Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium completely blew me away. The array of animals and wildlife is incredible, paired with some of the most impressive and immersive sets I’ve ever seen in any aquarium. The environments feel thoughtfully designed to pull you in and make you feel part of each habitat rather than just a spectator. That being said, at times it felt very cramped and crowded, especially during the “cave” segment. The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful—one employee even chased us down just to let us know the otters had returned to their enclosure, which was such a small but memorable gesture that really speaks to the care and enthusiasm of the team. The entire facility was spotless, well-kept, and clearly focused on guest immersion from start to finish. On top of that, I was genuinely impressed by the historical artifacts woven throughout the experience, including Ernest Hemingway’s boat, which added an unexpected and fascinating layer to the visit. This is officially my new favorite aquarium, even surpassing the National Aquarium. Highly recommended

My wife and I visited the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium this weekend and absolutely loved it. The exhibits are incredibly well done, with a great mix of education, conservation, and just plain “wow” moments. Everything is beautifully maintained and thoughtfully laid out, and you can really tell how much care went into the experience. Be prepared for a lot of walking — it’s worth every step — so definitely wear comfortable shoes. We took our time going through and never felt rushed, and there was always something new around the corner. Highly recommend this to couples, families, or anyone who enjoys nature, wildlife, or aquariums. We’re glad we made the trip and would absolutely go again.

Went on a Wednesday morning and was not crowded at all was lucky to basically have the place to my self which was great for photos. The museum is done extremely well and very entertaining and informative. The aquarium is probably one of the best I have ever been to. The exhibits and tanks with the many different species of fish does not disappoint very many interactive displays. And information centers plus hands-on areas for kids.

An absolute "must-see" – more like a theme park than a store! If you are anywhere near Springfield, you have to stop at the original Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Calling it a "store" doesn't even do it justice—this place is absolutely massive. It’s nearly 500,000 square feet of pure outdoor paradise. You could easily spend an entire day here and still not see everything. The sheer scale of the building is mind-blowing. It houses multiple massive aquariums, indoor waterfalls, and even a swamp with live alligators and turtles. It feels like you’re walking through a high-end nature museum that just happens to sell world-class gear. Beyond the retail space, there are free attractions like the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum and the Archery Hall of Fame, which were both fascinating. We also grabbed a bite at Hemingway’s Blue Water Café, which has a huge aquarium right in the middle of the restaurant! Whether you are a serious hunter/fisherman or just someone who appreciates a cool atmosphere, the "Grandaddy" is an incredible experience. Wear comfortable shoes, because you’ll be doing a lot of walking! Quick facts to keep in mind: • Size: It is the flagship and original location, spanning roughly 500,000 square feet. • Wonders of Wildlife: The store is connected to the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, which is a separate (and equally massive) paid attraction if you want to extend your visit. • Parking: Because it's Missouri’s #1 tourist attraction, the parking lot is huge but can get busy—aim for a weekday morning if you want to beat the crowds.

This was the most wonderful experience. My son and I decided to go on a Monday to avoid crowds, and the flow was perfect. There were a lot of people there but it wasn’t congested or crowded. The Christmas lights were beautiful, the facility was extremely clean and we were so impressed with how healthy the fish and other wildlife appeared. Their habitats were very clean and you can tell they are all well cared for. We also were able to pet and feed the stingrays and we enjoyed this so much that we visited the stingray pool twice. Staff were approachable, friendly, and knowledgeable. Loved the museums, they were also clean and well maintained. We had a late lunch at Hemingway’s-food was excellent and the staff were great. The ambience was so cozy-there is a large fireplace with couches available and the aquarium in the bar area is very relaxing to look at. We have visited many aquariums across the US and this was in the top 3 for us. We will definitely visit again!

What a fun thing to do in Springfield. There are a lot of different animals to see. We did the aquarium as well as the wonders, and we spent about 4 1/2 hours there. I would recommend this adventure for Adults, family's and children. There were enough interactive things to keep the littlest entertained and enough information to be interesting for adults. The aquarium part is more interactive for the kids than the wonders part, but the exhibits are very detailed. They have a lot of animals you wouldn't normally get to see up close, and did a wonderful job re-recreating the natural environments. It made for a fun day in Springfield. I would go again.

Absolutely amazing!! Worth every penny. It took us 3 hours to go through the entire museum. It’s a wonderful experience for the entire family.

Christmas time is the best time to visit here, so many amazing things to look at, the fish aquarium,the animals, Santa was here too. There's lots to do for the littles here as well as shopping. There's a wonderful restaurant here with great food, the service was excellent with a wonderful waitress who took care of our every need. We had a small party with ages from 7 months to 60+ years. The carousel was a huge success for my grandson Visiting on a Thursday was perfect, there were lots of holiday shoppers but it wasn't overly crowded. Will definitely visit here again.

Honestly, the price is so expensive. I always recommend if you're gonna make a trip out of it and come to the aquarium. Wait for the black Friday sale. The black Friday sales just spent $175 and you get four passes for the aquarium and four passes for another wonder of wildlife amusement which sometimes you can pick sometimes it is already set. However, if you just buy four passes for the aquarium it's $198 versus if you get the black Friday sale it's 175+ you get to do an extra Trip The staff is always incredibly friendly at the aquarium, and I love that they do different things for holidays, such as having elf divers and Santa divers. We have been a few times and the only thing I will always recommend is that they need to stop selling popcorn where stingrays are lol it is the most awful smell when you walk in this too the stingray area and the second floor and you just smell fish and popcorn. I have to hold my breath every single time so I don't get sick. I also wish the penguin because if it was closer because it is such a walk to get there and it's not very big I love that it's connected to the store so we can shop afterwards and experience the more magic of Santa with seeing Santa in person and the free carousel rides

Wow. I mean, WOW!! They have a sign up that says they've been voted best aquarium in the USA multiple times, and I can see why. The facility is very nicely laid out and an almost IKEA feel to it in terms of you get directed one way thru the entire exhibit. I mean that as a compliment as you don't have the issue of missing something, fighting against crowds going in a different direction, etc. I really appreciate the concept. The place is designed with both exhibits of animals to view as well as dioramas and fun information. Plan at least 2 hours when you go, and there are lots of things for little kids to see and do too as you go thru. The tanks and set up were very well done. At multiple locations they have interactive touch screens to get info on the fish and animals. The only thing I would change is to add the name on the touch screen with the fish icon versus having to click on the fish to figure out what it is. But that was a minor issue at best. All in all it was an incredibly impressive aquarium. I highly recommend it and will definitely return.

Finally made it after several trips to Springfield. There is SO Busch to see. We were there at least 4 hours and we didn't read all the things we could have. Definitely an all day adventure if you want to read. You start out in the aquarium which not only has different tanks, but also replica displays, alligators, froga, lizards, reptiles, etc. Afterwards, walk through gallery with incredible wildlife photos. Head into the taxidermy where you will encounter Indian relics and all sorts of animals. Finally, you will end with rhe penguins. Fabulous experience everyone should enjoy.

Fun activity and worth the price. The exhibits were very clean. If you live close, they offer memberships to save on pricing. The fish tanks were well maintained. You can get pretty close to the tanks which is fun. The parking lot is packed.

This is a must see for all ages! Connected to a great bass pro shop (though not affiliated), you can enter through either one to get to the other. The prices were a little steep for day passes but honestly, after it was all said and done - I can see why! This was such an awesome experience & there were staff helping along the way to fill us in on different animals and all of it! So many fun twists and turns & it went on forever!!! So much to see!!! Lots of gift shops and things to eat along the way as well. Very clean restrooms and lots to experience so take your time and enjoy! Thank you WOW! We loved it!

Great place to go for the day. Our family participated in a shark dive, penguin close encounter, stingray feeding, and everything else the aquarium has to offer. Definitely a fun day. Would recommend for all ages.

Great aquarium clean cool holiday displays love the free flow of the animals not stuck in small spaces

I really wanted to like this place. I think the building is gorgeous (inside and out), but compared to some of the aquariums I've been to... I was just unimpressed. Then again, I am also not into fishing and this is a BIG fishing museum. One thing I did like is when we arrived, it was happy hour which I had no idea was a thing, so we got inside for a much cheaper price. The website states: "Monday through Friday 2-5pm, admission is discounted so you can unwind as you venture through the aquarium. Receive a $5.00 drink voucher for a beverage of your choice and a 10% discount voucher on select souvenirs at our gift shop!". We did use the 10% for the gift shop on a magnet but unfortunately, the place closed before we could use the beverage voucher. Again, it was nice and gorgeous but I would rather go other places. I am just not interested in all the fishing exhibits and can do without.

Stopped here with my daughter and her family. It is a nice exhibit to see. My grandsons really enjoyed it. Heck the adults enjoyed it. So many mammals and reptiles to view. A definite stop in the Springfield, MO area.

Great aquarium! Loved walking around to all the different themed areas. Loved the eels and being able to touch some different fish. Great afternoon trip!

Stunning! This aquarium is so thoughtfully done with intricate displays. It took my three kids and I about 1.5-2 hours to walk through the space and wasn't too busy right at 10am when they opened. The jellyfish were especially beautiful to watch. My 8 year old also had fun feeding the stingrays. I would definitely recommend this aquarium for a hot / rainy/ cold day spent indoors!

I heard this museum and aquarium is the thing to do if you visit Springfield Mo. Unfortunately we found out about it too late and could not find a time slot available to gain entry. This is a pretty busy area and sells out quickly. We will definitely make a special visit back during a warmer season to see what this area has to offer. But driving around the outside it is decorated beautifully . Christmas Lights are well lit and parking lot is full of excitement and activity. I can't wait to come back for the experience. I'm giving three stars now so when I come back I can upgrade for inside reviews as well . To be continued....

Please don't waste your money. Not that great. We could have went to the restaurant and sat at the bar and watched the aquarium there and saw some more fish. One owl all by himself looked really sad. Cost too much. I guess Atlanta aquarium spoiled me.

One of the better aquariums we have been to. The tanks are well kept and they are great about keep children engaged. Both kids loved the enter active coloring station that displayed their art on the tanks.

Do not underestimate this place it is huge!! I went alone ( in the area for work ) which sucked but I'm happy I got to see this place! I didn't think much like yea yea bass proshop but it's insanely worth it! They support their troops! ( thankful ) an it's honestly so well done! It's extremely family friendly and if you're on your own it's ok too! They have an aquarium where you can touch stingrays or swim with sharks!! They have netgeo photo museum as well as a museum of death, which is mostly taxidermy animals, and it is insanely well done still, you will not be disappointed. In the middle of the museum, they also have penguins which was super cool and yes, they are alive! They also have plenty of snack bars in the area of restaurant before you go into the aquarium or the museum whichever one you're choosing at the time do not lose your ticket because it will be scanned three times for three different exhibits and again you will not be disappointed. There is also a restaurant and if you're in Bass Pro shop a way to get into the shops in between the museums as well, super friendly it made me really wish I had my son with me and sad that I didn't because he would've loved everything about this place! My only issue was that it was a little crowded even though I was able to speed walk past mostly everybody being alone I wasn't and in front of one one thing too long. So I would suggest to mitigate that going on a off day if you can like early morning or during the weekday, I went on a weekend Saturday afternoon and it still wasn't that bad even with the crowd 10 out of 10.

This place is a great place for all! We went on a day where the weather was wet/cold out so this was a great day to be indoors! Being from Missouri and growing up going to the "original" Bass Pro shop in the Brown Derby with my dad this was so neat to see. All the memorabilia and history packed into this place is neat. The part with all the animals was so relaxing, especially the aquarium. There are places to get food and drinks in the museum if needed but we only got some waters along the way, no food. This is a great place to check out, I've been here twice and things have changed since the first visit. Great addition to Bass Pro shops!

Amazing! It is definitely well worth the cost! It's a great place for little kids, fishermen, hunters, and people who love the outdoors. They're reputed to be America's best aquarium, and it's probably true. The staff was friendly. We spent 3 hours going quickly through with our 1 year old, but we could've spent the whole day there. There are lots of stairs, but there are also lots of elevators. You should definitely add it to your itinerary!

Beautiful! Aquarium! One of my favorites so far! It was a huge maze of so many exciting exhibits and experiences! Attached to Bass Pro Shop.

This was very cool!! They did a great job with the displays a lot of them look like they are in action. We really enjoyed everything here. Be sure to check out all the exhibits the wild life photography was excellent!

Beautiful place! absolute must go to if you are in town. it's such a cool place for a family or a date night.

I've been in and out of Springfield for the last four years or so visiting friends, and yet somehow never have gotten around to checking the Aquarium out. Well this time around they tested positive for Covid the day I landed, which freed up about a week's worth of time for me, so I decided to check it out. First off let me say that there are plenty of restrooms throughout, so feel free to chug that 80oz soda before you visit. Secondly, although this museum consists of multiple floors in an IKEA walking path sort of way (one direction only) there are elevators for every set of stairs and plenty of places to sit and rest along the way, so feel free to bring your wheelchair or crutches wielding friends. So now that we've gotten the mechanics of the place sorted out, on to the Aquarium and its exhibits. Fish. They have them. Big fish. Little fish. Fish that swim in circles and fish that just lounge lazily about. Blue fish, red fish, tuna fish. They've got it good here. The different environments on each level for all the exhibits, do well to mimic the environments of the residents, from the fish to the alligators. I worked at a zoo when I was a kid and I remember I felt so bad for the prisoners there, as that's the only way I could think of the poor animals in the exhibits; living in concrete cages looking out through bars sadly so far removed from their natural habitat. It ruined my desire to visit a zoo for the next twenty years. These guys don't look like inmates though, they look like they're pretty happy hanging out in some luxury apartment, chillin' with friends. Not saying they probably wouldn't prefer to be out in the wild, but at least they didn't look bored to death. So yup, it's worth a visit here if you get a chance. It'll take you about three hours to wander through the place, so bring time to spare and blindfold your children at the end or the gift shop will bankrupt you.

OUTSTANDING!!! The museum and the aquarium were phenomenal! We are from Florida and we felt this aquarium was better than the ones in Florida. The Museum was like a theme park. Both were very educational too. HIGHLY recommend!

I'll start with that the aquarium itself is mostly ADA friendly, which is appreciated. While we know that aquariums are generally dark, it was a bit difficult to see where you were going, and if you have difficulty seeing well (especially if you struggle with seeing in darkness). The entrance is so dark you can't even see where the ticket booth is. It was different and an unexpected treat to see some animals other than fish here. But that's really the only thing that made it special. For being the "Best Rated in America" for the past 5+ years, this aquarium was a massive let down. We've been to aquariums all over the country and so many are WAY better than this. If you want the TRUE "best aquarium" go to Chattanooga. It's on a whole other level and significantly more exciting. Being avid aquarium goers, this one was unfortunately a waste of time and money. Personally, it is at the bottom of our list.

This was the best Aquarium I have been to this side of the sea. Rated in the Top 20 Aquariums in the US. Again, people here are so friendly during our visit. Beautiful displays and scenery. Very clean building.. 350,000 sq ft of wonderful varieties of species. Only disappointment was the Stingray display was closed for renovation.

First time visitor and I LOVED our visit. I am absolutely amazed at the thought process and design that went into this aquarium. I am a Disney person and always feel Disney goes above and beyond, and the attention to detail here is equal. The aquarium is massive and each display is as good as the next. The fish all seem content and their homes are clean. I love the computer screens that allow you to determine names of fish. The area which has all the photographs is superb. We sat and watched the photographers talking about their amazing shots. Honestly, I didn't care for all the fake animals everywhere, so we skirted that area quickly.

Wow! My understanding is that this aquarium wins the title of best aquarium in the U.S. for a number of years in a row. While, I have yet to visit the Atlanta Aquarium, I have never found a better experience

My husband and I spent the better part of a day at Wonders of Wildlife. The exhibits were very creatively made and appealing. The aquarium is full of a wide variety of fish, very colorful! Wildlife habitats are portrayed as if you were truly there. The place is massive. They even had live penguins! Highly recommend visiting here! We will be back!

So beautiful and organized. We arrived an hour and a half before closing on a Monday. This let us get through with plenty of time to see the wildlife without dealing with large crowds. Highly recommend you visit if you're in the area. The touch pools and sting rays are so cool!

I have been to aquariums all across the USA and this is my number one & most favorite one ! This place is worth your money and time , please make sure to stop by if you're in town ! I was in Springfield for a business trip and decided to go here on my own - it was so worth it . As soon as you walk in you can tell this place was going to be amazing ! The whole place is incredible , with extraordinary exhibits and amazing props . I couldn't stop taking pics and videos . I was so impressed . I wish I had an aquarium like this back home so I can take my daughter but I guess I'll just need to come back ! What a spectacular place , I cannot say enough good things. Just make sure you get here early and wear comfy shoes - it is huge!

Incredible experience and kind staff! We went thinking that it would be like other aquariums that we'd been to before, and that we'd only be there an hour. However, it was over the top, and we were there 4 hours looking at everything. The taxidermy displays looked so real that it took my breath away!

This place is everything you ever could ask for. Me and my friend went for a shark feeding frenzie dive, my friend is paraplegic, and nonverbal. She uses a wheelchair. The staff called us in advance, planned everything to the T, were absolutely incredible. Theytruley were adaptive and there isn't a single complain we had about the entire day. The staff listened to us and my friend, they helped us trouble shoot the communication aspect, they helped hold her comfortable under the water with the scuba helmet on, transferred her in and out and seriously were incredibly kind and helpful. They didn't baby her ether, they treaded her and us like adults and it was the best experience we ever could have asked for. There using are videos to train the rest of there staff to slow more kids like my friend to participate. 1,00/10.

This deserves the award of Best Aquarium in United States for 5 years running! It's absolutely amazing. Took us 2.5 hours to go through, and that was us pushing through faster, plan for 4 hours at least if you're a reader! So much history, animals, and fun! On the pricey side but totally worth it! You will not be disappointed!

Good family event, for sure. You can spend a few hours in here. No problem!! Little pricy, but you have to figure the cost to run this place year around, and it makes sense. The little kids loved it but not the pace it takes to look at items pictures or read the history. So this might have to be a 2 visit place. One with kids at their pace. Then, one with the misses so we can look at the reels hall of fame and the presidential section

This spot is pretty cool. Initially, we thought it was a little pricey, but once we walked through the whole thing, decided it was worth it. It took about 2-2.5 hours to walk through. They had various exhibits that had a lot of information and really cool things to look at. I liked that everything was spread out and didn't feel too congested. If you plan on doing any of the extras, plan accordingly because they fill up. I would book a few days ahead of time. Overall, this was a cool experience and would recommend for all ages.

This was a great experience! We loved all the different exhibits. It started off slow, but progressively got better. We really enjoyed all the animal exhibits and the aquarium was great! The aquariums are giant! My kids enjoyed the touch pools as well. We would definitely go back and recommend. Only downside was that it is a bit of a maze in some areas. If you have a stroller be prepared. But staff were very helpful. Check their website for deals.

By far the best aquarium in the country, and we have been to many. We brought our children back to this one. So many areas to explore and interactive areas for the kids. Using the elevators, the directions for which floor/area was next was not always clear which resulted in wandering through the same area a few times and skipping others unintentionally. But still MUCH to see!

Omg! This is so far thee best Aquarium that I've visited thus far! I am a native of Baltimore City and I actually loved our aquarium there, but when I visited this aquarium, I was in awe! I couldn't believe my eyes, this aquarium was absolutely beautiful! There were so many different exhibits to look at, I was amazed! I must've have been in there for at least three hours or longer and if it wasn't for my feet hurting, I would've stayed even longer. The time and dedication that went into that place was amazing and appreciated! This place is beautifully well-kept, the service was awesome, the staff had such pleasant attitudes and the ambiance... I felt like I was in the ocean, this is a definite must see!

A surprisingly good aquarium and museum complex given it is in Springfield, MO. It was more in line with something I'd expect in Baltimore, or San Francisco, or Chicago, or someplace like that. The complex consists of 2 major sections that we saw: 1. An aquarium with many levels and exhibits ranging from live fish, penguins, an alligator, a tortoise, and other sea life. Beyond that there's a fishing hall of fame, and some interactive exhibits for kids. 2. A museum with history of the area including various stuffed animals, movies, artifacts, and interactive tour guides. We spent 2 hours at the aquarium and 1.5 hours at the museum - and I covered 9600 steps according to my App!

How would have known one of the best Aquariums in the United States is in the small city of Springfield Missouri?!? This is almost as good as if Disney made an Aquarium. It's that good. It's huge. Allow at least 2 hours. If you want to have a cocktail while you walk around be sure to bring cash as there are various snack/beverage stations through the Aquarium and it was cash only (at least on the day I went). The Manta Ray petting pool is one of the highlights and is at the end. The attached Bass Pros headquarters is INSANE and an attraction in itself! My only criticism of the Aquarium is $52.50 per person is pretty darn steep to walk through an Aquarium and that takes it from 5 to 4 stars. For that price I'd almost expect to swim with sharks, which you CAN (inside a cage - for an extra cost of course.) Over $52 is almost amusement park (except Disney) prices and this isn't an all-day attraction. Just exploring the Bass Pro store for free is a much better value of course and that can easily take a couple hours in itself especially if you are a hunting/gun/archery/fishing enthusiast. Buy your tickets beforehand and try to go on a non-peak day (meaning weekday during vacation season and reserve weekends for periods that kids aren't on vacation from school.)

Very cool experience. This place was a lot bigger than it looked, but still pretty pricey for a family of four. This is not for people who are afraid of heights! (Some of the walkways skinny and three stories up with rails on both sides.) My major complaint would be it was VERY crowded, so anytime I'd try to take my time and enjoy the museum, read about the artifacts or paintings, there was ALWAYS someone standing behind me or beside me, and so I felt rushed and didn't get to read and enjoy a lot of things. There were also several groups of adults with their phones out playing music, talking loudly, and being very obnoxious, no fault of the museums - but it'd been nice if someone would have stopped them from ruining everyone else's time. This could have been really neat... but overcrowding and obnoxious guests kinda ruined the experience. Can't say I'd recommend it.

BEST AQUARIUM EVER! This place is SO cool, there are such a variety of species in this aquarium. Lots of space to walk around as well, it's HUGE, you can walk around for hours and there are endless species to look at. It's also really clean as well, there are bathrooms everywhere which is really convenient! The gift store is also really big, and great food options as well for lunch :)

Wonders of Wildlife is a fantastic aquarium experience! There's tons to see and staff is well informed. It's definitely not a quick walk through. Plan for at least 2 hours, more if you plan to go to the Wildlife Galleries as well.

This is a really cool place all the way around we took our 18 month old granddaughter and she liked seeing. Animals she has seen in books close up obviously the non aquarium animals are taxidermy but still she was so excited to see elephants that close even not being exact elephants I guess size wise, but I think most of the taxidermy animals are real they look it anyways aquarium side was really cool and enjoyable we went during the week and there was a chill field trip so loud and crowded but nonetheless really cool overall

This is two museums. Your ticket price is for both. You cannot buy a ticket for only one. They are not adjacent to each other and you must pass through Bass Pro Shop to get from one to the other. The Aquarium has its own entrance; Wonders of Wildlife is inside Bass Pro. You can purchase tickets at the entrance to either exhibit. All that wasn't clearly explained to us and required multiple conversations with various staff to ensure we saw each exhibit. We viewed both in about 2-1/2 hours. However, we moved very quickly--especially after hunger set in. If you're the type to read all the exhibit signs, there are a lot of them and you could spend hours in either museum. Both displays are visually stunning. The set designs are just incredible, putting you as much as possible in the environments of the species you're viewing. The aquarium is full of live creatures in various habitats. The wildlife exhibit is a marvel of taxidermy as animals are poised in battle, flight, play, or contemplation. Throughout the wildlife exhibit you get subtle and not so subtle but steady messages that hunters and anglers are simply conservationists. Of course, both museums are connected to a huge retail warehouse so you can find guns, ammo, lures, and bait to begin or advance your conservation efforts. For us it was about a 5-minute walk without children in hand between the two museums because we had to blaze a path through the Bass holiday shoppers. The wildlife exhibit and store share a parking lot. There's a separate lot for the aquarium.

Had no idea what I was in for. This self guided tour took 4 hours. This place was so amazing. Aquariums were great. The wildlife exhibits were astonishing. You learn about wildlife from all the continents.

So worth the money! The aquarium was amazing with a mixture of beautiful live fish and breathtaking displays. Not to mention, you get 3 museums for the price of one! Totally recommend!

A wonderful surprise that offered far more than we were expecting to be honest. We have been to many a museum and aquarium as we are avid travelers and love historic things. When we were in the area, this location kept popping up as a popular thing to do so we decided to add it to our list, and boy are we glad we did. The location was far larger than we were expecting. It did cost more than we anticipated, but once inside and seeing all it had to offer, it made sense as to why the price point was higher. The first portion we covered was the museum. They had a ton of exhibits that varied in their presentation style and offerings. We especially loved all of the taxidermy animals that were posed in 'natural' scenes and overall just really well done. After the museum we headed into the aquarium portion which was just as vast and engrossing as the museum. Personally I fell in love with the shipwreck scene and stingray touch zone, but there was plenty more than that to offer!! I am a HUGE fan of birds of prey and they had a small section with owls and an eagle that I could have stood in for hours. They do a fun picture scene at the beginning of your adventure, so be sure to check out your photo package for a fun souvenir. Very reasonably priced at $28 for a couple of backgrounds, or $38 for the photos with a frame and a digital print copy offer. The staff was incredibly friendly throughout the entire area. There were staff to ask questions to at several of the animal areas if you are curious about something the placards don't cover off on. Overall: A++ Wonderful experience and a must-do for anyone looking for a fun filled time!! We will be back for sure if we ever head back to the area!

Who knew such a huge aquarium existed in this area! Everything was super sized - it was like a Costco aquarium built like an Ikea maze. Once you go in the main aquarium... you can't come out until you make full route!!! There are places to sit and rest and a couple of places to get a snack or drink... but don't start it if you're super hungry, lol. That would be my only complaint. You'll get your steps in for sure. The photography exhibit was beautiful and worth admiring. I was excited to see the penguins but did not enjoy walking through all the taxidermy to get to them! They told us it would take an hour, but it only took about 20 minutes to waltz through.

This was unlike any aquarium I've ever been to. Very interactive and SO MUCH to see. It's pretty darn expensive, but you can see how much money was put into it when you walk through. It isn't just the sea life enclosures - it's everything - the walkways, the bubbles kids can pop their heads into and be in the center of the aquarium, the decor, etc. There was certainly no shortage of things to look at! Be forewarned: it's a long walk! Even I was a little tired after getting through the wildlife and aquarium parts. We planned on walking around bass pro afterwards (my kids LOVE bass pro, which is why we wanted to visit the Wonders of Wildlife to begin with) but by the time we finished at the museum, everyone was ready to go home. I would deem this a "must do" in Springfield with kids (or possibly even without kids!). FYI you can buy tickets online but not with a military discount. We waited to purchase tickets at the aquarium and they had raised prices from the ones online. I think we ended up paying about the same with the military discount as we would have pre-purchasing regular priced tickets online. A little confusing. If you're a Veteran, I might give them a ring before you go and check on the pricing.