Seattle Aquarium

I recently visited the Seattle Aquarium and really enjoyed the new expansion. The new tropical fish section is especially worth seeing—it’s modern, well designed, and feels fresh compared to the older exhibits. The tanks are beautiful, the colors really stand out, and you can tell this part of the aquarium is brand new. It adds a lot to the overall experience and makes the visit feel more complete. If you haven’t been in a while, the new tropical exhibit alone makes it worth coming back.

Seattle Aquarium was overall a good experience. It is conveniently located in downtown and on the beautiful waterfront area and is also a short walk from the Pike Place Market. It was a fun and exciting experience, they have well maintained exhibits especially in the new Ocean pavilion building. We visited during off peak season in Fall so got a lot of time to enjoy the beautiful marine species. They staff is very friendly, knowledgeable and passionate and shared lot of interesting information. Enjoyed watching rays, sharks, seals and otters. We saw some unique ones like leopard shark, guitarfish and lion fish. It is smaller than some of the other aquariums that we had visited, it is also on the pricey side but as we bought the City Pass it was included in the list of attractions and saved some amount. The parking around the area is expensive so please take this into consideration or take public transportation. It is a definitely a fun place to visit with the entire family so would recommend it.

We had a fantastic experience. It has changed a lot in the last decade or so. The new tropical exhibits are FANTASTIC! All the animals are very well taken care of, and the educational displays are done well. I think this will inspire a new generation towards oceanic conservation.

They had a diving Santa for free pic on entry. Loved it! Happened on the main tank feeding and discussion which I would highly recommend. Was able to get an entry ticket right away when we arrived even on a busy weekend day, though I think we got lucky. Overall great experience!!!

It’s a small aquarium but it’s well organized and it has an interesting variety of sea life. Our children enjoyed it, for us adults, it was nice that we finished in one hour, not too exhausting. Very enjoyable. There is a virtual experience that you can do for $9 per person, you can choose between: dolphins, whales, and giant rays. It’s entertaining and very interesting.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the South Carolina Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, but I must say, this was far more exceptional experience. The design of the buildings are striking; they appeared to be artfully split apart, creating a fascinating interplay of space that showcased the aquarium's vibrant marine life. Each exhibit drew me in with its vivid colors and lively creatures, making the whole visit feel like a captivating journey through an underwater wonderland. Every glance revealed something new and intriguing, truly enhancing my appreciation for the beauty of the ocean and its inhabitants.

Really nice aquarium consisting of two separate buildings. The main building is on the pier and includes sea creatures from the Pacifc Northwest area while the other building has tropical sea life. The touch pools let you get up close and personal with sea anemones, star fish, and sea urchins. Give yourself about 3 hours to really enjoy everything there is to see and experience.

We absolutely loved the aquarium, my family and I spent the day there and to my surprise it was lots to do. They had hands on activities and so many displays of amazing marine life. The mix of indoor snd outdoor displays were awesome. And the new addition to the aquarium is absolutely amazing the huge fish tank with sharks, and manta rays, etc. It was well worth the money and we will definitely be back.

Such enchanting, elegant sea creatures, fish, mammals, and birds! Amazing native species and rehabilitated animals housed in the aquarium. Kind of expensive but you get a good discount with the Seattle CityPass and honestly, I think that it's worth it. My group spent a few hours here and it could have been even longer. The smaller building has a very cool petting zoo tank staffed by very knowledgeable workers where you can feed & touch the urchins! Otherwise, the interactive exhibits are a little limited, but it's very educational and just cool to walk through. Great for kids and families especially, it seems very catered towards youth.

Let's first start by saying that the Aquarium was not on my list to visit, however, I am so glad that I went as I was pleasantly surprised. We decided to include the Seattle Aquarium as one of the five options for the Seattle CityPass. Due to that, the Aquarium experience was essentially $25, which isn't a bad deal. We should have started our exploring in the newer building as it gives more "wow" than the original building. But, either way, we got there. We saw so many beautiful fishes, lobsters, plus many more animals along with a cool looking shark. Then, we got to see the seals swimming and flipping around along with the jelly fishes doing their thing. Overall, it was a joyous, kid like experience that brought a big smile to my face.

I had a great experience here! I took my 14 year old and my 2 year old and both had an amazing time. We really enjoyed the diver inside the tank and they talked- it was there as soon as you walk in. It's not a huge Aquariam but had a good time! They do offer military discount and ent/wic discounts. Parking is tricky Kid and strolller friendly! There was a bit of a wait to go inside but the line moved quickly.

The Seattle Aquarium is one of my favorite attractions in Downtown Seattle. Although a bit on the smaller side, you can still meet a wide variety of aquatic animals here. They have countless fresh and saltwater fish, penguins, invertebrates, and so much more. The displays are organized and spaced out very well, so it never feels too crowded as you move through the aquarium. During busy times, it is recommended to buy tickets ahead of time as spots are limited in each entry time.

My partner and I met up with our friend and his cousin while we were intown and the aquarium was the place for us. I loved our time here. The Seattle Aquarium is located on Pier 59 on the Elliott Bay waterfront. While there wasn't a ton of fish compared to other aquariums I have been too, the inside/outside areas of the aquarium made it a great experience and the animals were a great representation of the PNW. The salmon run was really neat, and the inside domes provided an immersive experience watching the fish. I also enjoyed watching the penguins and sea lions. There were also birds which I thought was a great addition (not only fish). Overall, it was a good visit! The aquarium and the beautiful waterfront location made it a memorable experience especially seeing the wildlife in and around the peer. Highly recommend checking it out if you're in Seattle and you can even grab a bit at Ivar's after your visit and feed the seagulls. That was what we did. For tickets and info, check out https://www.seattleaquarium.org.

The Seattle Aquarium just opened up their new Ocean Pavillion building this past year as part of the new Seattle waterfront remodel and so my family came to check it out as we haven't been in 15+ years. We came early at 9:30am to beat the crowds. Tickets are currently priced as... Washington resident adults: $39.95 Washington resident youth: $29.95 Non-resident adults: $44.95 Non-resident youth: $34.95 There are $2 discounts available for seniors 65+, tribal members, military members, and those with disability/1:1 aides. These discounts can be stacked with the WA resident discount. You can also buy timed tickets online in advance for discount too. NOTE that you must BUY TICKETS AT THE OLD BUILDING; they don't have the box office set up at the Ocean Pavilion (the new building) yet. We didn't know this going in as there was a line outside the new building and so we wasted time standing in the new building line when we could've been standing in the old building line. The aquarium should have put a big sign directing people of where to buy tickets, but no such sign (or any sign at all) exists. Minus one star for poor directions. The Old Building is mostly the same, except for the new tank at the entrance. It houses the tidal touch pools and play area for kids, the Pacific fish exhibit (which was disappointedly small- it was literally one tank despite looking large on the map), VR Ocean experience, the mammals exhibits (fur seals, river otters, sea otters, and harbor seals) , the bird exhibit, and the main gift shop. They have marine specialist talks throughout the day which are about 10-minutes each and animal feedings too. I enjoyed watching the otters and seals as they were very lively. Note that the mammals and birds sections are both outdoors, so make sure to dress warmly in the colder months! After you walk through the old building, you exit to the waterfront and walk over to the new building which is about 2-minutes away. You use the QR code from the old building to enter the Ocean Pavilion. The Ocean Pavilion architecture is spectacular. At the entrance, you look up and see fish swimming above you through a window. You also see glass fish above you as you walk towards the main cove (possible Chihuly?). Once you scan in, you enter into the main cove area where they give talks. We attended the Ocean Pavilion talk, which was supposed to be about the history and architecture of the building. However, the talk (or mostly just a video they played) included nothing about this and was just about algae- we even double-checked to make sure we were at the right talk, and we were. Thus, taking off another star off for that. The biggest tank is the same tank as the one where you can see fish swimming above you at the entrance. They give several talks there as well, including a scuba diver talk. It is definitely big, but small compared to the large tank at Monterey Aquarium or international aquarium tanks like the one in Singapore. Downstairs, they have several themed tanks with several creatures I've never seen before including upside-down jellyfish that look like anemones and tube eels that look like paper straws. They also have kid coves for kids to tunnel through and interactive screens so that you can identify the different species in the tank. Upstairs, they have tide pool tanks (no touch), a jellyfish breeding lab, and some other educational and interactive exhibits. You also can get an upper view of the large tank and likely a better view of the leopard shark and large manta rays in the tank. After you explore the inside, make sure you also take a look at the exterior of the building as it is absolutely beautifully designed with nice wooden panel texture and stairs leading up to Pikes Place Market (note that there are a LOT of stairs to get there, and so they have an elevator as well). The Seattle Aquarium still has some poor experiences to resolve, but hopefully their system will improve over time. Overall: 3/5 for experience

We had so much fun visiting this aquarium. Love the ease of purchasing tickets on your phone to cut the lines. The three buildings are amazing full of beautiful sea life and lots of learning for the kids. It is pricey but I feel it's a good experience when visiting or taking the kids. Our favorite was the building with the huge aquarium. You can probably sit for hours watching the sea life circle around and think so cool to watch the sharks swim past while going close to the glass. There are individual exhibits scattered throughout featuring various sea life such as jellyfish. The interactive pools were fun and we could touch the sea anemone and starfish. There were sinks to wash up after the exploration. Near these pools there was a huge cylinder like aquarium housing a super large octopus - that was so cool to watch. Another area held animals that were semi aquatic such as the sea lions, seals and turtles. Also cool as you get so close to these animals. The location of the aquarium is next to pike's place market. Parking is not cheap. This place is definitely worth a visit! Sept

It had been close to 20 years since my last visit to the aquarium. The new aquarium is MUCH larger, but for all the space it takes up, the content just isn't really there for me, especially for the price. The new layout also has some issues with the flow of people with bottlenecks that make it impassable and too overwhelming. For the price, I was expecting an experience similar to Monterey Bay Aquarium, but the Seattle Aquarium is a long way off. My kids loved it, and I enjoyed myself too, but it just was not worth the high price.

The addition of the new building was nice. The price to get in is nuts. Glad we had passes to get in. Pretty crowded on a holiday but that's normal. Great view of the Puget Sound around the facility.

I last reviewed the aquarium over a decade ago and there's a new expansion! The Seattle Aquarium has aged well - it undergoes modifications but often such that it isn't super noticeable. They swap out exhibits quietly and then there was a whole new building. Seriously, this caught me off-guard. I swear I had visited last year, I did not notice and then wow - an expansion! The aquarium ticket covers both the main center and the expansion building which is not connected. You have to leave the main aquarium perimeter to go to the other. I love the new space. I love the original aquarium but one thing I immediately noticed was how bright and open the new space was. It feels more like it could host events with its wide open spaces. The main aquarium has lower ceilings and it always feels dim to me. This is the opposite - very bright, expansive. The architectural is also unique. I could see the exhibits from multiple sides and angles. The smaller ocean tanks were equally eye catching and just fun to walk through. This was absolutely a brilliant addition!

It's been so long since I've been to the Seattle Aquarium and I really wanted to visit since they've finished remodeling! I really enjoyed our time there and loved what they have done to the place. But it was very cool to see the octopus as she camouflaged herself. A lot more to see and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I've wanted to go here since they updated and finally got to! The main building has giant fish tanks and touch pools, octopus and jelly fish. It was fun! The new area on this sunny day was hooooot due to all the windows. But their unique big bowls of fish was super cool. A cute stingray waves at you as he swims by. Same building also has a large fish tank with some sharks (?) and an array of fish and sea life! It's a cool set up. Honorable mention to the seals and sea otters we happened to miss unfortunately!

My friend and I bought the City Pass which allowed us to visit the Aquarium and we enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't go out of our way again. The aquarium looks much larger than it actually is, you could probably complete the entire thing in less than an hour or an hour if you have children. They recently extended the aquarium and added another building with a whole new exhibit but it's a bit of a walk from the other part of the aquarium. This was fine for us, but I can imagine with kids it could be a hassle. The new exhibit seemed to lack enthusiasm too. It was a nice afternoon activity but given that it's the only "big" attraction at the pier and near by, I wouldn't recommend going out of the way to visit.

The original building has the majority of the exhibits including the underwater dome, which is pretty cool. However, the star of the show is the new building's 530k gallon exhibit aptly named "The Reef". It is spectacular! Loads a marine life, multiple ways to view it. Get your tickets online to avoid long lines.

We decided to head to Seattle Aquarium due to a day of scattered rains in the area. This day we also went to the Pike market which is just across the street. We mainly went to the aquarium as an activity with our toddler to be preoccupied and also because we chose it as our third attraction within the city pass. I would not necessarily pay for it outside the pass. The aquarium was fairly smaller compared to others I have been to. The location is nice though, right across the Pike market and next to the ferris wheel. It was nice to see an octopus. I would skip the VR experience (extra $10), it wasn't that great. Overall, a good option to go to through city pass on a rainy day with kids.

We had a wonderful time visiting the newly renovated Seattle Aquarium! The new space is amazing: open, bright, clean, spacious and fun. We enjoyed the many tanks and creatures, especially lots of cartilaginous fish like skates, rays and sharks. There was some confusion by an ESL guest in the all gender bathrooms but I think I got him on the right track (yes, come on in!). We went to the original part second and it was a little... smelly, perhaps it's the stark contrast to the new space or simply the aged charm of our old Seattle waterfront buildings! And the back portion now ends with a visual simulation activity that is an extra cost, and where there used to be tanks is now a back room area so that was a little weird to get funneled/stuck into the space and have to back track. We did enjoy seeing our old friends the otters, harbor seals, shore birds and even a few divers in the tanks! We went at opening time on New Year's Day and it got crowded quickly. For the most part, we were able to enjoy the new space without too many people which made it extra fantastic for us and fit our neurodiversity needs nicely.

The Seattle Aquarium is an exciting and educational experience, perfect for visitors of all ages. The aquarium's location right on the waterfront sets the tone for a day filled with marine wonder. The highlight for me was the incredible Underwater Dome, where you're surrounded by a 360-degree view of marine life, making you feel like you're standing on the ocean floor. The giant Pacific octopus exhibit was equally mesmerizing, showcasing the intelligence and beauty of this fascinating creature. Interactive exhibits, like the touch pools, offer a hands-on experience with sea stars and anemones, which is especially fun for children. The informative presentations about sea otters and seals are a must-see--they're both playful and educational. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, adding to the overall experience with their passion for marine life conservation. The aquarium does a fantastic job of combining entertainment with learning, providing detailed information on the importance of ocean conservation. I would highly recommend the Seattle Aquarium for anyone looking to have a fun and enriching day by the sea!

We've always really liked the Seattle aquarium. It's a nice aquarium, there's plenty of exhibits and animals, and plenty for you to do especially if you have small kids. That being said, with one exception it isn't the most impressive aquarium I'm ever been to. The one exception to that is the octopus, they have had an octopus here for as long as I can remember and it is such a great exhibit and you get the opportunity to really get close to the octopus in a way you don't at other aquariums. That being said, the octopus was gone the last time we came and visited! This was disappointing because the octopus was basically the reason that we decided we wanted to go.. That being said, we've always had a good time here, our kids have always really enjoyed themselves. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the exhibits are great, even without the octopus we enjoyed the sea lions and sea otter exhibits. One of the things that I really appreciate about the Seattle aquarium is that it does focus on the aquatic life of the Pacific Northwest and the Puget sound itself. It's similar to some other aquariums that I've been to but it's nice to see things that are region specific. The last things that I would say about the Seattle aquarium are: there is limited parking and it can be difficult to get to unless you are doing a boardwalk day on foot. The second thing is that it is getting quite expensive. Overall, I would highly recommend going to the Seattle aquarium if you've never been before and are looking for something that's family friendly along the boardwalk/marketplace.

Long time Seattle resident here, who's been to the Seattle Aquarium many times in the past 20 years. Recently decided to take my children before the end of summer. A few points of disappointment... 1. Tickets have gotten so astronomical. I wish the WA resident discount could be expanded, or a family ticket option. 2. Absolutely nothing at the aquarium felt new, or updated over previous years we have visited. I can see they're working on an expansion across the street, which isn't open yet. However today, there is nothing new. 3. It clicked for me this visit, that our aquarium is very lackluster compared to the many other major metropolitan city aquariums I have visited! I'd give this visit a 3/5, the value imparted to the price of tickets is not aligned these days. Regretting choosing this over a different Seattle attraction like the space needle or pacific science center.

The Seattle Aquarium is a true gem, with the recent expansion it is even more incredible. The only drawback is parking nearby and going up and down MANY stairs does not make it the most accessible. Sure, there are ramps but it is quite the distance from the neighboring parking garages that are often full. The actual location is amazing, super informative and a lot of sea creatures to see and interact with. The staff is also amazing. My only complaint is the price at $50 a person there is now at this is designed for low income families.

One of the major reasons that I went to Seattle was to see this aquarium because at the time they had a collaboration with Animal Crossing and I am an avid fan of Animal Crossing plus I love going to aquariums all over the world. It is unique to see them but of course, I know that many people have complained about this location. While I was here there was tons of construction going around and near the building. It was noisy and loud. I believe this is going to change and might take a little bit but hopefully when it is all done it will look a lot nicer. The staff here was pretty friendly and you can get a ton of information about different sea creatures that they have. I wish though when they did have Animal Crossing it would have blended better with the fishes that they had or had somewhat of a story line!

We visited the Seattle Aquarium on a Monday morning around 9:30, and it was a great experience! Parking nearby was easy to find, which was a relief on a rainy day. The only downside to the weather was being outdoors for one of the aquarium areas, but it didn't detract too much from the visit. We started by watching the staff examine plankton under a microscope, which was fascinating! They were incredibly informative and happy to answer questions, making it a very engaging experience. We spent about an hour and a half exploring. It's a fun, interactive, and educational outing--I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Seattle!

This review is for the 'old' aquarium, as the new one will be open within the next month (Sept 2024). I would say this aquarium is just ok. I had higher hopes, but the exhibits are a little lackluster, and some of the displays are in the darker areas, which makes it hard to read the descriptions of what you're supposed to be looking at.

My cousin wanted to check the aquarium out so it was one of the exhibits we decided to make reservations for using our city past. Aquarium is pretty small. Perfect stop to take the little ones. They have an area where you can touch live sea urchins and starfish.

We went to see the new addition that was recently added to the aquarium! Such a cool place with a 2 story observation deck. It was definitely busy and made it difficult to see all the attractions but would recommend going during a week day if possible. Great for date night or anyone who loves a great aquarium.

It is small than I thought. For adult, there is not much to do. There were cute Otters and Seal. The new building is very nice and bigger and cleaner aquarium. It might be fun for the kids but for adult not worth $50.

Good photo ops and affordable with the city pass. I liked the eye less fish and the various exhibits. They are pretty cool. Very blue.

Went here for my 25th birthday in April of 2024 with my boyfriend. We parked in the parking garage across the street for $19. Paid $80 for 2 adult tickets. No line at front entrance. We went on a Monday around 11am. We got our photo taken at the entrance for purchase for later. They had a good selection in their gift shop. Prices were quite high though. We went through the whole aquarium in a little over an hour. It was fun seeing all the fish! There weren't a ton of animals as some of the exhibits were empty. It felt like we were kids on a field trip. It felt "gross" and lots of kids coughing around us. Lots of germs and just didn't feel clean necessarily. Overall though it was nice and a one and done experience.

I've always had a good time coming with family and friends. I have not gone with the new building out. But there is plenty to see and do to spend at least one hour at the first building. It is a little pricey, but I'm guessing because it's located right in the center of a touristy area. I love the otters and the sea lions, they are my favorite. Oh and don't forget about the octopus!

The Seattle Aquarium is one of my favorite places in Seattle. View the many varieties of fish, sea otters, seals, octopus, birds, and more in the buildings on Pier 59 and 60. Right across from the piers is the new Ocean Pavilion, with a multimedia atrium, a giant tank with a "window on the reef" to view the stingrays, jellyfish, and more. There is also an animal care section in the Ocean Pavilion to showcase how animals are being cared for at the aquarium.

Fantastic facility with a wide variety of aquatic species. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

Had a wonderful visit to the aquarium easy check-in since we purchased our tickets online we enjoyed the virtual reality exploration that is a new addition and all of the animals were active. The new addition is amazing. The only flaw I found was I wish there were more aquatic animals to look at and more interactive activities in the new. Tuvimos una visita maravillosa al acuario, fácil registro desde que compramos nuestras entradas en línea, disfrutamos de la exploración de realidad virtual que es una nueva incorporación y todos los animales estaban activos. La nueva incorporación es increíble. El único defecto que encontré fue que desearía que hubiera más animales acuáticos para mirar y más actividades interactivas en el nuevo.

Wow! I am a fish guy and the Seattle Aquarium is an awesome experience! So many different animals to see and learn about. And the way its laid out is pretty interesting. I thought I was exiting only to find other outdoor areas once I stepped outside. Just don't mistake the outdoor areas with the exit doors lol. But don't worry they're clearly marked. There were plenty of fish and invertebrates , freshwater and saltwater to see. Mammals as well. The sea otters were pretty adorable during feeding time. They even had birds. And it looks to be very well kept. So much to learn and my family loved it! And from what I remember, it is not a permanent home for many of the animals, but rather a temporary one until they are brought to their natural habitat. Definitely recommended.

The aquarium was cute, but not the beat I've seen. It's very clean and doesn't smell like some of the older aquariums. They have sea otters, walrus, penguins, etc. What's lacking for me are no whales, beluga, etc. They recommend giving yourself up to 2 hours for the aquarium. If you are an adult seeing it by yourself, it should only take an hour.

Not a huge aquarium, but still nice! I've never experienced touching sea urchants so that was super cool!

This aquarium is pretty small for the price, but I had a really good time and they had cool creatures I haven't seen before in person! Overall, I think it took us almost two hours total to get through it all. We went for the Animal Crossing collaboration and it was really cute, but didn't add much to the experience for me. I got cute pictures of my partner with all the cutouts though! My favourite things were: - Mammal feedings (watching the sea otters, northern fur seals, and harbour seals do tricks and eat fish!) - Pacific spiny lumpsucker - Octopus - Underwater dome with sturgeons! The staff were really knowledgeable about their area of expertise and were happily willing to share information and answer our questions. I noticed there were lots of activities for kids as well. It was really crowded when we went on a Monday morning to afternoon, but apparently it was a holiday! I suspect other Mondays wouldn't be as crowded.

It's been years since I been here, and we had a good time here. We went into building 1 and saw the fishes and smaller fish. We also saw jellyfish and many other things. We went into the new aquarium, and I've never been in there. Had come pretty cool things in there. Come check out the aquarium if you'd like to see some fun stuff.

Now I'm an aquarium girl. Any state, any city, any time of year, I'll be there. The Seattle aquarium did not disappoint! I had such a splendid time. Staff were all super sweet and fun. The staff working the exhibits would talk to us about the animals and fish. At the time we went, they had an Animal Crossing experience and it was so cute to see the little characters like Bathers around the aquarium talking about the fish. I will go again next time we're in Seattle!

My wife & I are members of Point defiance Zoo and Aquarium and had given thought to becoming members/Donors here at the Seattle Aquarium. After a day spent at the local museum, We decided to see the aquarium while we were in town. The experience with the female worker at the front register on Dec 2nd @ 3pm. Has to be the rudest and most disrespectful person i've ever experienced in Seattle. We go to aquariums all over the country (and a couple internationally) and its a shame that we will not be donating or even returning to the new Aquarium in our own home state. It ruined what should've/could've been an amazing experience...and is now memorable for the wrong reasons. Employees represent the companies they work for while there. If this is the type of treatment that customers and potential donors receive, We will just continue to support other venues that treat their customers with courtesy and respect. I didn't bother to get her name but she was the only female working the registers at that time with another guy. ALSO, she said my card didnt go thru, no big deal, I just paid in cash. I thought it sounded weird, so I called my cc company on the way home and they told me a charge had been made, but was refunded....He called it strange as well The new Facility was nice, but she TOTALLY ruined a great day...

Visited the Aquarium since it was part of the CityPass. It was a lot smaller than I expected. I went on a Monday morning so it wasn't very busy. They currently have an Animal Crossing collab which consisted of 2 main photo ops & cutouts of characters throughout the aquarium. They have a huge area inside for little kids to play. As for the mammals, it was very minimal. We were able to finish the aquarium in an hour. I probably won't be coming back again. Parking: Street parking or at Pike Place Market Parking

My boyfriend and I had an amazing time here, there were many exhibitions to see. There was even an area where we can touch some sea animals! Highly recommend booking online a couple days ahead for a small discounted price!

Visited this aquarium on a recent trip. There is pier 59 and 60, and a new Ocean Pavilion which opens August 2024. Pier 59 has some great touch pools and some nice tanks. Pier 60 was old and tired looking. That section really needs a complete makeover--tanks were dark, couldn't read labels as they weren't lit, and the bird habitats had a lot of plastic in them, and there was no interpretation as to why that was all in there. Will be curious to see how the older aquarium ties in and works with the new wing.

Seattle Aquarium is about a 3.6 out of 5. Their pricing is a bit too high for what you get (no student pricing) and they rely heavily on their tide pools to provide value on the main floor. That being said our favorites were the birds and the mammal section. We loved seeing the seals and the otters as well as many of the birds who were braving the rain. I'd glad they're adding to the Aquarium with the new (currently under construction) Ocean Pavilion, because the space feels small. When we visited the Octopus section was closed and although the jellyfish exhibit was fun, it was tiny. Most of the underwater sections aren't that comfortable due to how busy the space gets. I'm excited to visit next time we're in Seattle and the new space has opened just to see what it does for the crowds. Until then, I'm rounding the Seattle Aquarium up to 4 stars.

It's been a long time since I have been to an aquarium so my experience here is based on my visit to this aquarium and not a comparison to other aquariums in my lifetime. Our family had such a fun time at the aquarium and our 4 year old especially love it. There was some really cool exhibits and some where interactive. I appreciated the way the aquarium was set up and seeing a lot of the different marine life. Going in the winter time was probably my only regret as it was very cold outside so we didn't linger in the open air exhibits but I'm not knocking a star off for weather when it was us who choose to go in January! The gift shop was fun and had some really cool items that we bought for our kiddo. We'll definitely be back once it's warmer. Depending on what your previous experiences are and what your goals in what you want to see are then I can see how experiences/ratings will vary family to family. If you're comparing this to the zoo, then you'll probably enjoy the zoo more but if you're looking for a cool place to different types of fish and other marine life then it's a pretty fun afternoon experience.

I enjoyed the aquarium overall. There was lots to see! GLOWS: -Everyone was helpful in sharing information and directing us around -Every time I had a question, there was a infographic with the information right around the corner! -some cute places to take photos GROWS: -I wish they had a teacher's discount. -The outdoor exhibit needed some cleaning. I could not see through the glass well.

A great spot right on the Waterfront! The kiddos can play in the designated area with blocks, water stuffies and kitchen area before heading into the rest of the aquarium. They have a nice interactive touch pool which was engaging and allowed visitors to feel the sea anemones, with a wash station right next to it for afterwards. Employees were all nice and provided visitors instructions. It is pretty small but has a handful of areas to look at and explore. Don't forget outside in the picturesque deck there's also Sea Lions! Afterwards there are plenty of options right on the waterfront to grab a snack or lunch at.

What a gorgeous facility right on the waterfront! I came for a special event so I cannot speak to price like other Yelpers. The Aquarium is well laid out with stunning exhibits some of which are highly interactive. Staff are kind and informative. The otter feeding is a must see. Location is great if you are doing other activities or getting nosh. BTW- if you are looking to host an event I highly recommend.

Small but delightful walk through the aquarium. It was busy for a week day but it is summer. Indoor and outdoor exhibits. I loved it all.

This was such a beautiful and educational experience. I could not be more happier with how much knowledge I gained from visiting.