Malta National Aquarium

Beautifully Designed, Yet with Mixed Impressions 🦈 🦑🪼 🐢 The Malta Aquarium is overall very nicely designed. The facility appears well maintained, modern, and clearly laid out, making it easy to navigate. It is especially appealing for families with children. However, some of the tanks — particularly those housing the sharks — gave me a slight sense of discomfort, as they seemed rather small in proportion to the animals. This impression somewhat diminished the otherwise attractive presentation. Arriving right at the opening time at 10:00 a.m. was definitely a good decision, as it was pleasantly quiet. When I left around noon, a very long queue had already formed outside the entrance. Without a pre-purchased ticket, entry appears to take quite some time. All in all, it is a lovely aquarium and certainly worth visiting if you have children. Personally, however, I prefer observing these fascinating animals in their natural habitat. For that reason, I would be unlikely to visit again.

A lovely aquarium. I am glad we bought the behind the scenes tour, which was only €5, and excellent value for money. Out tour guide Kim was very informative and entertaining. All the staff were friendly and welcoming. The cafe was lovely, and had one of the nicest cakes I've ever eaten.

Very nice aquarium! I'm a bit of a fish-keeping nerd, but my wife also liked it. First, the fish were very dynamic! We may have visited during feeding time, but all the fish looked lively. The octopus (I know, not a fish), was amazing! I've never seen an octopus that large out and moving about at any aquarium, anywhere! The reef fish were all active and moving about; the african cichlids were healthy and doing their short-chase jockying. The facility is smallish, but the displays are large, easy to see, and just beautifully maintained. The price is also reasonable. How do you keep the algae down in the freshwater tank near the entrance? There's quite a bit of ambient light coming in from outside. It looks fantastic! We really enjoyed our visit.

​If you find yourself in St. Paul's Bay or nearby, a visit to the Malta National Aquarium is a great break, especially if the weather isn't perfect or if you are traveling with family. ​The first thing that struck me was the external architecture: the starfish-shaped structure is very photogenic and blends well with the beautiful surrounding sea view. Inside, the exhibition route is well-organized and easy to follow. ​The real highlight, for me, was the underwater tunnel. It's the most thrilling section: walking beneath the large tank and seeing rays and even (small) sharks swimming right above your head is a truly evocative experience. It gave me a great perspective on the marine world. ​I also really appreciated the tanks dedicated to the local marine life of Malta and the Mediterranean. It's fascinating to discover the species that inhabit the seabed we swim over every day. The aquarium hosts about 50 tanks, and while it's not as enormous as some other European aquariums, it is well-maintained, and the environments are realistic. ​A little tip: the visit doesn't take too long, perhaps an hour and a half to two hours if you take your time. For this reason, the ticket might seem a bit pricey relative to the duration. However, the experience is enjoyable, and the staff I encountered were helpful and knowledgeable. ​In summary, the Malta National Aquarium is a fun and educational stop. I highly recommend it for an hour of underwater entertainment, especially for the beauty of the main tunnel and the opportunity to have lunch or a coffee with a spectacular view of the promenade after your visit.

Beautiful, if you are in Malta this is one of the places you must visit. The entrance fee is not expensive. You will enjoy every moment. They also offer photo opportunities so you have a memory to last a lifetime.

What great place to visit. This has got to be one of the best aquariums we have visited. It's well set out all the displays are very inhabitant friendly. All the fish and other reptiles and insects looked in peak of condition. A testament to the hard work of the staff. I can recommend going on the submarine experience (5-10 mins only), suitable for all ages, it was well done (you don't get wet or seasick). Look out for the spotty zebra shark! Yep! We don't know why its called that either. The shop upstairs had a large amount of products (aquarium related) items for sale. There is also a cafe. The toilets were clean and tidy. Outside there is a large play area suitable for the kids. All the staff we met were polite and knowledgeable a credit to the aquarium. I can highly recommend visiting here especially just before Christmas when the decorations are all set out.

Great location and smooth experience. The aquarium is in a perfect spot right on the seafront with an amazing view. Buying tickets is quick — the booth is right at the entrance and you’re inside within a few minutes. The place itself is well-designed, clean, and has a wide variety of fish and other interesting animals. The underwater tunnel is a nice highlight. The whole visit took me about an hour, which felt just right. It’s great for both families and couples, and they even offer convenient family ticket options. Overall, it’s a fun and relaxing stop and definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area.

I get mixed feelings in places like aquariums and zoos. On one hand it's great that we have a chance to see and experience all the animals/creatures from different parts of the world. On the other hand, they are locked in those small tanks/terrariums with no chance to be truly free in their natural habitats. Anyway, all the animals looked healthy, good taken care of. We enjoyed watching those colorfuland different size fishes. The underwater simulator was exciting experience.