've spent all day there. Whoever designed the layout was a genius. I've never seen him more engaged for that long. Wonderful, wonderful spot. Way easier as a parent than the full size aquarium and equally entertaining for the little one. A nice little gift shop, too!

I would highly recommend this place for anyone. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The kids love going and exploring, we ended up being there for hours. During our last visit Mariah was super helpful if giving me tips on how to improve my hermit crab habitat at home.

We love Biomes. We have been going here since our daughter was 1 and she loves it every time! The staff are so good at advocating for the animals while making sure kids have fun while they learn about them!

This was my first time at Biomes and I was highly impressed! The outside looks pretty unassuming, but inside is super cool! They have a wide diversity of fish, reptiles, and even a couple of ferrets! I appreciated the focus around our local biodiversity and found my visit to be educational. They have many different touch tanks, including horseshoe crabs, eels, rays, and a huge sulcata tortoise. It's a nice, open space. They also have a small area with tons of cool books for kids and adults. Biomes offers birthday parties as well complete with animal feeding opportunities and a guided tour.

We love Biomes! It's definitely an eclectic mashups of aquatic animals, but entertaining for sure. They do a good job at setting up things from all ages, whether your kid is only 2 or 10. We had my son's birthday party here in the fall and it was wonderful. They open at noon because the earlier slot is reserved for birthday parties. It's super nice to have the whole place to yourself for a very reasonable price. There is a guided tour and the kids get to see all sorts of animal feeds along the way. A great spot to spend some time on a rainy or freezing day, or to host a party for an aquatic creature lover.

My kids are older than most of the kids in some of the other reviews, 10 & 13, and they loved it so we got the annual membership so we can come back when it's not as crowded. Lots of kids and parents were running around which was concerning around the touch tanks because if they bumped you, you'd end up in the water. Besides that, this place is a good place to bring your kids and just walk around and look at the tanks and animals. It was cool watching the octopus get fed and I'll definitely want to go back and watch some of the other feedings. The sharks in there are quite entertaining and it looks like they dance when there's a crowd.

I've been taking my nephews and daughter since they were little (now age 14&19) and my daughter (now 10) always a great time - clean, everyone is friendly - this is such an amazing place for kids of all ages to play, learn and experience. Hands on, wheelchair accessible, gift shop too!

this place was so fun! while it is definitely more geared towards kids, i highly enjoyed it as an adult who loves animals. the admission fee was worth how many experiences we got to have, from befriending a sting ray to getting a manicure from shrimp. the size of the place is compensated by the variety of whom you are able to see. i would definitely come here again!

My kids really enjoyed this place. It's essentially an aquatic petting zoo. There are various pools and tanks where you can interact with different sea life, from sharks to eels to starfish. They also have a number of different live demonstrations throughout the day.

Hidden Gem.. Perfect for a date night, or fun trip out with the family. Staff are very knowledgeable on the unique species they have here.

I took my girlfriend here on a date, because we are both both fish nerds and we were beyond amazed by this place. The workers were all super friendly. We had an interaction with who I assume was the owner and told us all about the big eyed fish. This place is super kid and adult friendly. Very reasonably priced tickets and very reasonably priced items at the gift shop. We will definitely be coming back!

My nephew had an unbelievable time here! it was such a new experience and the tanks were amazing. we have never found a place as great as this

It was fine. My twin now 9 year olds were fine with the entrance at first. The shark feeding was moments away. My girls were apprehensive when the very nice host gave them plenty of fish to serve to the sharks. They had a good time. It's limited at best. I don't want curtail anyone from going here. Not sure if the price makes the reason to go here.

Visited the biomes for the first time since having my daughter I had previously been for work. Small cute little aquarium with lots of open areas for the children to touch. There was a children's under six area which unfortunately was not the cleanest and some of the toys looked like they have been there for years as well as ripped books Dirty carpet and chairs that were basically falling apart. With my 13 month old, who is not yet, that was a little disappointing, other than that they have picnic tables in the middle, which you could enjoy snacks and drinks. Reasonable prices.

Took my granddaughter and she had fun. She does not walk yet but was still able to enjoy her time. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Amazing colletion of fish, fossils, turtles, etc., in a low key enviroment. This is just as much a living lab as it is a shark petting zoo for kids. Just go!

Careful going here if you have a baby that may do things that babies do....like cry. The staff will tell you to leave because a crying baby is disruptive to the kids running around being you know kids and being loud.

This is the first and last time we will be visiting Biomes. First impressions were amazing, we were having fun, additional families started to come in and enjoy what they had to offer, and then my 18 month old son started to cry uncontrollably. My wife and I did everything in our power to try to calm him down whilst trying to keep our 7 and 11 year old entertained. After some time, we did eventually accomplish to quiet him down. I was then approached by an employee who stated that they had received complains from other families that my 18 month old son's crying and screaming were too much and suggested I bring him outside tonight "calm him down". The employee didn't want to be "that guy" but they were. I informed my wife of the situation and brought our son outside. My wife tried to keep the other kids inside and entertained however, the damage was done and she followed suit behind me after about 5 minutes. After we got the kids in the car I went back in to speak with the staff about how we were treated unfairly and asked for a refund. We weren't even there an hour at this point. The employee (who was the same employee that suggested I take my son outside) did not seem incredibly considerate and suggested initially that I can wait for a call from the manager. I requested the manager immediately as I was visibly upset. The manager came and did do the right thing and refund us for the visit. The manager stated "it's very awkward and uncomfortable for us to have even spoke to you about this matter". If it was so uncomfortable, then why bring it up, if you're a family friendly facility? We paid just as much to be there as the other family. I don't understand why we were asked to take him out in the first place. Prior to my son's meltdown, a child approached my older kid while they were playing with legos making a boat with them. The kid took the Lego boat and smashed it to smithereens and screamed as his parents picked him up. We didn't complain. Kids were being kids!

Very cool spot. Educational, interesting, and fun. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. My kids love it here and I do, too! Win/win!

Absolutely amazing stop. From the outside you would never know how outstanding this place is. There are SO MANY opportunities for kids to touch & learn. This place is a total find. We were from out of town looking for something to do for a bit & had an amazing time. Darwin (see pics) is AMAZING!!! He walks around 3 pm each day we learned. Relaxed, fun, informative, lovely staff.... Can't say enough!!! Wish we lived closer. And the value! Admission was reasonable & the gift shop was a bargain. Can't say that about this destination.

We took the kids here one rainy day this summer because someone recommended it to us and it's closer and more affordable than going to the aquariums in Mystic or Boston. I have two kids, a 10 year old and a 2 year old, as you can imagine, it's VERY difficult for us to find family friendly activities that appeal to both of them. My older son loved the touch tanks and spent the majority of his time there. He was careful and cautious when exploring and handling the creatures inside each tank. We spent a good amount of time observing each of the different species and commenting on the personality and habits of the animals living there. He also enjoyed reading all of the signs that highlight which local beach the sand and shells in each of the tanks came from. My younger son loved the sensory areas filled with rice, sand, or water that allowed him to get hands on in a perfectly safe and age appropriate way. There's also a fenced in toddler play area that had nautical themed toys and activities for us to play with. We had so much fun that we booked my older sons next birthday party there - what a unique opportunity to have the whole place to ourselves before Biomes opens to the public. I know his friends and our family will be amazed at how up close and personal they can get with some sea creatures, we can't wait to go back!

Went to Biomes with my 2.5 year old for the first time for an event before they opened (Fiddle 'n Fun) which was a good time, and then we proceeded to check out what Biomes has to offer. It's a very open area with fish tanks and open lower set fish tanks right around the height of kids. There were also turtles, a tarantula and a boa constrictor. I think it was a great time and my kid was running from one thing to look at to another. The only feedback I would have is maybe more towels or if you could grab one up front to bring around with you for the hands on activities (yes you can touch some fish, baby sharks or shells in some tanks). Also, there are signs at essentially all of the open tanks specifying whether or not they are "hands on" or not but by the time you are reading the info, the littles already running up and trying to dip hands in - a more obvious heads up would be helpful. It's a good time for littles, I would consider this to be a good spot for a birthday party too!

I went here and was pleasantly surprised, this was due to how great this place was for my kids . It is a great place to go for younger kids as there are fish that u can touch , a tour toys that you can touch in a designated kids, hang out area for younger kids with toys and there is a white variety of different fish to look at overall it was a great experience and definitely were recommended for people with kids or just for a walk around in general

This place is definitely a hidden gem! My first impression was how big the building actually is. After paying for the tickets, our first live animal interaction was a massive turtle eating lettuce and a tomato. We went at our own pace and took many pictures. It was an awesome experience for my nephew as well as myself! The building is filled with different kinds of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Many exhibits allow guests to dip their hands into a shallow pool to feel the textures of the animals. This place is definitely great for any age and is an unique experience. My one unfavorable remark is the ticket price of $11 per person and $9 for a child. It seems reasonable at first, but when you're buying tickets for more than five people it can get a little pricey.

Attended my nephew's birthday party here yesterday. What a fun place! I had never been here before, but would happily return. Zack ran the party and directed all the kids (and adults) to the various tanks including several touch tanks where they were able to touch the animals and even feed them in some cases. We learned some great facts about the various fish (and tortoises too), and had plenty of space and privacy to enjoy our party since the parties are only hosted when Biomes is closed to the public. This is a fun place to visit, and I'm sure even without the privacy and guidance during a birthday party it would be fun for the whole family. As an adult sea life lover, I was thrilled to pet the sharks as well!

Highly recommend for a day trip or to host bday parties! So much nicer than all the popular aquariums! The staff are so passionate and patient! Great aquarium!

We went here for a birthday party and it's an interesting little center to take younger kids (8 and under) to, especially during the winter months. I think older kids will lose interest very quickly. My kid definitely enjoyed himself in the play area in the front, and while it did not seem appealing, he had a blast. They have a small collection of various fish including seahorses and skits among other marine animals. You also have the opportunity to meet a very social tortoise. Overall, if I were alone I would rate this place two stars for presentation and appeal, but our kid had an amazing time and that counts for a lot.

I visited Biomes this past weekend with my boyfriend and his 10 yr old daughter and I was absolutely amazed by this place! I had no idea I could have as much fun as I did. I've been to many aquariums all over the country and this is definitely one of my favorite and most memorable, mainly due to how interactive it is and personable the staff are. Within 2 minutes of walking in I was watching a pufferfish demonstration (super cool) and right after I was able to walk around ask questions of the staff (who knew TONS) watch more demonstrations (Darwin the tortoise is my favorite) and be able to pet fish, sharks, crabs, and many other things I really never thought I would in my life! I am so thankful and grateful to Biomes and the staff for such an amazing experience and We can't wait to go back, 4 hours wasn't enough haha 10/10 recommend!

Definitely worth a visit! The staff was very helpful and all of the exhibits appeared to be well maintained. We went on a rather busy Sunday afternoon, but it did not feel too crowded.

Great stop for families with children. Well done exhibits. Nice touch: picnic tables and other seating available in case family members need to rest a moment.

This was such a cool place to visit! Free parking, affordable admission. Cool for kiddos and I saw a lot of marine animals I didn't know existed. I recommend a visit if you have a little extra time. Also, staff was super friendly!

Sick animals, unnatural behaviors, dirty atmosphere, I've had a birthday party there at the old location, years and years ago, the new location just reflects how much they care about whatever money they get over their sick animals, really sad, don't fund this place, just go to somewhere else in nature.

Kids love being able to see the tortoise roaming free in the afternoon. There are a lot of open, low tanks that are not touch tanks so small kids have to be watched very closely.

Absolutely wonderful birthday party we attended!!! The guide was fun and funny, knowledgeable and quick with funny remarks! The center is beautiful and decorated with amazing paintings on all walls and containers, and very clean, very well taken care of. The kids were guided around to feed different marine animals and were told about them. The guide took time to explain about the different animals and told the particular quirks of all the inhabitants of the center, really wonderful!!! If we lived closer - we would love to visit all the time!!!

I took my daughters here on a Friday afternoon and they absolutely loved their experience. Overall I was very impressed with the range of activities available for kids. Upon entry I was immediately impressed that they used Square for payment and that I was presented with a laminated schedule with demonstrations that day. During our visit my daughters got a nice mini-class on Horseshoe crabs, including getting to hold them, and feed them. The exhibits are organized around different biomes around Rhode Island, and are hands on to varying degrees; some of the aquatic life you can touch, and each exhibit specifies exactly how much. In addition to the tanks, Biomes also features a play area complete with books and other physical toys. For example there is a box full of various sea shells next to a book aimed at kids explaining the role of shells and who lives in them. Overall my kids had a great visit, and the price was affordable - kids under 3 are free. We'll be back.

I took my grandchildren to Biomes today for a rainy day activity. It was fabulous. Interesting exhibits, lots of educational info on all types of sea creatures, hands on opportunities. Highly recommend for kids of all ages.

Great spot to take the children for some hands-on marine biology time. The Biomes center is located down a side road off Route 1 in the Shady Lea Mill complex. While not actually in the mill, it shares parking space with the mill businesses and it is located directly behing the mill. You would never, ever find this place if you did not seek it out specifically. If you have children under 10, I think it's worth a visit. Offers a touch tank for rays, crabs, tide pool life and (harmless) sharks. [No-touch]Tanks full of swimming sea life. For additional entertainment they have periodic feedings during the day. You can see an octopus use its tentacles to open a jar full of food. Cool. The center even has options for birthday parties for the littles. Great if you're looking for a different option for your winter birthday girl / boy. It is not fancy. Looks like it could use some cosmetic updates with painting and the like. But kids don't notice that stuff and they think it's great. Get directions before you go.

Would never have gone to this place, had it not been for my professor, who raved about the largest Biome in RI, with all of the exotic creatures (excluding reptiles) caught in our Ocean State. To be honest, this place is likely more tailored for the younger crowd, as the information for each creature is quite limited and written in a manner suitable for little ones, however, there were multiple hands-on ponds where you can feel horseshoe crabs, stingrays, and even baby sharks! The owner is a very friendly and knowledgeable man and he'll often walk the clients through the tanks, explaining the local significance of each captured sea critter. It is very apparent that he loves what he does. For $9/person, it wasn't that bad, especially since I had such a great time. I'd recommend it if you're around the area.

We were looking for something to do to kill some time in RI and were glad to come across this cute little aquarium! Though I think it's geared more toward younger kids, I did enjoy the shark and ray touch tank and the giant eel and seahorses. Just some tips: I think there should have been more staff around the shark tank cause the sharks were clearly stressed out by all the kids putting their hands in the water. Also not all the exhibits had signs explaining what the animal was or where they were from. Don't expect to spend a whole lot of time here as it's mostly just tanks with fish and turtles and frogs. But other then that it's a great place to go with younger kids because they have activity tables and feeding demonstrations.

Fun place for kids! Took my 16month old and she was excited and happy to touch a turtle. She didn't want to leave...totally worth!

Fun quick stop for a whole family to leisurely see some aquatic life. It took our family 2 hours to see everything taking our time. The facility has feeding times for sharks you can watch and a gift shop to purchase little gifts.

I went there before the pandemic with my Granddaughter Lily and we had an awesome time, she took lots of pictures and a couple of videos and she was having fun with the eel it was following her and she was videotaping the whole thing she was laughing she really had or I should say we really had a great day.

Such a great place. Lots of sea creatures mostly in large aquarium tanks or in large floor style mini pools. Some were touch tank pools many were not. My one suggestion would be to color code those tanks with red signs for not a touch tank and green for ok to touch. This would be a great visual for not yet and or early readers. Staff was fantastic. Lots of interaction and sharing of information when they were able. Some fun demonstrations with the puffer fish, stingrays, tortoise and sharks. Lots to appeal to all ages. Expect to take your time and look and read at each tank, it seemed like you get out of the experience what you put into it and seek out. There was a nice sized science learning area at picnic tables. Some games laid out and puzzles, mostly ocean life related. A small fenced in area for toddler aged kids was also really nice. There was something here for every type of kid. Would like to see a family admission price, with a cap on admission for larger families to make this affordable to all. Would return again!

I had a fabulous time! I am a fish enthusiast and i loved all the tanks especially the touch tanks. Very educational and interesting for all ages. I wish I lived a bit closer because I would be there all the time.

This is such a fun place to visit! There are a few great touch tanks and such an interesting variety of creatures to look at and learn about! The information all around is informative and well displayed. The kids play area is great to have as well. Overall, my kids loved it!

Brought young granddaughters who had an educational and fun experience. Lots of touch tanks. Interesting sea life.

I have driven by this place almost every day, thinking it was an aquarium store. Little did I know what a gem lay inside. Took my two year old daughter here, and she was captivated by all the sights. They had at least 6 touch tanks open (sharks, rays, tortoise, crabs, starfish, fish, skates, and a few more touchable beings). I met the owner there Mark, and he was doing a class on the skates (and feeding them). He has caught almost everything there himself, and releases them later after about a year (so it changes yearly). It was $9.00 for entry per person, which might scare people off... But I paid $15 at SeaWorld Orlando just to touch 1 ray. It was jam packed with families when I went but it was fine, everyone there was having a great time. It's not a day-killer either, we were there for just over 1 hour, and had plenty of time for other plans.

Fun aquarium to bring the kids to! They have many types of sea life - and the coolest part is many are from RI waters. Very neat to walk around and explore the creatures that live under our very own waters. The sharks are a fun pool to watch - and if you are feeling brave, touch! Yes, I said touch! There are quite a few touch tanks, meaning you can very carefully and in certain areas of the animal, reach out and briefly touch the shark or other fish. How many times can you say that you touched a shark today?! They also have a cool kids area on the left side of the aquarium. They have coloring stations, arts and crafts available, a toddler room including books and toys, and a photo op area to stick your head through and look like a fish! Don't miss out on the huge turtle and giant fish immediately to the right when you first walk in. Overall, Biomes is a hidden gem not to be missed in RI. Prices are reasonable and we actually bought a yearly membership as it makes more sense if you plan to return. It's a perfect activity on a rainy day for all ages. There's a magical and wondrous feeling that occurs when you quietly walk through and observe and admire all the sea creatures around you... Imagining what the seas around little Rhody look like, and recognizing the abundance of life all around us. Go check out Biomes in NK!

This place is a good place to stop by for a quick hour but when you really open your eyes its very sad. The touch tanks should be accompanied by a staff to monitor the participants. I saw kids grabbing and hitting the fish and sharks. who knows whats on their hands.....hand rinsing should be practiced before touching animals. I personally know from someone who has worked there that they take some of the animals from the ocean/bay that are healthy and keep them in captivity. For no reason. not cool. Some of the larger fish are in tanks that are too small. Fish darting back and forth from one side of the tank to the other..swimming in circles quickly..claustrophobic much? I saw fish with eye infections and a dead floating fish among the other alive ones. And the BIG ONE that PISSES ME OFF. They have turtles. Emma seems okay....but The larger one near the entrance is my concern. He was trying to get out for my entire stay there. trying to climb out of his pen. he would climb up and almost make it. scratching the wooden siding enough to leave deep scratch marks, queuing me that hes been doing this for a long time. periodically to be certain. He'd climb up and then slide back down hitting his neck and head on the ledge... hurting himself every time. Besides him hurting himself....just the fact that he is so unhappy in that cage that he dedicates his time to escaping is sad. He wants out! he has no stimulation, no toys. nothing. just a box...and a small one at that .COME ON... I notified the woman at the front desk and she did not care. she said that "He is fine and he does that all the time." I was not happy. Also got to see a puffer fish....they FREAK out the animal every weekend for a demonstration. When the puffer fish becomes frightened it will gulp up water expanding himself. They scare this poor fish on the regular enough where it uses it one and only defense mechanism...not how i want to spend my weekend. afraid and defenseless. Also when you expand the puffer you run the risk of organ failure every time. Their stomachs grow 3 times there normal size. Please stop torturing this fish for a show. please. The staff were nice overall....but cleanliness was bad. tanks were dirty...(some) its just sad...for a place to be so PRO-ANIMAL....it was very anti animal vibes there. They have some reconsideration to be had.

We've been to Biomes several times and loved it so much that we had my son's birthday party there as well. The staff are helpful and extremely knowledgeable. The kids love the touch tanks and watching the octopus get a treat out of a Lego box. :) I. Love that they have all local species and it makes learning fun and interactive. We go to Biomes a couple times each winter to escape the cold and see what new creatures they have. The price can't be beat. You should check it out!

Just had a birthday party there it was fantastic. Christina did a great job answering all the kids questions and explaining things to them. All the kids loved feeding the sharks and other fish. My daughter got to feed the giant turtle. Amazing time!! Just a cool place and great private birthday party spot.

Love this place! They have large tanks where you can touch sea life. Great for all ages, I got my hands wet too. They have other interactive actives such as drawings puzzles and games. Every hour they give a live demonstration. Kids will have fun but also learn while doing so!