St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station

We took my daughter her husband and children for Christmas. They wanted an experience instead of toys for the girls. The girls had fun watching the fish and otter. They were able to touch 4 or 5 different sea animals. And they really had fun in the tube playing with other kids . The shark tank is really big and they each got a gift at the gift shop. Worth the money for entrance takes a few hours when you take your time. Costs about 30 buc for adults and 20 for kids over 5. Unfortunately the restaurant had a 1.5 hour wait when we arrived so we had to go out in the freezing weather to go to Landry's which was a good choice and not too costly. The kids got to see the koi outside as we walked past. The parking lot was about 2 blocks away which was also a freezing walk to get inside. I wish you could reserve parking just like you can prepurchase tickets to the aquarium. Then we would have been closer to the door maybe. I recommend going in warmer weather to enjoy the outdoor activities as well. We enjoyed the aquarium but not parking so far away and carrying little ones. Oh and strollers are allowed even tho it says they are not online. Wish we had ours.

Small aquarium, yet interactive and the staff were so kind and friendly. The ticket allows you to come and go as you please. Gorgeous habitats. My daughter really enjoyed her visit. Her favorite part was feeding the stingrays. I highly recommend.

The aquarium may be small, but it offers an unforgettable experience. One of the most exciting parts is the opportunity to interact with marine life. You can feed and pet stingrays, gently touch jellyfish and starfish, and even feel the tiny sucker fish that kids absolutely love! These interactive moments make this aquarium truly special. Plus, there are plenty of kid-friendly activity areas, making it a perfect place for families to explore and enjoy together, Many Species of Sharks

Best aquarium experience ever!! We wanted to take our nephew because he loves fish and saw that there was an option to paint with the stingrays the day we were going. The package allows 4 people and it was a very personalized experience. The staff and aquarists were so kind and educated us and allowed us to interact with them and the stingrays. The whole aquarium staff was super friendly and happy to give us all the information. (Customer service via phone was also kind and helpful bc we are out of state and had questions) It is a very interactive aquarium, and a great place to bring children of all ages and it is October so we had a pumpkin and pirate theme. Union Square was a great place overall for everyone day and night. We can’t wait to come back!

We loved it! My daughter and I really enjoyed the informative exhibits, the hands on experiences like touching jelly fish, feeding sting rays, viewing the sea otters and the sharks, etc. The state of the art light show on the panoramic screen upon entry to the aquarium was amazing to see. Highly recommend a visit to this aquarium.

I was expecting this aquarium to be much larger; however, for the size that it is, it's pretty awesome! This is small enough to only have two restrooms, so keep that in mind when making your plans. We enjoyed viewing and learning about the animals and touching stingrays, jellyfish, and other animals.

BEST PART WAS THE OTTERS!! And ofcorse the otter feeding! But I would 100% recommend this place, we went Thursday Morning when they opened and wasn't busy at all. Staff were so friendly and willing to teach you stuff about all thr aimlessly, very interactive.. if you got kids this is thr place to go.. THANK YOU For this amazing experience and will be going again!!

An absolute amazing place. I would have never guessed that it was as large as it was. The interactive exhibits were fantastic. I'm a nerd at heart and this brought out the happy child in me

I enjoyed it a lot! Came here for my birthday. I love that they give birthday stickers too! I was wearing my birthday badge and the staff were so sweet when greeting me. I love that before you go on an aquarium trip, you're situated in a "train" trip. Really creative! Unfortunately, it was too small for my liking. The staff are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about the marine life. I noticed the blue lobster is out of sight unless you go through everything. It's the only thing I missed and I am disappointed. However, it was fun petting the stingrays and moonlight jellyfish. There's an area where it's blue and has a big tank over you...it's incredibly beautiful, especially for a photo op.

This is such an awesome place to go with the kids (and even the adults). We came here today with my 7 year old and she had such an amazing time that we went through twice! The employees working here are really nice and detailed on explaining their exhibits to the kids and do a great job at helping them have the best experience possible! There is so many different things here, you could spend all day here with the kids if you are looking for something to do. I felt like there was a little bit of everything without being too much and I really liked the exhibit upstairs where the animal changes based on the times of the day. Both times we went through it was an armadillo but every 30 mins or so it changes to a different animal. Definitely a cool place to check out if you're in the downtown St. Louis area and have a couple extra hours.

Such a fun spot for adults and kiddos! I love how interactive they have made the aquarium allowing their visitors an immersive experience. Being able to touch various sea creatures like starfish, stingrays, jellyfish, etc was a very fun experience for all of us. We brought my 1 year old nephew here and even he was entertained. My favorite exhibit was the otters, even though they were taking an afternoon snooze, one of the workers came over and gave me a lot of information and fun facts I did not know! I had been given many mixed reviews about the aquarium before visiting it myself, mostly about it being a spot you that's only fun to visit once but personally I am excited to return. I even purchased a membership. Union station has so much to offer alongside this aquarium!

LOVEEEEE this aquarium. It's 2 levels of fun. The top floor features a ton of hands on experiences. We were able to get through everything in an hour .

The aquarium is super adorable and has a lot to offer for the family. My daughter (6) loved the animals and also all of the areas for kids (water play and a kids zone) We were there for a private event so we had access to everything. The rides outside are amazing and I love that you have this right in the heart of St. Louis! And I had the most delicious burger at Train shed! Definitely go while we are still having nice weather!

We visited the aquarium on a Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too busy. They start the experience with a fun little train ride, which ties in nicely with the Union Station theme--definitely a unique touch! The aquarium itself was very clean and well-maintained, with several hands-on experiences that our kids really enjoyed. While it felt smaller compared to other aquariums we've been to, it was still a fun and engaging visit. The staff were friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable. Admission for our family of five (two adults and three kids) was around $140, which felt a bit steep for the size of the aquarium. Still, the overall experience was positive and we're glad we went. We visited the aquarium on a Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too busy. They start the experience with a fun little train ride, which ties in nicely with the Union Station theme--definitely a unique touch! The aquarium itself was very clean and well-maintained, with several hands-on experiences that our kids really enjoyed. While it felt smaller compared to other aquariums we've been to, it was still a fun and engaging visit. The staff were friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable. Admission for our family of five (two adults and three kids) was around $140, which felt a bit steep for the size of the aquarium. Still, the overall experience was positive and we're glad we went.

An amazing, fun experience at this land locked but unique addition to the Union Station entertainment. Amaze at what is included in your admission. Worth a visit!

A fun spot for adults and kids of all ages! I will say, I agree with the majority of people saying it's overpriced. For the experience you get, it should be cheaper. It's not something that you need to do more than once. If you have a little one that loves it, I'd look into getting one of the memberships! Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable; lots of fun exhibits and creatures. Overall takeaway: super fun experience that is a little overpriced and you only need to come once to see everything.

I need to edit my review. I gave them three stars originally but have been to some other aquariums and back to St. Louis's since and while St. Louis can't compete with the Shedd or the National aquarium it does punch above its weight class and is well worth a visit.

We spent at least 2.5 hours here and the kids thoroughly loved it. They could have stayed longer. Several features are worth mentioning: entrance hall with the ginormous clock and moving ceiling, kids play area where their drawings can become part of the display, the touch tanks, shark canyon and Tommy the talking otter. Very clever. I got a lot more out of the experience because I was with small children so I could see how a couple of adults might buzz through quickly. It is a tad expensive too. Staff members were helpful and it seemed reasonably clean.

What a creative way to repurosing a train station! Pro tip: bring your parenting ticket with you! Because in the gift shop for the aquarium there is a 5 buck off parking scan! There is plenty to see! Plenty to take pictures of! The employees were super friendly and helpful. Don't forget they decorate for holidays! Sometimes there are scavenger hunts! Don't forget all the kids arts and crafts! My favorite was the spitting fishes and the sharks! Highly recommend!

Stl aquarium does a great job with such a small space. Shark canyon is fun to watch & walk around while fish & rays & sharks swim above & around you. Great place for kids. A lot of activities & learning experiences

The St. Louis Aquarium was absolutely incredible! From the moment I walked in, I was amazed by how clean, organized, and beautifully designed everything was. The exhibits were vibrant, educational, and full of life, and you can tell the staff really care about the animals and their well-being. I spoke with SEVERAL staff members that were just loving their jobs and happy to be there! The interactive areas were a huge hit, especially the touch tanks where you can actually feel stingrays and small sharks, and I think even starfish. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to answer questions, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The aquarium was spotless and even the restrooms and common areas were exceptionally clean and well-maintained. It's clear they take great pride in keeping the facility in top shape. I also LOVE how family-friendly it was. There were plenty of hands-on activities for kids, and adults will appreciate the relaxing atmosphere and attention to detail in every exhibit. The lighting, sound, and layout made it easy to take great photos too. If you're visiting St. Louis, this is an absolute must-see attraction. Whether you go with family, friends, or even solo, the St. Louis Aquarium offers a fun, fascinating, and memorable experience for everyone. I can't wait to go back! I also just want to add in that I was able to feed a turtle it's little protein shake, and it made me so happy.

Great experience. My friend and I flew in for a concert and needed something to do until check in. The exhibits were nice, the place was clean and interactive and all the staff were great. The actual aquarium spaces seemed kinda small but the rope corse and other things to do would make up for that if you needed more to do.

Not a fan. Many aquariums are balanced in their appeal to children and adults. Not this one. If you're older than seven, you've aged out of this aquarium's sweet spot. Sorry.

Having been to so many aquariums around the world this one is by far one of the smallest. There are animal encounters which is great for small kids but if you are an adult and just love sea creatures this is probably not the aquarium for you. The animal encounters are a touch tank with rays and zebra sharks or feeding turtles. I turned around to my friend when we got to the end and was like "wait we are done." The price is high for as small as the aquarium is.

We love visiting aquariums and this one was super nice. Very new, state-of-the-art, very clean...exceptionally accommodating to those with disabilities. Two thumbs up. We loved all the hands-on exhibits. This is a smaller aquarium but it's super nice.

If I was rating this based on a visit without my Grandkids I would give it a Zero because it is expensive and has so many fewer fish exhibitions than one would expect to find in an aquarium. However, I went with my Grandkids (8,6 and 3) and they had a 5-star blast. All of the hands on activities, the water tables, the coloring area and the friendly knowledgable staff was enough to keep my grandkids throughly engaged. For older kids you'd have to shell out additional bucks for the rope course or mirror maze. If street parking is available you could save a lot by parking at a meter, that savings will take some of the sting out of the overpriced charges that make up the Union Station Experience.

This is probably one of the worst aquariums I have been too. We went through it in an hour. Not worth the price. Most aquariums have a ton of different tanks with a huge variety of sea creatures. This one only had a handful. There are a ton of hands on areas where you can touch different sea urchins, sting rays, and jelly fish. The staff we came across were very harsh and yelled at people. If they had more signage (specifically in the sting ray area), they wouldn't have to yell at people. The beginning is the best part. So yes you do have to pick a time slot and arrive at that time. That's probably the only part I enjoyed of the whole attraction.

What a cool experience! Even the lobby waiting for the "train" was immersive! The simulated train ride was a cool tie in to the Union Station. The exhibits were so much fun. I was surprised at how much there was to see and do here. From all of the hands on exhibits to the giant multilevel viewing tank we enjoyed every part of this visit! Cool location, fun for everyone!

1st time visit to the St. Louis Aquarium this afternoon, day after Christmas with my wife and 2 granddaughters, ages 6&8 years old. Great, great experience, very "hands on" for the grandkids, and the exhibits were all very clean, well marked. Staff at the Aquarium were great, very involving and explaining to the kids about the various fishes & mammals in the Aquarium. They really seemed to care about the kids they were interacting with. The Aquarium is on 2 floors at Union Station. 1st floor is most aquariums showcasing Missouri River fishes as well as some large Gulf of Mexico fishes. 2nd floor has a broader variety of exhibits, that are more interactive/"hands on" for the visitors. 1st you see a sea other exhibit where the otters come out of a water tank to play on a beach-like surface. Can't touch the otters, but one gets pretty close to the to these creatures. Next exhibit is a show of various creatures taught by an aquarium associate. We saw her explain the habits & features of a jungle parrot, very interesting. Also upstairs were 2 other interactive displays, one of sting ray fishes that you could pet or touch as they swam thru the tank. An associate came out with some small minnow sized fishes to feed the sting rays, and even taught our granddaughters how to feed the sting rays themselves. Very fun for them! 2nd interactive exhibit upstairs was jellyfish, and an aquarium associate was there to coach kids on how to touch the jellyfish without harming them. Again, great experience for our granddaughters!. We've been to a few other aquariums around the country (Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Chattanooga Aquarium in Tennessee, the Sea World Aquarium in Kansas City). St. Louis Aquarium is right up there as one of the best we've been to, highly interactive for kids, very clean and well designed. A very good experience to take in while in St. Louis!

I caveat this review by disclosing that I'm reviewing as a season pass holder for this aquarium because it paid for itself in 2 visits and includes free parking. I got it because we have a 1.5 year old toddler (she's free admission) and this is the perfect place to take her every so often. With that being said, the annual pass is for sure worth the price. I'll be honest here in that I really don't think it's worth the price of a single day admission, however. If I went to this aquarium and paid for a single day admission, I'd prob bump my review to 3 stars - solely because it is so small and I really don't think it's worth it, especially if you do not have kids with you! For $15-20 more, the Shedd aquarium in Chicago is significantly better with far more exhibits where you can really make a full day out of it. With that said, the exhibits that they do have are fantastic! There are a few interactive exhibits that make this place special (jellyfish and stingray, in particular). The kid zone area is a nice little break in between before the shark exhibit. The staff is wonderful! Love how the union station has been utilized over the last few years and I hope it thrives.

Really nicely maintained aquarium with lots of sea creatures as well as informational signs and boards for a great learning experience! Definitely check out their annual passes vs a day ticket if you intend on visiting more than 2 times in a year, it includes parking as well! It's not the BEST aquarium I've ever been to, but it does the job! I actually like that it isn't huge, since my little one can normally only enjoy it for about an hour. The staff does a nice job making you feel welcome and it's still very clean. There are lots of hands on activities for kids and adults, lots of different animals you can touch and see close up. The river otters are so cute and Shark canyon was my favorite part! We loved it and look forward to going back!

While I've visited the St. Louis Aquarium multiple times now since it first opened for several different occasions and with different groups of people each time, I can safely say that this is one of those experiences that you can pay for once and won't feel the need to do again. If you've ever been to Shedd Aquarium or Wonders of Wildlife, definitely lower your expectations before coming here. This is one of the STL activities that you do when you're already exploring the other parts of Union Stations and nearby areas of the city. I will say that I love how hands-on and interactive the exhibits are, especially for all ages. It's really cool that you can get up close and personal with lots of animals and sea creatures, including doctor fish, coral, and I think they even had a sloth at one point. I particularly enjoyed feeding the stingrays during one of my visits. The staff members are very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions about the creatures as you encounter them. There's also lots of technological features built into many of the displays, such as the "train ride" at the beginning of the experience. Overall, this is a fun place to visit for an hour or so with kids or even as a quick date spot. If tickets were a bit cheaper, I think I'd visit more regularly. However, given the price point and lack of things to see more than once, I wouldn't say the St. Louis Aquarium is necessarily worth visiting over and over again!

I was warned that this aquarium is overpriced and not worth a visit, but I wanted to check it out for myself. I'm glad that I went, but I can see why people would be let down. It's fairly small and a quick couple hours at best. When you first arrive, you board a "train" which basically is a timed entry to the aquarium to prevent everyone from crowding at once. It's well done and kind of cute, although if you've sat through the "ride" multiple times, I could see how it would get old. Inside, there are a few exhibits that are hands-on, including petting sting rays, jelly fish or getting a "manicure" while dozens of fish gently nibble on your hands. Those were all my favorite-I always want to touch the animals, so it was nice to be given that opportunity. The staff are all friendly and welcoming of the guests. I appreciated a few of them giving me more information about the animals and answering my questions. It's obvious that they love their jobs and who could blame them?

Although $$$, the aquarium is fantastic with tons to do! If you plan to go back at least 3 times, get the membership! There are tons for kids to do, including touching string rays, turtles, jellyfish, and small fish. There are interactive activities, especially with the awesome water table and electronic otter show. Be aware: the aquarium ends in the gift shop, you can't get out of that! Your kids will want trinkets.

Going to the aquarium in STL was such a fun experience for our whole family. We were very confused by the train ride in the beginning... thought we might have suddenly been going into the river (haha) but we survived. I'm thrilled that we decided to visit, and I'm already looking forward to returning another time soon.

The ticket price is a bit steep, but luckily my little guy is under 3 (free!). There are a wide variety of hands on activities for all ages to enjoy. They embraced the train station theme, so you take a train ride into the aquarium! My toddler was thrilled. We will definitely be back.

Not what a expected. It was a subpar experience. The aquarium is small with not many sea creatures to explore for the price. I definitely won't go back.

A lot to see and quite a few animals that you get to touch & feed. One of my favorite aquariums!

This aquarium made me feel like a child again. The displays are interactive, and if you pause to read about each fish you will enjoy a day of beauty AND education. There are several large pools that allow you to touch jellyfish, stingrays and they let you stand back and an employee holds up a red ball and fish "spit". It was fun to watch the sting ray swim by and purposefully try to splash you. I was able to sit down on window ledges in the shark area and watch for bit. I spent about an hour and a half walking through and spending time at each window or exhibit. If you had children, it would extend at least to two hours. I skipped the art and craft section. I read other reviews that felt pricey. I think for two of us it was in the $50 range total, I find that to be the same as any other activities, such as ax, throwing or a concert that I would find myself enjoying an activity for a few hours. Considering how much money they have in the care of the animals I think it was an excellent value. It is hard to find a great aquarium that doesn't smell funny or have dirty glass. The tanks are extremely clean, this is a well cared for aquarium. This is such a great addition to the Union Station area.

Okay SO I have feelings about this aquarium. My family did buy season passes so it's paid for in two trips and I get free parking but... This is a small aquarium. And it's not something you can pop in and out of. You have to wait for the initial presentation and sit through it which is SUPER COOL the first time but I wouldn't want to sit through it every single time. That makes it a little annoying for season pass holders. The aquarium does a fantastic job of being hands on, I've been to many aquariums and I was able to touch and learn hands on about more animals here than anywhere else, which was fantastic. However, there just isn't a lot to see. There aren't many tanks. You're probably in and out within an hour. For us locals with season passes, it's worth it, but I would be upset if I paid $30 for one day.

I was told this place was small, but honestly our family loved it. We were delighted by how much interaction there is with aquarium staff and animals. We got to pet rays, have dead skin eaten by fish, feed turtles, and ask questions to an AI otter, among many other things. It is clear that the staff care about their animals and enjoy sharing that love and knowledge with the many families coming through.

Honestly all, don't waste your money. You'd be better off going to the free zoo. $65 for two adults on a Saturday and I was left astonished how short lived the visit is and how little there is to see for that much money. Save your money and do something else

Fantastic time at the aquarium as a family, including our teen boys. Located at the Union Station, there's a parking lot nearby and you can secure $5 parking when visiting the aquarium. To set expectations, it's small in size and easy to breeze through but we're a family that loves to linger and check out the details. The beginning of the experience begins with an interactive train ride. You're then introduced to tanks of local fish and history. They have lots of touch tanks and the doctor fish were a favorite. All areas are wheelchair accessible and the staff was engaging, ready to teach visitors. Some areas are interactive, such as a water hallway and talking otter. Shark tank area provides several viewing spaces but on a busy weekend I imagine patience is important as people linger and then make space for others to move to the front. The end of the visit dumps into the gift shop. If you have more time to spend there's a few activities at Union Station although I'd recommend finding a local spot nearby for eating.

So glad that there is an aquarium here in the STL area. So glad they were able to repurpose the old train station and turn it into something beautiful. I love that it is interactive and you are able to touch some of the sea creatures and talk with the staff about the fish. The aquarium is quite small but there are other attractions that you can do. I will say that if you have a larger family, it can get quite pricey.

If you are looking for an Aquarium that you can stay at all day, this is not it. It takes about 15-20 minutes to go through and you pay what the same amount that you pay at a big Aquarium. The mirror maze was 100% waste of money and only took about 5 minutes to go through. Honestly other than the ferris wheel and Landrys, Union Station is not impressive.

This aquarium is ideal for little grade school kids. We spent about 2 hours here, and that is with me telling my kid to come along. It was perfect outing for a grade school kid that likes to play in sand, touch animals. Favorites activities include- Having the Dr. Fish eat the dead skin off our hands. I've heard of the pedicures before, so it was interesting to feel. The interactive river otter. Ask him if he has anything in his pocket. Touching the jelly fish, and sting rays. The sting rays seemed to really enjoy getting touched and would seek you out. I've been at other museums where they would hide. Coloring fish pictures and seeing them on the big interactive screen.

There so much to see! It's so cool! Not only is it just fish, but it's all sorts of other entertainment. I know it's just supposed to be a aquarium, but all this other stuff is well organized and fun to look at! I had a great time with my cousins and all the shows and creatures were marvels to see! Go here if you would like to explore, oh yes and the place is mad big! Mad big!

And here I am! Nearly 5 years later I returned to find that Union Station is thriving! The wheel, the koi pond, restaurants- everything! As a native St Louisian Ive never seen so many people and so much to do here. Too bad the Aquarium still sucks. We realllllly slowed our roll to try and make it worth the 32 bucks and bad news- still only took 75 minutes.

The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station provides an immersive experience that educates visitors about aquatic life and conservation efforts, all within the historic setting of Union Station. There are other attractions to explore and enjoy more for the summer though. A really great place and the price is reasonable. Check it out!!!

Always have a great time at this aquarium. The aquarium is small but always fun. The season passes pay for themselves. Free parking. Unlimited trips. It is great. Kiddos love coming here. My favorite exhibit is the doctor fish. Gotta get them hands cleaned. Recommend stopping in here

If you have children, especially young children, this aquarium is perfect for you, for these reasons: 1. It's not too big. It's not going to take you all day to get through the St. Louis Aquarium. I would say that you could get through it in about an hour if you're efficient like me and my family. If you like to dawdle and read signs and things, maybe two hours. Either way, it's the perfect size for short attention spans. 2. There are lots of hands-on activities. Pretty much all of the aquarium has a hands-on, touchable component. Exhibits are also accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. 3. There's a designated KidZone at the Aquarium. This is a fun space just for kids to play, do crafts and learn more about sea life. 4. There's a cool exhibit where you sit inside of a "submarine" and go underwater. It's a hit with kids. This is a super family-friendly aquarium, and you can tell they thought about the littlest visitors when they designed it. I highly recommend checking it out if you're in the downtown St. Louis area.

This is a great aquarium. They have great exhibits and I think it would be a great place to take kids.

I loved riding the "submarine" or "train" when its Christmas time. So much to do here and so many fish. Everyone is friendly and you can even touch fish/ starfish.

Good rule of thumb if you are too scared to pet the jellyfish, you might not want to go on the ropes course above it! The aquarium was very clean. The staff is also incredibly helpful and kind. The fishies looked happy and very healthy! We had a wonderful experience here on vacation and hope more get the most out of the aquarium and everything Union Station has to offer!!

We had a great experience , starting from the faux train ride with the VR simulation and the clock . It only got better ,a ton of cool sensory experiences and a ton of marine creatures to see! My father and I really enjoyed it . We also met chico the six banded armadillo- he is adorable. The aquarium is small and weekdays are possibly the best opportunity to explore and experience it. It's small and might get crowded.

I'll be the first person to admit I am not the target audience for this place. This place is probably best for a family with children under 10. There are a handful of activities for small children, but for any one older, you'll just be walking around looking at the the various fish. The place has some interesting references to the history of the building (mostly the intro "train ride"), but otherwise it's just an aquarium with a bunch of sealife. For little kids seeing this for the first time, it may be worth admission. But for older children or adults without children, you really need to be into fish for it to be worth the $25 admission.

Overall, disappointed. Came in from out of town and decided to explore the local aquarium. Started with a fake train ride... waste of time for adults. Next, walked through the aquarium. Was finished in 25 minutes, even after stopping and exploring the touch exhibits. The exhibits were not bad, there were just so few that you can walk through extremely fast. Workers seemed friendly and knowledgeable. Shark exhibit was good, but still very short lived. The otter exhibit was by far the best, and we got to experience their training which was fun to watch. In the end, $30 a person was extremely overpriced. Would not recommend. More geared toward children, but even then I wouldn't like to spend that much on a child.