New York Aquarium

very cute aquarium! i had been very excited to visit the aquarium as it was my first time in new york, and i was thrilled with what there was to see! i do wish it was more advertised that all tickets must be purchased virtually and in advance. there are a somewhat decent amount of exhibits, definitely take your time on each one. very family-oriented, kid-friendly atmosphere. unfortunately, when we visited, the aquatheater show was canceled, but we still enjoyed browsing and learning! i am personally very passionate about marine life, and observing so many species up close was a fantastic experience. the gift shop is quite cute, but if you are planning on souvenirs make sure to add that to your budget! overall i would recommend to anyone interested in learning more about these amazing creatures, or even just interested in taking a peek into their world😄🦭

I had a pleasant visit to the New York Aquarium and overall, it was a fun and enjoyable experience. The exhibits were engaging, and it was fascinating to see the diverse marine life up close, from colorful fish to playful sea otters, every section had something captivating. It’s a great place for families, friends, or anyone curious about ocean creatures. One part of the visit that didn’t quite hit the mark for me was the 4D theater. I was hoping for a more immersive, high-tech experience, but it felt pretty basic, mainly hoses of water misting you to mimic effects from the show. It’s a creative idea, but could benefit from a bit more depth and innovation to really transport you into the story. That said, the aquarium grounds were well maintained, the staff were friendly, and the overall atmosphere was inviting. Whether you're looking to learn, relax, or just enjoy a few hours surrounded by sea life, it’s definitely worth a visit. Just don’t set your expectations too high for the 4D theater!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I had an amazing time at the New York Aquarium! From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the variety of marine life and the beautifully designed exhibits. The sea lion show was a definite highlight—entertaining, educational, and fun for all ages. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and the whole space was clean, well-maintained, and easy to navigate. What made the experience even better was its location—right on Coney Island! After exploring the aquarium, I enjoyed a relaxing walk along the boardwalk and took in the lively atmosphere of the area. This is the perfect spot for a day trip, whether you’re visiting solo, with friends, or bringing the whole family. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a fun and enriching experience in New York City!

Great experience for the whole family! The New York Aquarium is a wonderful place to visit with kids. We loved the sea lion show — it was fun and educational! The shark exhibit is really impressive, and there are lots of colorful fish to see. Everything is well organized and clean. It’s not too big, so perfect for younger kids. We also enjoyed walking along the boardwalk after. Highly recommend for a family day out!

Fun and educational aquarium. It's not too large to get it all in. The staff is knowledgeable. Military and Veteran discount is really good. Free for you and half price for your guests. A percentage discount applies at the gift shops.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking my 14-month-old daughter to the NYC Aquarium — she absolutely loved it and didn’t want to leave! The entire place was spotlessly clean, and the exhibits were engaging for both kids and adults. The only downside was that the touch tank exhibit was closed during our visit. Parking was $25, but it was conveniently located and just steps away from the boardwalk, which made the day even better. Highly recommend for families with young kids!

It is kind of crowded a lot, but if you put your headphones 🎧 on full volume, that might help. Because animals is really hypnotic and nice to watch. Of course I wish all of the animals were in a nature, but the ones inside is looking good, and been taken care of. Hopefully they are happy and fed 😁 I live here and love visiting this place

First time visiting and I took my little one and neice. We enjoyed the outdoor areas much more than inside. The shark area and jelly fish indoors were standouts also. The food in cafe is overpriced but palatable. They are plastic free which i can appreciate. We loved that it was right by Coney Island, so we went on a couple rides after. It really is a wonderful experience to see a vast variety of ocean animals up close and we will definitely return.

My kid and I decided to visit here in January since it was raining. It took us about 1 hour with subway from Manhattan. Since it was winter, the aquarium & surrounding was quiet. It was a good smallish aquarium. The sea lion show was closed when we were there. Some great attractions include shark tunnel, the big floor to ceiling aquarium (very calming), outdoor enclosures (penguins, sea otter, sea lions), and the basement viewing area for the sea lion. My kid was disappointed when saw that the touch pool was also closed. However, we spent a good 2 hours while keeping ourselves warm inside.

Nice aquarium but relatively small especially with the Aquatheater currently closed during the winter for construction work. A visit can be completed in 1-2 hours. Exhibits are nicely done especially the Sharks display.

I've spent a lot of time here over the past couple of years, and while it's not as large as some aquariums around the country, it's our aquarium, and I love it. More importantly, my children love it. They aren't yet of an age where they're reading all the information about the exhibits and really engaged with all the conservation edutainment, but it's always fun to see them excited about the sea life. The main attractions (as I see it) are the Shark building, the Spineless building, and the sea lion show. Everyone knows sharks are cool. Seeing them swim over your head in the tunnel, or in the giant tank, or from the crawlspace under the tank...always a win. Jellyfish are the most gorgeous animals to watch move around, and the sea lion show, while loud and crowded (usually), is a winner. My kids have a short shelf life, and if we can hit these three things, it was a good visit. Personally, I try and avoid the concessions here, and the gift shop. Everything they offer is predictably overpriced and mediocre, but I'd be lying if I told we'd never stopped for Dippin' Dots, or if I claimed we didn't have a few pink sea turtle stuffies around my apartment somewhere. Much like other cultural institutions around NYC, if you're going to go more than once a year, you might as well be a member. It feels like a donation to a good cause, and then you just get to go whenever you want without worrying about the ticket cost. And you park for free, which is a nice bonus because it lets you walk out on the boardwalk for lunch after a visit, or play in the sand for a little while before heading home. So become a member, and enjoy the glimpse under the sea.

I been to other aquarium and this is my first one in NY. This one was a bit small or the smallest one I been to. The shark area was cool but the outside area the didn't have much. I saw some sea lions but they were hiding from the sun. Unfortunately some shows and stages were blocked off due to construction as well. Maybe there would be more attractions in the summer but as of right now, there wasn't much aside from the indoors area. The penguins also were hiding from the crowd as well. There was no one in the outside area attracting the crowd. Again at the time of this it seems like maybe summer there will be? I am reviewing this just for today. There wasn't much at this aquarium but it is a nice place for what it is. May come back again in summer. Maybe things will change more then.

The only aquarium in NYC. We got free admission via my son's school science program. We paid $18 fir 3 hours parking. Parking is hectic outside the aquarium parking lot due to nearby DMV Dept of motor vehicles. All park admission includes 4D movie, which located in another building across the main entrance. The sealion theater was closed for renovation when we went, so we didn't see the sealion performance. We especially went for the Halloween week. They have special events such as carnival games ( prize is temporary tattoo or a cookie), magic show, scavenger hunt ( no prize), exhibition booths. Parade, special halloween menu at cafe etc. It's a small aquarium but it's inside NYC. Coney Island boardwalk/ beach is right behind the aquarium. The carnival is also right there. Family can make it a day there. Just mind the parking is $40 for 4 + hours if you are not aquarium member. We enjoyed the 3 hours spent there. Enough to cover everything we want to see. Will return.

Aquarium is quite small,perfect for young kids and toddlers to spend like 1.5- 2 hours in. I came here with 3 toddlers (2.5-3yo) and they enjoyed the aquarium. They enjoyed looking at the fish, sharks, jellyfish, and sea lions. They loved the huge tanks and the little playground in the playquarium. We came on a Tuesday, around 1130am and there were alot of kids from different classes that went there that day for a trip. The aquatheatre was also closed so we didn't get to watch any shows. The touch tank area was also closed. Overall, it was a decent experience today but if the aquatheatre and touch tanks were open, it probably would've been a more eventful day. There's a shaded area (a big tent) for people to sit and rest/eat.

I spent a part of the day at the aquarium with my wife and son. It was a chill day and we had a very nice time, but this place is definitely on the small side and can be viewed in an hour or 2 tops (unless you stop and read all the information posted). It is also rather expensive in my opinion, as adults are around $30 each. The best part was the feedings. We saw penguins and other animals get fed outside in their tanks, and that was cool. They offer a free entry time on Wednesday afternoons, I believe, but you have to reserve online in advance (a small price to pay to save on the admission cost).

EVERYTHING IS OPEN!!! The renovations are FINALLY done and MAN - they did a great job keeping in mind little explorers like my 2.5 year old. I highly recommend coming as soon as they open on a rainy weekday like we did last Friday. I'm not sure who enjoyed their experience more - my son or me! Gosh, I loved how they made a fully covered enclosure to look behind the scenes and at the tanks for the seals, otters (removed because they could get COVID), and the penguins. There's plenty of panels to read and learn more about what can be done for conservation. One seal was particularly playful, and really made our trip memorable! It was so enjoyable to see also the scuba divers maintaining the tanks, and waving to my son, who thought we came to see them. Playquarium was alot of fun and we spent a great deal of time there. There's plenty of room to run around, climb, touch, explore, crawl, and much more; highly recommended! We also LOVED the seasonal gift shop that was there. The plushies were all adorable, and we were tempted to bring them all home. This was much better stocked than the gift shop at the exit of the aquarium. The tunnel in the shark exhibit was also a huge highlight, and is a must to do! Take time to walk back and forth and point out all the various sealife; really amazing. My one star was removed for the extremely high prices in the new Sea Cafe that was just opened. $15.99 for chicken fingers and fries? The options didn't seem special enough for us to eat here, and we opted to eat at Nathan's afterwards since it's literally in walking distance. Looking forward to coming back in warmer weather!

Small and cute aquarium where had a good amount of exhibits and a live show. The entrance was awesome and felt like you are walking under the ocean. I really enjoyed myself. There are a lot of very small children just banging on the glass. Parents weren't any better but if you go maybe early in the morning it could be enjoyable.

Who could imagine an aquarium in NYC but yes we have it and believe it or not it's one of the oldest in the US and in Brooklyn near Coney Island. I guess it actually was started like 100 years ago in Manhattan and moved to Brooklyn in the 50s. There is the Ocean Wonder sharks and the Aquatheater as well as Conservation Hall plus Sea Cliffs and Spineless. All wonderful displays of vast sea life and a very good take!

We took the Q train subway from NYC to the end of Brooklyn. It took about an hour and decided to make of day of it while also visiting Coney Island. The Aquarium has Free admission on Wednesday from 3-5 but you have to register on their website on the previous Monday after 3pm. So we were able to get three free tickets. This smaller aquarium has many impressive areas. As we entered through different aquarium tanks and exited to the outdoor area, we viewed the sea lions, otters and penguins. We were able to enjoy the sea lion show in the Aquatheater. Then went inside the impressive Shark exhibit with other sea life. It can be seen overhead as well. We continued on to the spineless exhibit with jellyfish and others. They do have a cafe for food and drinks. It was a fun time.

Soooooo I had a wonderful time this afternoon at this aquarium. I was a chaperone for my son's school trip (2nd grade). I honestly felt like a kid again today lol. I haven't been here in over 15 years and a lot has changed. There is also so much to see. Upon arrival my eyes were EVERYWHERE. The architectural design is AMAZING. The aquarium is also inside and outside (so cool). My son and his friends were grabbing from all directions to stop and see different fishes, sharks etc, as we read about them along the walk. They had such a wonderful time . You can also eat lunch inside and outside, but there is no structure for the dining area, being the 4 stars instead of 5. Other than the dining situation it was such a great time. They also have shows you can watch the seals and whales live. Unfortunately it started to lightly snow today so we weren't able to watch the show. If your ever in the area adults or children you should definitely visit.

My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday. It was quite crowded, which was expected. You need to reserve your time slot online, otherwise you will not be able to get in. It's quite small inside. A lot of the tanks have the same exact fish. There's jellyfish, sharks, clownfish, string rays, seals, penguins and some other fish to see. I was disappointed not to see any turtles! According to my boyfriend who has been here before they don't have otters anymore. He was very disappointed about that. Some of the tanks were also quite dirty. With your admission, the 4D show is included. It was a short informational film that was a little interactive with effects. Staff was friendly.

The Aquarium is awesome. The exhibit that allows you to see under the water is fantastic. The sea lion show is fun, and the other exhibits are great. Worth a visit.

I enjoyed my day trip to the Aquarium. Even though it was crowded and an extremely hot that day, ugh, 97 whopping degrees! I saw various interesting exhibits, but the highlight was definitely the Shark exhibit. This is where most people stop and linger in awe at the glass tunnel filled with Sharks and other types of exotic fish. It was gorgeous! Definitely picture / video worthy. The Spineless Exhibit was amazing as well. I had no idea jellyfish were so beautiful up close..the way they move is so graceful lol. It was an amazing sight. Didn't watch the sea lion show but i did stop at the Sea lion section to watch the other non-performing sea lions enjoying their swim and sun bathing. My only gripe was seeing trash in a small section of the water they resided in, that made me a bit sad. I deducted a star for that. The water should be kept clean and maintained at a higher standard. If you drive here finding parking is tough on Surf Ave! This is Coney Island! I suggest parking in the Aquarium's parking lot and paying a cover fee of $18 for a 1-3hr stay, I may return on a cooler day to see more exhibits and watch the Sea lion show.

Pros: If you haven't been to the aquarium in a long time maybe it is time you go. With the recent reno, the place looks cleaner and more modern. The shark exhibit definitely steals the show. Make sure to catch the sea lion show to catch some live action. There is a small's kid play section which kept my kids occupied but I wish there was more. There is also a cool tunnel to crawl through to make it seem like you are part of the tank. I was not going to give up the opportunity even if I'm in my 40's. These joints can handle it and I can definitely hang with the toddlers lol. Cons: The petting zoo part of the exhibit is definitely not worth the line. The aquarium is pretty small. As a kid I always remember things being larger but this place is not big. It can be completed within a few hours. It is not like the Bronx Zoo in terms of size. If you are a WCS org member, this is a great place to come by and take advantage of the perks you get with your membership. 3.5/5 5/5 if you are about conservation and don't mind spending to help the cause I don't know how I would feel if i had to pay for a family of 5 without it. I guess the point of it is to help with conservation so it does go to a good cause. Parking is free for two hours with membership and afterwards you pay extra and must get out by 6:15. If not, you are walking home because your car is getting towed so don't try to leave it there to go to Coney Island lol :) It is a decent place but it is not something I'm saying I have to come back like the Bronx Zoo :)

I had a great time at the aquarium! Lots of different exhibits. I wish I would've gone on a day with better weather to be able to enjoy the outdoor exhibits and the sea lion show more without being freezing and wet. I really loved the jelly fish. Maybe in the summer they have more shows but I would've liked to see more than just the one during our time there.

Had the opportunity to visit the New York Aquarium this summer of 2022. I was very impressed with the enhanced exhibits they have added to the aquarium. Totally appreciated the underwater pathway to the shark. This new showcase that's mind blowing; you'd get to experience shark madness up close and personal and sort of 3 D kinda style. Such a brilliant idea! I'd also explored the African Penguin exhibit; highly recommend scoping this exhibit out. These penguins are little humans walking down from their caves then dipping into the water. It's so cool! Id say this is the closest experience you'll get near to Antartica. Oh my and how can you not spend time and adore the moon jellyfishes; they are the prettiest little creatures ever. Too bad I was limited with time as I'd wanted to explore the feeding of the sea lions. I'd experienced this before in my past visits. And not to mentioned their food cafe and store are excited. Enjoy!

I won't compare this Aquarium to another place, and I know they had been renovated for many times and took years to improve the place. Kids love it anyway and that is the most important thing I care about. Another aquarium, you need to drive there but New York Aquarium, you can just go easy taking a subway or bus and it is right here in Cloney Island!

This was an amazing experience. Loved to see the fishes even with a cafe. I highly recommend this place!

3/27/2023 Adult admission is $29.99... for this price I expected a little more; however, we did see sea lion show and a big shark house. Overall this aquarium has what it should have despite missing the wow feature. For little children it is more enticing with a large play and touch area.

I took the kids on an educational field trip to New York Aquarium. It wasn't that crowded on Friday in April. While it was clean and well maintained, I was surprised at how small the aquarium was. Granted this is not Sea World, but I would have expected something more spectacular in NYC. There was the obligatory live Sea Lion show ... and that was it for live shows. We also saw the large marine tank with the sharks, turtles and sea life. There were some penguins and smaller tanks of tropical fish. It's a good 2-3 hour field trip, but not enough to explore for a day.

Surprisingly small, so easy to see everything in less than 3 hours and not a crazy amount of walking. The sea lion show was so cute and loved that they spoke about the importance of taking good care of the environment and ocean life. The penguins were adorable and the jellyfish were mesmerizing. The shark exhibit was thrilling. You walk through a tunnel that's completely glass and are able to be surrounded by the sea life inside. Further in there is a floor to ceiling window with turtles, all different types of fish, and even more sharks! The highlight was undoubtably the drama happening in the sea lion enclosure. Two momma sea lions were vying for the coveted sun rock so they can sunbathe and bond with their pups. A few times the massive male sea lion joined the fray to ensure his baby mama's had the space to relax and enjoy the sunshine. It felt like a reality tv show, sea lion drama island. Looking forward to returning on a cooler day!

Fun day activity for families, the facilities were clean on the day we went, and it wasn't crowded. The food was not good, and the food staff appeared to be teenagers who could care less.

Took a couple of my male students who were successful out for a day. My assistant principal let us choose an activity and this was most popular. We arrived around 10:15 and started with the Planet in 4D experience. It was quite informative and interactive. Students were able to experience splashes of water, animals rising waves and even a tickle from one animal. They loved it. Next we went to the actual aquariums and walked the entire facility taking in everything from sea lion shows to penguin feeds, sand tiger sharks and common cuttlefish, there are a lot of marine animals for you to meet at the Aquarium. Quite frankly, it was hard for me to keep up with all the names of the various species we encountered. Towards the end, near the shark tank the ceiling exhibits beautiful schools of fish The students were very intrigued by the animas and had a lot of questions and thoughts. The last activity right before we exited is a magazine booth where you can chose a marine life cover, make a commitment to one element that focuses on: not littering, reducing your use of plastic etc. Once your photo is taken, it's mounted against the cover and you can choose to share it to your social media or directly email it to yourself. We ended the day at Seaside Cafe. All the boys chose a cheeseburger and fries basket ($14) and I had the chicken fingers ($15) . The fries were steel cut, delicious and fresh and my chicken was absolutely delicious I was pleasantly surprised. After we strolled around, enjoyed a sweet treat and then boarded the bus. Overall, great day! The one drawback is that during the week a lot of schools visit and the space inside gets really tight on the hallways. They should restrict the number of entrants at a time.

Great atmosphere . I went with my girlfriend , it wasnt busy at all . We enjoyed the experience . Would definitely come back.

New York Aquarium has reopened on Coney Island's Boardwalk after a lengthy renovation following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with all buildings open and hopefully the return of a full service restaurant in the summer. (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/nyregion/rebuilding-new-york-aquarium-hurricane-sandy.html) The NYAquarium is a great spring/fall overcast/rainy day activity because it is half indoor/outdoor and avoids summer peak chaos. Parking has its own dedicated lot, but beachgoers frequently use the lot and just getting into the driveway can be challenging in the summer. Strollers are common and there is plenty of "parking" for your baby chariot. Indoor exhibits are climate controlled and way finding/navigating exhibits is pretty seamless. Recommended for all ages, standard visit time is 3 hours. The aquarium is a series of buildings around a central walkway/plaza. You enter to the coral reef and lake exhibits, exiting on the other side by the seal enclosure. Otters and penguins are also outside. Continue on left past the Aquatheater, which offers a 20 minute seal training show, which is cute and educational and easy for the littles, but is also outside with minimal shade/cover. Then you see the building for sharks (excellent tanks here, we did it twice). Then to the far side is the spineless exhibit (jellyfish and octopi and crabs) and the Playquarium (indoor play space where you can touch so many things! Touch tank at the back. Ample benches for tired adults! Friendly staff!) Last big tank on this side of the plaza is the Atlantic Sturgeon, which are huge and come right up to the glass, but not a lot of time spent here. From there, you head toward the exit but make a left into the Sea Change exhibit, which talks about climate change but you cannot miss it, because you get to see the bottom of the seal, sea lion, otter, and penguin tanks. They are a hoot to watch and the penguins will play tag with you. Older kids and tired adults will like the 4-D theater outside the main gate, which has two theaters with 30 seats each, with nature movie every 15 minutes. Requires an add on ticket. But air conditioning and sitting for a bit may make it worth it. No re-entry so you really have to do this first or last. The Seaside Cafe is open, which offers chicken fingers, a very solid cheeseburger, hot dogs, pizza, western burger (bbq and onions), ceasar salad, turkey sandwich, onion rings, at about $15 per meal. The fries are quite good, portions are solid. There's also Icee, cookies, beer, and assorted other drinks. There is plentiful indoor and outdoor seating and it was all very clean. I am impressed with the buildout, the quality of the exhibits, the educational aspects, happy animals, and family friendliness. It may be smaller than other metro city aquariums, but the location of NYA right on our boardwalk makes it special and at home with the rest of city life.

We came here right at opening. Even though there are timed tickets you can buy ahead of time, there was a line to get in. Be prepared to wait outside. There's a lot of outdoor space, which I'm sure is more fun in the warmer months. Also, it looks like outside is currently your only option for dining or snacking. Overall, the exhibits were interesting for young kids. It's definitely on the smaller side, but they have some classic views like sharks and crabs and sea lions. Going at this relatively empty hour was really nice for our first time. We got some great pics and had the sharks to ourselves for a few minutes. I really wish there had been more maps. I had to pull one up on my phone. Also there are not many (any?) places to sit inside, which would have been handy with little kids.

Great Facility and they have great marine life and they do conservation of species in the wild.

I did not take enough pictures. I was blown away by this aquarium. It's my hey arnold 90s dream come true. My husband and I took the bus and train on Saturday- we ended up entering the aquarium around 2pm. The place closes at 4:30 I believe. We had just enough time to see everything except for the gift shops and cafes. The rollar coasters are literally next door. There's a huge parking lot if we had brought our cars. Even at 2pm there was a long line of families and small children. Still the entire aquarium had plenty of space and was not overcrowded. Upon entering there's alot of information-packed displays and fish from different countries. You exit the first building and there's seals on rocks. I expected turtles. There weren't any. No penguins either. Surprisingly plenty of variety of sharks. We were just in time for the 30min sea lion show. Though the weather was in the 20s and we were sitting on the benches outside, the entertainment was so intriguing, we forgot the cold! Next the path leads to the shark building. The tanks are absolutely huge. They make you feel like u are underwater with them. We had 10minutes in the squid jellyfish room - which was mesmerizing in itself. If they have a turtle exhibit in the future, I'd definitely want to come back.

A kind of pretty small and old aquarium on the Coney Island Boardwalk. It has a few cool exhibits. New York Aquarium is a good place to bring kids for a couple hours. Getting in can be expensive if coming at the wrong time as well as crowded. There's a way to come in very cheap as in free if you can make it at that time. It seems like it's quite small for an aquarium. Several of the popular exhibits are always crowded. There's indoor and outdoor sections. In cold weather this gets totally freezing. The place has seen better days of course but there's an old school charm here looking at it positively. Among the highlights are the sea lion and shark exhibits. These always get the biggest crowds, as these are the best parts. Admission usually is about $26 for an adult. That's just too much for it. Paying the full admission sucks however there's a way to enter free. They have free times on Wednesdays. Come within a couple hours time frame. You get access to all the regular exhibits but some things are closed so just know that. Also they have a cafe with cafeteria quality food. They don't allow outside food in. Conveniently it has a subway station by here. It beats parking which is more expensive than getting in. This is a part of the zoo system so you can get a membership and save a lot if you plan to come many times.

Had a membership here so I went on Wednesday at 12pm and it was a perfect day to come!! The weather was amazing and we were lucky to see every sea lion they had, I believe it was like 7 of them not sure!! I had a 9 month year old with me and she definitely enjoyed. Bring Sunglasses, water, sunscreen and baby wipes to disinfect! I recommend to take your children to cool actives like the Aquarium so they become more aware of the world they live in! Also it's dope and I lowkey had more fun than she did because it was so beautiful and I was able to appreciate the views! No strollers are allowed in the exhibits but many parents had them! Definitely check out the sharks and sea lion show! Will be back soon as the weather is better

This was my first time at the NYC Aquarium! I've been to the aquarium in NJ- that one was huge and cheaper than this one. Pros: helpful staff- sanitizing stations available - sea lion show was fun to watch and informative information on the animals provided below the tanks! My favorite exhibits was Ocean wonders: sharks and Spineless (octopus, jellyfish and crabs). I fell like they did great with utilizing the small space they have. Cons: it's was very small- as well as the space for the animals. For me personally, after going to a HUGE aquarium in NJ- this one in NYC was very nice but very small. For the adult price of $27.. I personally think that's a bit much for what you get to experience.

If you're a New York native, then you know this place got hit badly during the hurricane like 10 years ago. After so many years passed, I thought I would give this place a visit because I haven't been there for more than 14 years. Their ads hype this place up to be something so amazing, but it falls so short and I was so disappointed. Let's discuss the big problems: 1. It's freaking crowded and SMALL. Being family-friendly is fine but if you're here trying to get any view, trust me, it'll be nearly impossible; not even for 5 seconds. I got a headache from the screaming of kids and left each display within 20 seconds. There's also a lot of running around with children and they just shove you out the way so they could get through in front of you. Kids are kids but this isn't a playground. 2. Based from someone I know, every construction and project that the aquarium needs is done by external contractors where they purposely spend years wasting time, blowing up the budget to do stuff as simple as putting up a mirror. That's why half this place is still closed and it won't be done probably for another decade. 3. The food is overpriced. Half the place was closed down so there wasn't much to see from the already-nothing-much-to-see. If you go to a local fish store, you'll have so much more fun, I promise. Wasn't worth the price of a full price ticket I paid and I was done within 30 minutes but I was embarrassed trying to even extend my time there only to be walking around doing nothing. I have an aquarium at home and studied marine biology myself, so this aquarium is a huge disappointment. If you're new to this city, don't even bother going to this. It's SUPER crowded, very hot and humid outside in the summer, and such a waste of time. Come here if you have kids because they'll love it. Teenagers and adults will be miserable.

Went on a Saturday - boy it sure seemed like post-covid for sure! The crowds just piled on around noon/1pm... there was no social distancing whatsoever, and that's fine. But it is recommended to keep the masks on because of all the running around, bumping, and constant "excuse me's" and whatnot. However, the overall place/decor and new renovations really kept this place nice! Back in the days this was a horrid of a location with the crowds being very hostile, lacking civility. So now it's 180 degrees from all that, so that is where the four stars are from. The animals/exhibitis were great...but with the steep pricing, that comes with all the positives. Also, I noticed they kept the original bathrooms, some mini updates. The lower level bathroom was the most obvious with the bathroom from the 90s, LOL! Anywhos, the birthday parties here are expensive! If someone has a big budget, this is really the place for an awesome birthday celebration. They include a quick presentation with one simple animal, and then a walk to the 15-min show, and the room is for the celebration details. Staff are all very friendly (well they should be with that price tag!), and attentive, when needed.

This place is VERY disappointing. We decided to take a family trip here recently. We went to the Maritime Aquarium a few years back so I had high expectations for this place. It's surprisingly small and definitely not what I expected. The shark tank was the only area that wowed us but aside from that the rest was pretty boring. If you are looking for a truly awesome aquarium visit Maritime in Norwalk, CT instead! if you're in Coney Island this is just something to check out but I don't recommend going out of your way to come here. I wouldn't go back.

Great weekend family day in Coney Island. The 4D movie was a great ending to the aquarium

Total Rip Off, $29.99 a ticket and if not for the drawn out sea lion theater show we would have been in and out in 30 Minutes. just so underwhelming. you walk through some fish...past the sea lions, past the penguins, into the shark exhibit, stay out of the cafe!!! then you walk through the jelly fish and then..oooh look its the exit. total rip off

I am a member. During the spring ,summer and fall seasons I visit quite often. It is a great place to take the children. It is small . The staff are friendly.

As the oldest aquarium in the USA, the NY Aquarium has definitely seen better days. However spending an afternoon here is still enjoyable if only to see the diversity that our great oceans offer. After Hurricane Sandy nearly washed away the entire aquarium, WCS took this as an opportunity to refresh and rebuild the entire aquarium. Now sporting two new exhibits about sharks and invertebrates, they bring a modern refresh to what had been in place for over 50 years. The new shark exhibit is a must see, if only for the giant tunnel of sharks. Secondly, the amphitheater show is always a good time, showing the athleticism and grace of the Sea Lions. While I'm not sure if its due to COVID, or just the state of the aquarium now, this is probably the least explorable of all the WCS zoos - there's really only about 3 major exhibitions and you can be in and out within 90 minutes. Luckily the whole beach is just outside the doors of the aquarium!

My son loved coming here. The only problem that I was concerned about was how dirty the tanks were.

As many have already said, this is a relatively small aquarium. However, the exhibits that they have are pretty well done and accessible for smaller kids to get close to. I especially like the area where you can see the seals, sea lions and penguins underwater - they all seem to spend plenty of time shooting passed the glass so you can see them up close. The shark exhibit is also very impressive - the tunnels allow the sharks to glide right over the observers. All of this said, I have very mixed feelings about zoos and aquariums - I love seeing the animals up close, but do not like the idea of them being there for my entertainment.

My mother and I traveled a long distance to visit the aquarium gift shop to purchase a gift for a family member and were instructed to pay a gross amount of $26.95 per person ($53.90 total) to enter and access the gift shop? First was told by the manager there were no staff members to accompany us to the gift shop then was told no one is allowed inside without a ticket. Quite unreasonable ask given the circumstances. Poor customer service and zero effort to accommodate with alternatives.

Haven't been here in forever came here with our son. It definitely was nice but also expected more. We made the mistake of going when school field trips go which is a weekday morning and yeah don't make our mistake lol. I can only hope my son never becomes a kid like that lol. But whatever it's not the aquarium's fault for loud kids screaming. The people who did work there told many to be quiet. Anyway it was a nice day and our son had fun. I just think for NY come on we can do better. We did really like the new shark thing of course it woulda been better without the screaming kids, which echo'd and scared our boy. Seriously I'm gonna start telling our single friends to come here on a weekday in the morning so they will never want children :P

First time visiting this Aquarium and I gotta say... I was unimpressed. My biggest issue is the tickets are about $29 per person and for a very small aquarium, that is A LOT which is not counting the $20 for parking. I was only in there for maybe 40 minutes at most. I will say the Sea Lion show was cute and the exhibit overall were very well done. The gift shop was actually pretty big but this place was a one and done for me. It was nice to check out but wouldn't be back.

Brought my husband to Coney Island for the first time in his life. Had to do the aquarium. When we first got there we drove past and signs stated times reservations only. So, we decided to park nearby and enjoy the boardwalk while we killed time. We walked down and signs at the boardwalk entrance stated the same and masks are required as well. So we walked back to our car and then started to head back. When we walked down to the entrance we found out that however was not the case. If vaccinated no masks are required, also they were not checking times on your reservation. They have employees actually telling you don't worry about your reservation times. Also you can just walk up and pay now to enter. Very frustrating that we killed a few hours waiting for our reservation, website, email confirmation and signs haven't been updated to the new protocols. Once inside it was hot! Outside was only 78 and bad overcast. So was shocked how warm inside the buildings it was. But it was super clean. Guests were doing their best to still socially distanced and there still were people masks. Hand sanitizer stations were located at every door in and out. The sea lion show was cute. The singing in the beginning is cute for kids. But it was only about 15 minutes. They let everyone know that when the show is over you will be released by sections to help with crowds and no one listened and everyone just got up and exited. But there was no staff in the stands to control it. There was one food truck for food and drinks. Gift shops were super clean and organized. Prices were not bad. Other then the ticket takers at the entrance , gift shop and the sea lion show, there was no staff members anywhere talking or greeting people. Helping with crowds or questions. Place isn't large and laid out pretty simply but there were several people looking around for staff to help them. I wouldn't do it again when coming back. But it was a staple so if visiting the area and have like a hour or two you wanna kill why not.

This place is ok at best. After hearing some hype about it, I guess I just expected more. The shark tunnel was really cool. Sea lion show was cute but short. The aquarium includes a 4D movie. Note that the movie is not located inside of the aquarium. It is outside in a separate building and you cannot re-enter aquarium once you exit. We won't be back.

Everything expensive nothing new looks the same as when I went there as a 10-year-old and still the same show I will not be going back there again ever oh and by the way the 4d animation theater they have sucks and no 4d and you get sprayed water on for no reason pretty terrible.

We were pretty excited to visit an aquarium yet alone the NY aquarium. Sadly it was quite disappointing. $30 per person to enter, on top of that $20 to park! We made the mistake of going on a rainy day so the sea lion show was cancelled. They only have 3 exhibits that take no more than 20 minutes to walk through. You end up spending just as long In line just to enter the building. Not to mention there very little coverings so if it's raining you and your little ones will basically be standing out in the rain. Also, no strollers are allowed in the exhibits so those to must be parked out side of the buildings in the two only to get soaked. They should really be ashamed of the prices for what little they have to offer. Shark tank was the coolest part. Be sure to check it out if you do visit.

From the Ocean Wonders: Sharks and Spineless exhibits to the sea lions live show, my son learned about marine life at the New York Aquarium. There were quite a few animals to see and habitats to explore. I wished there were dolphins, but I don't think this Aquarium has the capacity to house large mammals. Speaking of size, I still cannot get over the huge crabs that we saw in one of the tanks. I never knew that there were species that grew beyond the sizes that we are accustomed to seeing in North America which is why these learning spaces are such an important way to connect the global community. One of my favorite experiences was walking through the Coral Reef tunnel, without any scuba diving gear. It was my son's second visit but my first, yet he was still excited to visit the exhibits twice then later marveled at the talented sea lions in the Aquatheater. The importance of recycling and conservation for the good of the ocean was communicated so well during the brief outdoor performance. I thought the trainers did an excellent job with each demonstration from how to distinguish between seals and sea lions to sharing the lessons learned here with others. I wished there was more to see because I certainly planned for a long day, but it was sufficient enough to captivate the attention of younger children. The snacks were affordable but beware of the birds surveying the area for food around the dining area shielded from the sun with umbrellas (thankfully).