Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawaii

What an amazing aquarium! I've only been to one other aquarium (Monterey Bay) and this one is heads and shoulders above that one. Their exhibits are unique, highlighting marine life around Maui, including sea turtles and humpback whales. Their 3D viewing experience of the humpback whales in The Sphere is a must-watch.

Great aquarium and wonderful workers. Love the scuba diver talks in the shark tank. Interesting and knowledgeable. Turtles, octopus, sharks, tide pool, fish, and tons of living coral. A local artist selling handmade seashell jewelry from shells found at the aquarium told us about Hawaiian traditional net making, etc. Would recommend! Cheaper if you order tickets online.

A variety of sea life on display. Many exhibits are poorly lit and smaller tanks overall. 3D whale show is impressive. This aquarium lacks the "wow" factor especially given the high ticket price. Parking is an additional $14.

We visited the aquarium and were absolutely delighted! There is an incredible variety of marine life, spacious tanks, and fascinating exhibits. The shark tunnel and vibrant coral reefs were especially impressive. Everything is well-organized, and the staff is friendly and ready to answer any questions. It’s a great place for a family outing—kids found it very exciting as well. We will definitely come back!

Very nice aquarium. It's supposedly one of the best in the world or country. I think it definitely lived up to expectations, but just note that it was a little smaller than expected! It is a beautiful aquarium and blend of inside and outside sections. You should bring sunscreen for the outside portions. And the exhibits are very nice overall. They have a few presentations such as a turtle feeding and a snorkel driver who was talking to us from in the water of the fish tank. It was neat! Overall, great place, but just a little on the smaller end. And note that parking is additional for non-residents ($3 / hour). I think 2-3 hours is sufficient.

It's not a huge aquarium, but it's way bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. Beautiful fish displays with a lot of great information. Absolutely loved seeing the sea turtles up close and was not expecting to see baby hammerhead sharks! And it's nice to see they don't keep and cetaceans and they have information explaining why. The coral displays are stunning.

One of the best aquariums I’ve been to. Clean, colorful, and lots to experience and explore. All the animals are well cared for, and the caretakers and staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. Great experience!

Getting tickets online at least 1 day in advance saves you $10. The aquarium is beautiful. Includes lots of Hawaiian history as well.

Really enjoyed the center, especially the hump back whale 3D film! Lots of fun and educational materials. Not too crowded. Also booked the optional Botanical tour with Sara, who shared her knowledge and passion for Hawaiian plants. This center is well worth the visit. Highly recommend.

**** an excellent experience. We took the time to really check out the exhibits. Some of the displays are getting old but they are still good. 4 stars

If you need a break from the beautiful beaches the sand and swimming I cannot recommend a trip to Maui Ocean Center Aquarium enough! Especially if you want a bit more details, the behind the scenes tour is worth every penny. My girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to get a private tour (No they don't do private tours there was another party booked for our date that never showed we just got lucky) and our tour guide Kahiau was incredible, super fun and nice and very informative. He happily answered our silly questions and we had a blast. On of the special parts of the behind the scenes tour was the opportunity to feed the sea turtles and the sharks and bigger fish, with the luck we had the tours are planned for max 12 people and with it just being the two of us there was plenty of food to feed the fish. Thank you Maui Ocean Center for having us and well see you again! Aloha!

down by the OCEAN I was thankful for the opportunity to visit the Maui Ocean Center last month.......over a decade since the first time I visited. NOTES 1. There is a discount for Hawaii residents and military. The admission for Hawaii residents is around $31, while non-residents will pay slightly north of $45. 2. The Maui Ocean Center is located on the same property as a small shopping center. There are mostly tourist shops (souvenirs galore!), as well as some restaurants (think tourist trap). We did look in one of the shops, but we actually discovered a ice cream shop that also sold cookies (Hula Cookies). 3. There are multiple signs in the parking lot with a QR code. Scan the code and follow the instructions on how to pay the parking fee. The system is the same one the Bishop Museum utlilizes (see my review!) **GOOD NEWS** Yes, the wicked witch is dead. Also, since my info (and scanned Hawaii ID) was already in the system, it didn't take long to register our car. Thankfully, we were given 5 FREE hours of parking!! Sorry, I don't know how much the parking fee(s) are. Since we took an early flight, we decided to visit after finishing breakfast. The center opened at 9:00am and we arrived shortly before 9:30am. Hawaii residents must show their ID in order to qualify for the discount. As you enter the Center, a map of the entire complex is displayed. The different sections of the center display ocean life from reefs, turtles, various fish species, jelly fish.....and Sharks!! I think my favorite part of the center was the shark tank! It was cool to see this enormous tank with sharks in their somewhat natural habitat......swimming amongst small and big fishies, and perhaps a manta ray or two. Honourable mention goes to the water/aquarium tunnel. THAT was cool. The last activity we experienced was a show in their theater (which I don't recall from my previous visit). The show, about Humpback Whales, was filmed (per the staff introduction) in the waters near Maui. The screen was sphere shaped, and the seats reclined slightly so one can watch the show comfortably at an angle. We all enjoyed the show! It was 15 minutes and screened in 3D. Recommended. Lastly, the selections in the gift shop are very extensive. We picked up some magnets and a coaster and we were on our way. STAFF Everyone we countered and spoke with was so friendly and helpful. Genuine people that truly embodied the Aloha spirit. side NOTES 1. The waiting area in the theatre was a replica (in size) of the body of a Humpback Whale! 2. There's a snack shop and a cafe on the premises. BOTTOM LINE Though primarily a place for tourists, people of all ages will enjoy the Maui Ocean Center. Recommended.

Fantastic Experience at the Aquarium! Located near the shopping center, this aquarium is a must-visit when in Maui. Parking is easy--just scan the QR code on the lot to pay. Admission for adults was around $50 per person, and it was well worth it! This isn't your typical aquarium; there are multiple sections to explore, each offering something unique. Plus, being right by the beach provides stunning views! My personal highlights were the sea turtles and the diverse species of fish in the deep coral exhibit. A wonderful experience overall--highly recommended.

We attended The Festival of Lights event on Saturday December 21st. It was a wonderful evening full of singing, dancing (excellent by the way), live exhibits and a 3D short film of The Grinch who stole Christmas. We especially liked the amazing Open Water exhibit which is one of the best we have seen. The staff are all really knowledgeable, friendly and polite. we will be back with our Grandchildren when they arrive later this week.

This is a great experience for all in the family. Beautiful introduction to Hawaii's marine wildlife as well as Hawaiian history and culture. The exhibits are well kept with lots of information about the species being viewed. Plus, there are some fun things for the kids to do and treats to eat as an added bonus

It was an okay trip. They had a lot of cool information about the surrounding area and the sea life. Also, a lot of history about the island. The aquarium itself was clean, had a lot of cool fish, turtles, and sharks. The dome with the 3-D show about whales was underwhelming, but the manifestation was real, as we saw a real one out in the ocean as we were driving home! The parking is ridiculous though. We already paid way too much money for the aquarium experience to have to now pay for parking, even if it was cheaper than other paid parking places.

Haven't visited Maui for over 30 years and have been wanting to go to Maui Ocean Center so we're finally here! It was nice and relaxing, walking from aquarium to aquarium at your own pace but wished there were workers who could hang around here and there if anyone had questions. The big aquarium was very impressive watching the huge sharks, fish, stingrays, etc. up close. FYI: They have a lot of parking spaces and need to pay a parking fee because it's not included in General Admission tickets! You have to pay online by scanning the QR code which is on the signs around the lot. There must be a way to get Kamaaina rate but we didn't see it while inputting our info. We only found out about Kamaaina rate when we read a sign located at the beginning of an isle. I paid $8.40 for 2 hours which is kind of expensive!

Took our toddler to visit the Maui aquarium and it was a fun experience! Loved the sea turtle tank. My little one loved looking at the big tanks and we even got to see how they clean a tank. Small aquarium but filled with so much information. Our little one even sat and watched the jellyfish presentation. It was engaging and informative. The place is beautiful and all the employees were friendly. We had a great time!

Concentrated sea life in pools and tanks including a tide pool where you may touch and even lift some sea critters such as starfish, sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Other than the one tide pool it's hands off look only don't touch the water but whether looking into a pool or a glass tank from inside or outside you will be thrilled with the varieties of sea life which include sharks. There is also a 3D whale oriented movie that gives a great perspective on these huge sea mammals. Nice gift shop too. Entrance fee $44 per adult , parking $3 per hour (don't risk not paying - the lot is patrolled regularly).

My family loved our visit to the Maui Ocean Center. It was great for learning all about the ocean life around us. The sphere 3D show was a highlight as well as the presentation from staff at the aquarium and tunnel. So much effort goes into what they have and show us. The many different kinds of coral and ocean creatures were interesting and well taken care of. Much Aloha and free parking for residents.

Open your eyes, let's begin. Yes, it's really me, it's Maui, breathe it in... Hurricane weather outside, calm sea life inside. You may only need 2-3 hours to walk the whole thing with patience. We came on the wrong day but needed to get away from the stormy weather. Seemed like everyone had the same idea. It was a bit smaller than I expected, my mistake for assuming. The kids had a hard time seeing the sea life today with so many people on hand. We had a very rude lady literally accusing my son of hitting her, she sounded like a child throwing a tantrum instead of an adult. It was great that we got to see sea turtles swimming, the kids were too small to see them in the ocean. Mahalo

What a great fun place!! It's on the small side so it won't take more than 2 hours to walk through and that's with stopping to read the signs, enjoy a presentation or two and taking your time to look at all the fish, sharks, and turtles. Very clean and the staff is friendly. You can add an experience to feed the turtles-highly recommend! The turtles were very very active! There is a huge parking lot available-pay where you park.

We love to support Maui's ocean conservation. They have so many variety of areas that you can observe, touch, read, and learn about all things that live and depend on the ecosystem surrounding Maui's ocean. A fun place for kids to run around and learn. I like the new 3D whale theatre and movie experience. A great place to relax and learn about Maui's sea life. It's not a very big place and you can probably go through it in less than 2 hours.

Great experience for the whole family. There's a fun playground area and the gift shop has some unique items to pick from to take home. Lots of marine life to see and easy to get to. The Maui Ocean Center was both a fun and educational experience. I am so glad we added this to our vacation plans.

***REVIEW MAINLY CATERED TO HAWAI'I LOCALS*** Fun indoor-outdoor spot to visit for local families! More to see than the Waikiki Aquarium! Maui Ocean Center (MOC) is Hawaii's answer to aquarium fun when a flight to California for the Monterey Bay Aquarium or Sea World isn't possible. My husband randomly heard of MOC from TripAdvisor when looking for family-friendly, air conditioned fun activity between Wailuku and Kihei. Kama'aina admission rates for adults and kids weren't too bad at roughly half of general admission. Even parking fees had a kama'aina rate (requires scanning a QR code). Guests can save $5 by reserving tickets at least a day in advance. When we entered MOC, we instantly understood the reason behind the general admission rate. IMO, the $15 adult kama'aina rate is a deal with the various aquarium offerings, including sea turtles and a tunnel of sharks! The complementary special photo booth op also made the $15 admission worth it. By scanning another QR code for the photo booth, you get a cool 15 second clip of your photo against an aquarium! We all love the jelly fish exhibit, rivaling Monterey Bay Aquarium! We missed out on the last theater showing at the 3D whale exhibit (our bad, our family spent too much time eating Dole Whip!). The exhibit without the theater was a bit underwhelming. Yes, Dole Whip is available here and it's yummy! They'll charge an additional 50 cents for extra cups. As parts of MOC is outdoor, don't forget the sunscreen, hats and sunglasses. When Hawai'i residents run out of ideas on where to take the kids for the summer, MOC isn't a bad idea. An inter-island flight to Maui for MOC is much cheaper than a mainland flight. Don't forget to pick up Maui Specialty Chocolates or Krispy Kreme!

The Maui Ocean Center is a terrific experience. We participated in the Behind the Scenes tour and the 3D Humpback Whale Sphere Experience. In addition, we had lunch at the Seascape Restaurant. It was a wonderful experience for all ages, learning about corral, fish, sharks, and whales, and their work. We highly recommend this. There is a free bus service between the center and the port if you're on a cruise!

I've been to many aquarium and IMO this one is too small for the admission price. I paid $50 per person after all the fees for about 1 hour and 15 minute trip. This included viewing everything and the 3D humpback whale show. The sharks were all small and pretty normal looking. The one cool thing is that the fishes seem like they come from Hawaii. Other than that there are so many other aquariums that are much larger and cheaper. Also note you must pay for parking. It's $3 an hour which is steep. Lines of cars were getting tickets so they are very serious about this, there was a lady on a golf cart just checking everyone. Overall spent $110 for two with parking for which I believe was a $20 per person experience at max.

Visiting our Maui Ocean Center is so different these days for me. Now I have a little someone to share the excitement with who is intrigued by everything, who I get to teach about colors and everything. We love going to the Maui Ocean Center. It is very family and kid friendly and has something for everyone. I'm especially appreciative of the kama'aina rates and the free parking for kama'aina. The employees are so sweet too. Definitely check them out.

This was a top destination that my kids were wanting to see on our trip. I wasn't expecting an outdoor aquarium. It's right by the oceanside. It is a lot smaller than I was expecting. But they did have some really nice exhibits. The turtle tank did not disappoint. Small but up close views of the sea turtles that you can view from below and above. We were there when the staff pulled the turtles out for their once a month clean and weigh. The reef building was also really great and they have sharks and rays which you HAVE to have as an aquarium. There's a big tank with a tunnel where you can walk through the tank. That was another good exhibit. Also have historical info particularly about the bombings of a nearby island and restoration that has been going on for decades. They have a cafe, but EAT BEFORE YOU GO. The food is INSANE expensive at their cafe. We just got snacks and had to put stuff back because the prices were so ridiculous I refused to pay for all of it. All in all I do think it's a worthwhile stop if you have kids and are staying on Maui for a while and need to take a beach/pool break day.

I love aquariums, so we had to visit while vacationing in Maui. We purchased our tickets online ($40 before taxes and fees if purchase at least a day in advance, and $45 day of). Parking was easy and plentiful. It was a Saturday late morning, and not too busy. The place wasn't as big as I thought it'd be, but plenty to explore and look at. We had lots of fun.

Ok, it's not the biggest aquarium out there and it's certainly not cheap - but a visit here was one of the highlights of my Hi trip. Charming sea turtles, a shark tunnel, sea horses and tanks full of colorful and beautiful fish. I'm so glad we stopped, it was time well spent.

Very nice place to enojo solo, couple, friends or family. So many different local spices, full of information and great service. They offer a few options of guided tours. We did the plants tour with John was great and he is a very nice and knowledgeable young guy. If the Aquarium is not in your list to do please add it. You have a gift shop, coffee place and restaurant also outside is like small shopping center

Great place to take the kids while on Maui. There are many exhibits of fish and other sea creatures, and a great section on Kahoolawe. They also have a small touch pool, turtles, sharks, and a new sphere-shaped theater that shows a 4D movie on humpback whales (children under 3 are not allowed). They have good Kamaaina rates on Saturday and Sunday.

Had an amazing time at the aquarium, tour had so many different exhibits of fishes. The best one was the shark tunnel.

Fun place to take the kids for a few hours. We loved getting to pet the echinoderms. The docents were really great at providing interesting information.

Great center, for being my first in Maui. It is great to learn about the importance of marine eco systems. The displays were amazing and impressive ease to understand and follow along. The theater was very nice to seat down and relax and learn about the Humpback whales. I definitely will recommend this venue to any one and to learn about the importance to keep our oceans clean and protect the environment.

I loved the indoor/outdoor flow of the aquarium and all the history! The gift shop and restaurant were also very nice!

Great centre. Lots of information and exhibits to observed. Could definitely visit multiple times.

I came to the Maui ocean Center for the very first time with the group of friends. I love coming to aquariums. I've been to the one in Okinawa, Monterey Bay, and now I'm happy I'm able to get this cross off my list. This is a great spot to take your kids for the day. The landscape throughout the whole aquarium is absolutely beautiful inside and outside the buildings. They have a little mini market where you can buy food and snacks to eat outside the buildings. Please do not eat inside the buildings. THE SOUVENIR STORE IS AWESOME!!! They have some pretty cute stuff in the store. Don't forget to buy your souvenirs. Overall it's a beautiful experience. BEFORE YOUR TRIP TIPS - book online one day in advance to save yourself $5 - prepay your parking or pay on site. Payment is contactless. (We went through the whole aquarium in 3 hours and it was not busy) - if you would like to extend your experience, I highly recommend booking behind-the-scenes. You will get more of an experience for sure.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed everything about the Ocean center! We spent well over three hours, looking at all the exhibits and reading everything. The habitats, both inside and out, are beautifully well maintained and clearly are built to appropriately support the wildlife! This center provides history, biology, and is just over all a tremendous learning experience. The 3-D humpback whale presentation in the sphere is breathtaking! I could've sat there all day and watched it over and over again. We told folks on other tours to go check this out and we highly recommend a visit if you are on Maui!

I love aquariums and was looking forward to this but didn't have a great time. Is it worth a $15 entrance fee? Definitely! Was it work the $40 we paid (each! Plus parking!)? No way. Lots of pretty fish, but it was not a $40 a person experience. You can easily see the whole thing in one hour or less. It's also indoor/outdoor and much of the indoor sections are not air conditioned, and the outdoor is direct sun, so if you're trying to fill a hot day just go see a movie.

I haven't been wowed like that in a while. It was an incredible experience for the whole family. From the friendly fish at the beginning, to the incredible eels and octopus and manta rays, would not skip this one!

We come to Maui every year for the past 15 years and this is the first time we have been to the Maui ocean aquarium. We are retired couple and truly enjoyed it. Especially enjoyed watching a little kids have so much fun with their parents. The Seascape restaurant was very very good. My salad with the added grilled chicken was perfect. The waitress was wonderful. The food was great. it does seem a little pricey, but it does go to a really good cause so think of it is a fun way to spend the day and a charitable donation on top of it. It does cost money to keep the place going and it is very, very clean. Be careful about parking. We see the parking signs, but you really have to get up and read that you must park and pay first before you go in to get your tickets. If you buy your tickets a day before you'll save five dollars. We did not know that. Lol , have a fun time it's worth it

What a wonderful experience. The staff, the facility, the knowledgeable tour guide for the behind the scenes tour (I know a lot more about coral now, and am happy for it, thank you Erin.) Feeding the turtles was a special treat, and being splashed wet by their flippers was so perfect a way to feel a part of their world. Thank you Maui Ocean Center for a fun, welcoming, and educational day. Sincerely, Jeff Owen

Our guide was excellent, fun, and knowledgeable. Very professional. The facility was clean and easy to get around.

It's always good to support an aquarium and it's programs. The inside and outside exhibits are well done. Enjoyed tremendously.

It was a beautiful Christmas even. Loved all the decorations and the music was wonderful. Great night with family. Thank you for making it affordable and open. The amazing displays of Marine life was also incredible.

Such a great place that supports a great cause. A visit to the Ocean Center will enrich you with so much knowledge you never knew about the ocean and all its life in it. Between the coral reef and all of the fish, the we were blown away on how much effort goes into preserving life under the sea. The 3D whale experience is truly mind blowing and should definitely be checked out! My wife and I absolutely loved the Sea Turtles! Nothing is held in the Ocean Center that shouldn't be. You can feel good about your money going towards a good cause when you visit.

An experience for sure! This wasn't my first time to the center but it was my children's first time. Parking costs now and you will indeed get a fine if you don't pay! Buy your tickets online and save yourself a couple bucks! The whale sphere was an amazing experience! Nothing like seeing a whale in 3D. The other exhibits were entertaining. I was sad my kiddos didn't get to go around and trace the rocks for a prize but it was super windy. Disliked how pricey it has gotten but the kids had fun. Definitely recommend.

If I could have rated higher I would. The pristine conditions of the aquariums, the hospitality of the staff, the wonderful and informative tour of the botanical garden/making fresh poi, and the easy admissions made this extremely enjoyable. We have been to world class aquariums and this is our #1. We also chose to have the chef prepared lunch. Wow! Compliments to the chef.

Science Night at the Ocean Center 27 July 2024 review: We bought tickets online easily for this special event, providing opportunities for prospective volunteers, and highlighting career opportunities for future marine biologists. Tickets were an achievable $10 per person - yay thank you! Free parking for Kamaiina. Food choices were limited at the only open cafe, the pre made tuna sandwich was OK, the coffee was a cup of milk without coffee included. We especially enjoyed the diver interview in the main tank, extremely interesting info as a juvenile tiger shark and many other predators swam by. The diver being interviewed was obviously in love with his job and his enthusiasm shone through: very informative and entertaining. Different opportunities for learning about volunteer and career opportunities throughout the Ocean Center as you walked through, plus the usual exhibits and a hands on experience with some pickle like starfish :) All in all we really enjoyed our science night at the Ocean Center. Definitely worth the ticket price and so nice to walk around the exhibits with very few people around. Mahalo for such a wonderful evening treat.

The only reason I docked a star was because of the price. It was pretty expensive for 2 people to go, but we figured it was for a good cause so we went for it. Very cool! We loved the 3D whale theatre. This is a great place to learn about coral reefs and Hawaiian history. Probably wouldn't go again JUST because of the price but it was a great one-time date.

Loved the printing press exhibit. Still disappointed in the lack of hand sanitizing stations throughout the park, exhibits, and retail store.

The MOC has the perfect layout. There is so much to explore and they do such amazing work it's hard not to love them and support them! Thank you go the MOC teams!

Check this aquarium out. It's ranked in the top. The whale 3D movie was great. Wow feels like you are right there by them. Kamaaina specials and early online specials. Parking rates for kamaaina. There are signs to read. We did not have time for all the shows but did go to all the open displays. Very impressive. The tunnel to walk under and see them swimming around you is great. We were told after we left the restaurant has good food. Allow at least 2 to 2 and a half hours to see the basic displays and more to see the shows.

Such a great place to come and visit! I'm a first time visitor but was nice. Nothing like sealife park that we have on Oahu but still was a great day!

I haven't been to many aquariums, but this one is my favorite. You have the shark tank, and the sea turtle viewing, but the coolest thing here is the 3D humpback whale show. It's truly an experience. Running every 20 minutes, you enter the dome and sit in a circular screened room. You literally feel like you're in the ocean scuba diving with the majestic giants. At one point one of the images got a little too close for comfort...lol. And at the end, you follow one breaching to the surface. You also have to stop by the gift shop. Lots of must buys here! The whole place is a must.