Mystic Aquarium

Although it started out to be a lovely day weather wise it heated up. But the animals were all in great spirit, and active. We loved all the interactions with certain ones, being able to see them up close and touch many was great. It was a Wednesday and we arrived upon opening so there was no crowd for a couple hours. Which made it easier for us to have the greatest locations to see everything. Feeding time with the beluga whale, the show with the seals, touching the sting rays it was wonderful. And going early the bathrooms were very clean... LOL

Fun place for the whole family. Plenty of parking in the parking lot although some of the parking spots could be farther away. It is wheelchair accessible throughout the park there’s plenty of seeing and doing and bathrooms all around we got to touch the stingrays and other sea life inside the aquarium the price is pretty decent. They do sell some food inside and they have a gift store where they sell souvenirs it’s one of the better parts in New England. If you have extra money, you can interact with some of the bigger aquatic creatures. It’s about a 2 Hour Drive from Boston and that would mean it’s also about a 2 Hour Drive from New York. My favorite part of the aquarium was the was the interactive bird exhibit which I have not seen for quite some time. Feeding the birds was so awesome.

A small but phenomenal aquarium. I love it here. They work so hard to make the experience fun and engaging for everyone. The sea lions show is great for kids, but also anyone of any age. Lots of amazing fish and exhibits. They also do great work with animals that are in need of rehabilitation. We were a large group and they were super accommodating. Would 100% recommend this.

We had so much fun at the Mystic aquarium. The friendly accommodating and courteous staff were readily available to share information about their efforts to help oceanic wildlife prevent environmental contamination that harms oceans, and the wildlife that lives in them. We especially loved the beluga whales, the Penguins and the sea lion show A must visit when in the area.

We had a blast! We did everything they had available. Take your time at each exhibit. Go to all the shows! They have an amazing staff. Ask all the questions, and everyone will answer them. We easily spent all day here!! And there's good food across the street.

The perfect place for a visit if you can make it. Plenty of exhibits, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and cool wildlife. You can touch rays and sharks and the seal show is a blast. Another bonus - If you are military or a veteran, you can get free entry and discounts for your family. Much respect (and thanks) to the aquarium for that!

Very nice, low key family fun. It is more expansive than it appears from the outside and there is a good variety of animals. There are also a few touch tanks and the workers are protective of the animals within, enforcing gentle touches and animal rest areas which I was pleased to see. We also bought tickets for the Dino seas area with an aerial exploration experience. This was reasonably priced and ran with safety in mind. It was nice to escape the crowds here although I would have liked a restroom in the building so as not to have to exit and come back in. It would have also been nice to have a small cafe (even automated) within for the same reason. That being said, bring your own water bottle drinks are pretty expensive. The only thing keeping the experience from a 5 is how hectic the parking area is so keep that in mind when choosing times to go.

This was a pretty cool experience. There were a lot of great things to see. The highlight was definitely seeing the Belugas up close. It was pretty crowded when we went. When we were in the main gallery there were so many people that we were often waiting and fighting for a place to see the exhibits. We saw a lot before the crowd got there because we came early. The earlier in advance the tickets are purchased, the cheaper the cost. I recommend getting them three weeks ahead of time for ten dollars off. Bring your own water. One 16oz can of Dasani water is $6. There are water filling stations to keep your reusable bottles filled up.

Excellent place for kids and family. Kids can have hand touch experience with sting ray and see the seal shows and white whale and penguins and many colorful fishes.

What a lovely aquarium! I love the way they set up their floor plan, with a large atrium and lots of outdoor space. The beluga whales are truly a sight to behold! I had never seen them in person and was very much awed but their size, their presence, and their obvious intelligence. I can't speak to the size of their tank and if it is humane, but they seem well cared for and in good overall health. Similar to this there is also a sea lion show. I had been a bit concerned about how ethical it was, but ultimately the sea lions are only performing simple tasks you would be able to teach a family dog, and so I can safely say I endorse this aquarium based on what I saw during my visit. Their exhibits are nicely laid out and easy to navigate, and they showcase a wide variety of biomes. Obviously kids will love it, but I think most adults will learn a thing or two as well. I enjoyed my time here, and I think if you go on a day that isn't super crowded you will have a lot of fun.

What a fun way to spend a morning of afternoon! The price to get into the aquarium is pretty steep, but if you go with the annual membership it is much more reasonable. Of course you have to pay extra for their special feature exhibit which had some dinosaurs, a play area, and some 3-D movies. The highlight of this spot is certainly the sea lion show. Those sea lions are so fun, adorable, and talented. My five year old was shocked to learn that they put that show on everyday. Seats filled up quickly, but in the end there was a spot for everyone. I also loved watching the belugas whales and exploring. We did go on a hot day so it was probably a bit too much walking for my son. But, they do have the large air conditioned building with the touch tanks and other exhibits. Overall I think they are doing amazing things as a non-profit and we enjoyed our visit.

I've been going to Mystic Aquarium since I was little, and I've always had a great time there. We had so much fun with the sea lion show, new virtual reality experience, and the new Dino Seas exhibit on our most recent visit. I really enjoyed visiting in the fall for less crowds and just as beautiful weather! Good options for lunch there and even a refreshing lemonade station. Looking forward to the next opportunity we have to visit Mystic Aquarium.

For most of my adult life, I've been told how awesome the Mystic Aquarium is & how I need to go see it. I never went as a child (even though I grew up only 1.5 hours away) so I was looking forward to visiting as an adult. I love that they have beluga whales! That's so neat and not something you see at every aquarium. They also have a great seal lion show. I only talked to a few of the aquarium workers but they were very knowledgeable. They also have quite a few touch tanks in the indoor area which my toddler was excited about. We didn't bother going to try any of the food/concessions. The gift shop was pretty good though. I liked the large selection of books but the day I went, there were large camp groups so it was crowded and I didn't get to see some of the other items. The cashiers were nice. Overall, it was a decent aquarium to visit if you're in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way (unless you really like beluga whales). If you've read this far- you can bring drinks in which is nice. I was able to come with my Starbucks that I got across the street. And if it's a busy day, don't bother circling the main parking lot - they don't have stop signs so people don't navigate it well. Just park in "additional parking", it's not a far walk.

I wanted to come here to see the beluga whales, and I think the stop on the way home from a wedding was worth it. This aquarium is small and does not have too many exhibits, but it has an interesting setup with the typical indoor exhibits and a bunch of large outdoor ones as well. We really enjoyed watching the beluga whales so up close, and also loved the African penguin exhibit--they're really cute and active. The sea lion show was alright too, but mostly geared towards kids. They had some kind of 4D show with dinosaurs but we didn't end up watching it. I liked that the staff are very interactive and there were a lot of educational exhibits. I would try not to go on a hot day because you're going to be outside for at least half the time and there isn't too much shade at the outdoor exhibits. Tickets are expensive, but we happened to be in the area and probably won't be coming this way for a long time. On your way in they take a photo of you and then later you're kind of pressured to buy it. It's overpriced, and they actually already had the picture printed out before we decided, and I don't think there was an option to purchase digital copy (? Or it was expensive, don't remember) so I guess they just print all these photos and shred them if people don't buy them, which seems like a huge waste.

Such a fun place! I love how friendly and knowledgeable the staff is. The animals are adorable. Most of this is open air/outside so be prepared. This place gets packed on summer days. Tickets are a little pricey and extra for experience like the Dino adventure.

My son loves aquatic animals, so we took a family trip here for his second birthday. Had a great time checking out all the exhibits. Favorites were the belugas, sharks, and stellar sea lions.

Had a wonderful time at Mystic Aquarium! It's huge! 50% of the aquarium is inside and 50% is outside so definitely recommend going on a warm sunny day. My favorite part was the sea lion show.

I highly recommend checking out Mystic Aquarium. Prices are lower if you purchase tickets in advance than on the day of visit. The online system is easy to use, but there are also kiosks at Mystic Aquarium to purchase your tickets. Mystic Aquarium has plenty of parking and it is free. It is right next to Olde Mistick Village. They have a huge variety of animals and exhibits, but beluga whales caught my attention. They are interesting animals and I could watch them all day. We spent a few hours exploring the whole aquarium and saw a sea lion show.

It shows a lot of wear and tear. You can get through the exhibits too quickly for the hefty admission price of $42 per adult. It is no Sea World or Monterey Bay Aquarium that is for sure. They need to rethink their pricing. The sea lion show is more for kids but decent. They have jackass penguins with staff providing education. The jellyfish exhibit is visually stunning and one of the better ones. I did not see a blue lobster I recall from coming here during my childhood.

I had such a nice day at the mystic aquarium! I ordered my tickets online and was able to skip the line of people purchasing tickets at the door, scan my ticket, and walk right in. They don't have a paper map there (love) but have a QR code you can scan to see the layout easily from your phone. They have some indoor and outdoor sections so dress accordingly! At this current time, they have sea lion shows at 11 and 3 during the week. (11, 1, and 3 on weekends). Had I known the schedule ahead of time I probably would have planned my trip a little differently instead of staying a little longer to see the show. The show is super cute and I thought worth it (def try to sit in the front row if you can!) Hopefully knowing the times of the shows will be helpful to someone planning their trip! While I was kind of waiting around for the sea lion show I went back to the seal area. One of the volunteers (Bob) was SO friendly and informative and I really enjoyed talking to him. I stuck around long enough that I got to watch their feeding as well! The beluga whales put on their own show at the windows and was so cool to see in person. They also have a few touch tanks where you can touch some of the animals at specific times. They have food on site and don't allowed outside food in. They allow strollers and have a few areas for parking them. They also have a pretty large parking area. Overall I had a great day and spent a few hours here and definitely recommend it!

It is a very small place. There are interactive demonstrations especially for children. Sea lion show was entertaining. We were a little disappointed based on local recommendations.

You can touch some of the animals here which is cool. I didn't want to touch the animals personally. With this place as small as it is, this hands-on part with staff to tell you how to touch this and that properly is what makes this place cost a pretty penny. I saved $10 by purchasing about one month ahead of time online and still felt like it is a lot. Seems like they maintain a lot to keep up the beautiful array of appearances that this aquarium is. There is a dinosaur exhibit, 78 mph wind simulator, and science exhibition center w events for more. They also have an animal refuge center which is cool. I understand them charging more but this wasn't for me personally. Someone mentioned lavender lemonade. That must have been unpopular or seasonal. The food here seems reasonably priced and I almost got some but I am in a weird place of too full and hungry right now but gonna hold it in anyway. The bleacher seats in the theater are too close together, sigh. This is the kind of place I'd want to visit once and then anyone I had over as guests, I'd tell them to go themselves or drop them off here, lol. Or I would consider a special event if I were a local.

Having to spend extra money for everything is ridiculous, especially when it is pricy to begin with. However, it's clean and has lots of interactive areas. There are many different animals to view with decent visibility. There is also plenty of parking space. The sea lion show was fun and entertaining for young children.

I came here many times as kid, then brought my kids. That was 10 years plus ago. Now I live here and was very disappointed and saddened to see this place in disrepair, dirty and in a lot of need of TLC. Some of the tanks look worse than sunken wrecks I've seen and other displays broken or in disrepair. Also some of the important exhibit signage out of date - especially the one by the sharks which says there hasn't been a shark attack in 50 years in LI sound area. Because of climate change there has been over 20 - in fact - just since 2020. No great white rampages but attacks none the less with more predicted. How they can't or won't set this straight is alarming. I sincerely hope tie condition or care for their research and marine animal welfare facilities is much better. Sad.

Easy access to get into the Aquarium. You can stand close to every animal section with great views.

I'll preface this by saying I'm a bit biased as I grew up going to the spectacular Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, so this (and the Boston Aquarium) are pretty small/mediocre. However, I actually prefer this aquarium to the Boston Aquarium; it seems to be cleaner with much friendlier employees and cooler exhibits. I loved the touch tank experiences (sharks/rays) and really recommend doing the ray feeding which was very cute! The sea lion show is about 20 mins and the animals seemed really well taken care of. My favorites were the beluga whales and the jellyfish. I will say I think it's a bit overpriced. Apparently it's cheaper if you book online ahead of time, but the portal showed $37 online for me versus the $35 I paid upon arrival. Considering the whole place can be done in under 2 hours, I would have liked to pay a little less. I still had a great time though!

The Beluga Whales makes this entire visit worth it. They are so happy and fun to watch. I'm not sure I would have spent the $40 entry price if they didn't have the Belugas. The penguin exhibit and sea lion exhibit were also fun but the main show is the Belugas for me. The rest of the aquarium really isn't anything spectacular in my opinion.

I've been here half a dozen times and came here today because (surprisingly) my now 17 and 21 year olds actually expressed a desire to come. They've probably been here multiple times in their youth but during a stay in Mystic wanted to visit again. While the Aquarium itself is serviceable and educational; I was annoyed that ticket prices work on a variable scale. Had I purchased tickets beforehand two weeks ago they would've been like $35 each on their website. Since we were watching the forecast and decided to go on one day's notice tickets were $43 online. All the same venues are still there and I'd highly recommend going early in the day, 0900 or 1000. Anything after 12:00 or 1:00 and it's packed. The Sea Lion show is cute but definitely geared towards younger kids and the practice of charging for extras on top of admission is really greedy (IMHO). The Dino excursion adventure is plus $15 and the VR experience is an additional $10. If you get sucked into a 'complimentary' photo it's $35. Don't even get me started on the prices in the gift shop. I'm amazed how packed this place was today, but with all these different price points and add-ons I think it's safe to say the Mystic Aquarium is making some solid profit.

We stopped at enjoy the Mystic aquarium on a Saturday. Well, it's a small aquarium. The sea life is quite fabulous! Particular note or the whales. They were quite friendly and kept swimming up to the glass. Also, the penguins were so fun to watch. The handlers gave us lots of great information and we're very friendly. We missed the sea. Lion show sadly, but we will definitely catch it next time!

Mystic Aquarium has been a favorite destination for my young family for several years. My son asks to go every few months. Unfortunately the aquarium seems to slip in quality every time we visit. Our highlight is always the small animal touch area toward the rear of the main area. Other aquariums have lots of small skates, crabs, snails, and starfish to touch.... the touch area at Mystic is almost devoid of animals altogether. There are many lights out in the tanks, small touchscreens, and interactive areas don't work. All of the focus seems to be on the parts of the aquarium that have add-on costs to the general admission price. That is fine in theory to help the facility's revenue but they forget that families return because of the experience and value received and that revenue will eclipse any one time visit. The gift store has nothing but inflated prices on everything... There should be a dollar amount for all budgets but instead there are $20 buckets of slime that can be purchased at any dollar store, $18 keychains, $20 stuffed animals the size of an orange, and other atrocities. You can buy one on one experiences with sea lions and penguins for a variety of costs from $150 per person but guess what if you happen to have a younger child you must buy a second ticket for yourself at full price. It's time for the aquarium to put a little money back into the general admission part of the facility and put some more thought into the fees they are charging in different areas.

This is a nice aquarium and first time we've seen beluga whales. The staff is very nice and knowledgeable. They are excited to tell you a bunch of fun facts about the animals . The aquarium is clean and well-maintained. You can tell the animals are well cared for. It's worth stopping in if you're in the Mystic.

Worst aquarium i have ever been to. Its small and very expensive. Not worth the admission.

I love mystic aquarium. The whales, sea lions, penguins, and main gallery are all great. They are amazing with conservation and animal recovery. I would seriously recommend bringing all children and adults here

Mystic is pretty damned famous for its aquarium. If you lived in the Northeast as a kid, odds are you at least heard about the place. Wanted to take my kid here as he's a big aquarium fan, so off we went. Lots of construction going on in front. Main attraction--beluga whales--are front and center. They are pretty damned photogenic and cute. Around the bend from them are sea lions, seals and penguins. Of these the penguin exhibit is awesome, including both above and below water portions. Kids playground outside is nicely themed but otherwise a little limited; it's best for photos and otherwise just toddlers. The inner portion is smaller than some other aquariums (ie: Norwalk) but it is still impressive. Lots of themed fish tanks including the Amazon, Long Island sound, and the obligatory section of Jellyfish. There are a few touch tanks too including sharks and rays. Shark exhibit is pretty bare although there are plenty of nurse sharks in there to go with the sand Tiger sharks. There is a turtle but he was only out part of the time. Gift shop is pretty good but lame they make you go through when exiting. Price point of the tickets was high to me (more than $40 pp for adults). Would definitely come here again. Maybe not the best aquarium I've been to and hoping the construction leads to some improvements, but still pretty damned good.

Fun time coming here with my nephews, until it rained. I ended up hitting my head and almost getting a concussion because of the cave-like design of the beluga area. Other than that, it was a good time.

Make sure you dress for the weather. There was a lot to see and it was a lot of fun. It's best to go when the kids are in school. It was nice and quiet and the staff were super friendly and informative. Great for an easy daytime date.

Overpriced and Underwhelmed. Spent over $100 for 2 people only to have walked through the entire facility in 45 minutes. Every gift was marked up and each animal looked absolutely miserable. The engagement was at a low, probably the most entertaining part was seeing how many unsupervised kids were wreaking havoc on the place. Probably won't go again. Boring !

I came here with my son and his mom and we absolutely enjoyed our experience. To start, be sure to arrive early as the parking lot (as vast as it is) fills quickly and you may have to park farther from the entrance than anticipated. Entry is quick and easy if you buy your tickets in advance. We walked around and got to see the entirety of the aquarium. There's a lot to explore, so showing up early allows your to fully enjoy the animals without rushing. They have a section where you're allowed to touch the animals, and my son loved interacting with the sting ray. They have almost everything you can imagine an aquarium should have: sharks, jellyfish, penguins, exotic species of fish, and even beluga whales. They even have a sea lion show which was very entertaining. If you want to get close up photos of the sea lions, be sure to sit in the very front row as they allow them to come up to you for photos. Customer service was excellent, and the park was overall very clean and easy to navigate. We didn't really need the map to find our way around although it made it much easier. We had gotten pretzels from the snack bar near the marsh which was fine. A bit pricey but most places charge an arm and a leg for their in house food. Nonetheless we had no complaints the entire time and would consider coming back again. Definitely check this place out!

You'll find seals and sharks here, but for me the highlights are some of the obscure species including jellyfish, mudskippers and seahorses. You'll find super-colorful African fish and more sturdier-looking denizens like sturgeon and paddlefish. Is an aquarium entertainment or education? Mystic handles this better than most, explaining the basics without getting bogged down in text. As a critic of fake environmentalism, I'm impressed at Mystic's skill in conservation messaging, in the form of the exhibit that shows how an unsuspecting bird might mistake plastic bags for delicious jellyfish. Room for improvement: there's a small section referencing the Long Island Sound, but I don't think there's an actual collection of local fish, why not add in the Thames River for good measure? Overall, the exhibits are impressive and the friendly workers are clearly interested in both marine life and human visitors.

I love aquarium parks....I love seeing animals in a setting that is conducive to humans appreciating them without being hurt or mistreated. This aquarium is less than an hour's drive from Providence, so it's easy to get to when I am in Rhode Island. The Mystic Aquarium is one of only two U.S. facilities holding Steller sea lions, and it has the only beluga whales in New England. In more detail....Mystic Aquarium holds six beluga whales, four Steller sea lions, six northern fur seals (two adult and four pups), six California sea lions, one Pacific and seven Atlantic harbor seals, two Arctic spotted seals, a large colony of 31 African penguins, unicorn fish, blue tang, octopus, Japanese spider crabs, sand tiger sharks, bamboo sharks, sea turtle, clownfish, an extensive sea jelly exhibit, seasonal birds, and other oceanic creatures. It is among the first aquariums to attempt artificial insemination of a beluga whale as part of its conservation work, in order to increase breeding in human care. Within the aquarium, encounter programs are offered to visitors for an additional fee, who can get close to the African penguins, touch and stand in the water with beluga whales, touch bamboo sharks, and feed and touch sting rays in a special pool. Special exhibits include a ray and shark touch pool, an African penguin exhibit, a jelly gallery, and the "Jurassic Giants" dinosaur exhibit. It's such a nice outing! And...before or after the aquarium, strolling around Mystic is just another benefit from being in the area...

Probably the best aquarium in New England! The Beluga Whales will sometimes stop swimming to look at you and the people around, and even open their mouths and make funny faces. I only know because that's what happened to me last time I went. The sea lion show was also pretty cool. Love seeing just how intelligent life on our planet can truly be! Overall a fantastic aquarium! I would recommend this place if you ever visit Connecticut!

We always enjoy the aquarium and we'll probably return. It's a bit small and only has a few exhibits, but the associates are very friendly and show enthusiasm in their work. The location is a little pricey for what you get, but it's a great place for families with small kids to spend 2 hours.

Great Aquarium and lots of fun but it is too pricey for its size and definitely felt ripped off when they had closed off parts of the exhibit for an additional fee.

At first, tickets feel very pricey for the size of the aquarium but then you realize how much goes into it. A lot of it goes to maintaining the animals and research. First stop we visited was the beluga whales which were a big hit with our family. The penguins were awesome. Followed the path of the aquarium so we started outdoors and made our way indoors. Then went back out again. Happy we caught the sea lion show at 11am and that felt like the best way to end the visit. The show alone was worth it. My kids who are 6 and 4 were highly engaged and stayed still to watch the entire show - amazing. It was a great family experience and glad we had the chance to visit the aquarium. Tons of parking in the lot and plenty of helpful guides inside and outside of the aquarium.

I have not been here since I was a kid.... We brought our friends here from out of town/country which is not ideal since it is winter time but we were able to view the animals and visit the exhibits. Still a wonderful place to take the kids many different things to see and learn. Unfortunately one of the whales was sick was an intestinal infection and they had to put it in intensive care. - Very sad.... The news stopped reporting on the well-being of the whale and nothing online hopefully it's doing much better. A great place to visit, and even though it was cold we still had a nice time. Highly recommend it.

My kids love this aquarium! Yes, it's pricey (very pricey) but they always have a great time so it's been worth it. Our older kids go once a year while visiting family and often spend 4-5 hours. The kids do all the outdoor exhibits first (beluga whales, sea lions, & penguins) since those are their favorites, we explore inside, see the sea lion show which is always impressive, and they love all the touch tanks. We round out by doing another lap outside before heading home so they see their favorites again. We haven't done the dinosaur exhibit in a few years. It used to be included, then $6, but this year was $12 and for what it is it's not worth that price so we skipped it even though it was our youngest's first time due to COVID. Yes, the food is super expensive but you're allowed to bring your own which can save a ton of money. There's plenty of shaded tables to eat at too, which makes a lunch break easy.

Was expecting so much more. It had some cool things to see but overpriced and hyped. I guess it could be cool for little kids

Very popular place in the summer for hundreds of people. Situated in the seaside town of Mystic, the aquarium has plenty of free parking available. Tickets can be purchased online, which I recommend to save on lengthy lines. For an additional $15 nonmember fee, you can see the dinosaur exhibit. There are a couple 4D movies appropriate for children and hands on games in the exhibit. My favorite part of the aquarium is the Sea Lion show- they are so clever! The beluga whales are also beautiful. This place is primarily geared towards children with various activities. It is a small aquarium with a few exhibits and a main gallery. All staff presenting animals are very knowledgeable. I found the crowds to be quite overwhelming. As an aside, a message imparted during the sea lion show was the importance of re-usable items like water bottles. In line with this, I believe Mystic Aquarium has an opportunity to make the statement through action instead of words- by having more accessible water refill stations for patrons, such as myself, that bring bottles. As it was, there were only two I found- one of which was broken and the other took twenty minutes to find. Instead, they sell disposable water bottles. Overall, I'm sure this is a lovely place during the off season. I do appreciate that they have sensory bags available with headphones for those that need them, particularly as the docents provided instructions at viewing area (like sting rays) using loud microphones.

Another great visit to the Mystic Aquarium. We usually try and get there at least 2x a year. My daughter's birthday is always 1 of those visits as it falls right on Juno's birthday. Best is to walk around and take in every single exhibit. Only snag is parking but early is always better. Also definitely ear before you enter the prices are a bit outrageous. Nothing makes a day at mystic better than stopping at sift and drinking some lavender lemonade.

My husband and I have been members for more than three years now. Always wonderful to visit! The staff is super nice and knowledgeable. The animals are rescues. Amazing work they do!

Definitely the best aquariums we've been to for the kids. They had tons of opportunities to touch the stars of the show, and plenty of stuff to see in general. Cool to see the belugas and they had plenty of penguins. Really nice time especially for the kids. The only drawback was that it wasn't huge. It felt small and everything can be seen in a few hours at the most. Very fun, but my wife and I both independently noted how we expected more.

I was honestly disappointed. We walked the attraction in 1 hour. I really thought it would be bigger. This is the fourth aquarium that I have been to and by far the least fun or worthwhile. They have whales that other aquariums don't. Otherwise it was very lackluster.

The staff was very knowledgeable, but the $45 price tag and price scaling depending on the day is excessive. While I agree this $ is needed to support the aquarium I think for the size $35 year round would be the best. Very crowded.

The animals looked so sad, it was hard to enjoy all of the exhibits without feeling sympathy for them. We tried to watch the sea lion show, but they all looked so miserable and desperate for food that we left midway. It really makes me question how ethical these establishments are.

Dress for the weather. Many of the outdoor exhibits are open in the winter. There are plenty of paths, walkways, and nooks. Make sure you see everything before you leave. Plenty of opportunity to touch things, Beluga whales and other animals that are way outliving their expected lifespan, a "behind the seas" tour that is well worth the money. Our guide Sara was wonderful. Free parking. There is a "Solutions Center" on the way into the seal show that is worth the time to find. I never understood why part of the ocean could be designated as a National Monument, but I do now. The tasty fish sandwich at their grill was more than ironic. This is a nice place to visit. Handicapped accessible, senior and kid friendly.

Aquarium was nice and empty in December. They have awesome white whales you can see and some penguins outside. Lots to touch inside the aquarium, if interested. We also did the sea lion show which was cute. I heard there was a dinosaur exhibit but was told the area is under construction for a long time. Aquarium was definitely worth a visit. I have only been to one other aquarium to compare too.

Came here on a hot day and my son had the time of his life. He's only 4 so he's learning what he likes and we're learning an aquarium is his favorite on the list of things to do. Especially the seals, one seal was really hamming it up for us. I'm sure I came here as a kid but at almost 40 I don't remember it lol. Nice place and I really wanna come visit the area again and actually see Mystic. Probably the best thing we did on our week vacation in CT.