Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
add photos15 Reviews for Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
27
120 families found this helpful
"Under construction"
This was under construction when we attended, but still very fun! The kids got to touch a sting ray (awesome!) and watch a 3d movie. There were many interactive displays, and it had the kids very entertained! Very fun, would go again. Oh, and we took the little harbor tour, too, that was fun!
We really liked the sea turtle display, and the kids really enjoyed the whole thing. I didn't once hear anyone say, "I'm bored!" Stroller is a must for young kids, again, just because their little legs get tired, and there is a lot of walking here.
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"aquarium"
This is fun for all ages. You get to pet some of the animals. Not usually that crowded and parking is free. The driving in Virginia can be a little crazy but a great place to take the family and have a great time. If you kids love animals they will love the aquarium. They have an Imax theater that is great its like you are in the movie
0 families found this helpful
"VA Aquarium"
The Virginia Aquarium is one of the best aquariums I've been to. The changing exhibits are always first class. And the permanent exhibits are great as well. They have everything from sharks to a Komodo dragon. The ray touch tank is also a favorite. One of the best parts about this aquarium is the impressive IMAX theater which plays marine science-related movies as well as some of the popular movies shown in regular movie theaters.
'12
0 families found this helpful
"Best place to spend an afternoon"
The assortment of activities and marine life is amazing! The Imax plays great educational videos, the aquarium staff is wonderful and attentive. You can hold hermit crabs, pet stingrays, walk inside a mini sub which has controls and video cameras for the kids to see up close. The staff gives many mini lectures and the marine walk outside along the river is great!
0 families found this helpful
"The sea otters were the best!"
My 13 month old would have taken home the sea otters if he had been able to! There is also a nice nature path that was nice if the weather cooperates. The aquarium is not huge, but was just right for taking a small child to. We got to see the whole thing and he didn't get overly tired because it was so large and took too much time to get through.
0 families found this helpful
"First Trip to Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center"
While visiting Virginia Beach I wantede to take my daughter and niece to the aquarium and I was very happy that we got a chance to do so. My niece is 13 and my daughter is 3 years old and they both really enjoyed it. There was lots to see and lots to learn. There were areas where they were able to touch singrays, starfish, crabs etc. There were camps kids there so it was very busy but it didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. I would go over and over again.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice, but very pricey"
I found the Virginia Aquarium to be nice, but very pricey. As of July 2010, an adult admission is $17, and a combo ticket that includes a 45-minute IMAX movie is $23. Kids' tickets (ages 3-11) are $12 for admission only or $18 for the combo including the IMAX. At least you get free parking! If you can get your hands on a Hampton Roads area Entertainment Book, there is a buy one/get one free admission coupon that can save you $17.
There are two buildings to this Aquarium: the main Bay & Ocean Pavilion and the much smaller Marsh Pavilion. The majority of the exhibits and the IMAX theatre are at the Bay & Ocean Pavilion, so I would suggest starting there. You can either walk the 1/3-mile distance between the two buildings or drive. I am told that during the morning hours, Aquarium staff are positioned along the walkway with various animals, but they were long gone by the time we were ready to move to the next building (around 4 pm). The Marsh Pavilion has a bird aviary outside. The best thing inside are the North American river otters, but a staff member told me they "sleep 90% of the time." We found them to be very active around 4:30/5 pm, however.
The Aquarium is very kid-friendly, with lots of interactive exhibits. My 4-year old enjoyed it immensely. For example, one room placed her "inside" a submarine. She spent a good 10 minutes pressing all the buttons she desired as she "traveled" underwater. Another area allows people to pet rays (no, they don't sting) and a second touch area lets you touch hermit crabs, starfish and other small marine creatures.
I did like the Aquarium a lot, but only gave it 4 stars because of the price. Also, they did not volunteer any information when I bought my tickets, i.e., did not give me a map until I asked for one, did not explain when the animal feedings were, etc. For that much money, I felt I should have received at least some basic info.
This is a great, air-conditioned way to spend a very hot afternoon or a rainy day in the Hampton Roads vicinity.
0 families found this helpful
"Rainy day diversion"
We visited the center due to a rainy day. The exhibits were nice and the aquariums were very cool - especially the tunnel. There's an IMAX too, but we didn't visit it since we didn't think our 3 yr old could take it.
There's another building along a 1/3 mile nature trail. I wish we had driven instead of walked to it, since it caused a lot of whining from our 5 & 7 yr olds after walking all over the main building first. I probably would have done that building first and the main bulding second since there's more opportunity to sit and rest in the main building than on the trail.
2 families found this helpful
"Sit for hours in front of the fish!"
We added this aquarium to our itinerary after reading about it on Trekaroo. I am so glad that we did. This is the type of aquarium that I would buy a yearly pass to if I lived in the area. There are areas that are being renovated, but others are still available. We probably sat for 30m in front of the tanks that held the huge loggerhead turtles. This aquarium is built with children in mind. Most of the tank glass goes all the way to the floor so the little ones can see without having to be lifted or stand on tiptoes. There are lots of hands on areas as well. As you walk through there are staff members with various animals and sealife for you to touch and lean more about. We ate at the cafe and although it is pricey, we felt like the food we got was worth it and tasted good.
1 family found this helpful
"Check the Website for Closures First"
My family had visited the aquarium in the past and it was a decent afternoon of education and entertainment. Unfortunately, they have been undergoing renovations for nearly two years now, and a good portion of the building is not accessible. What exhibits are available are as good as ever, but few and far between now. I would reccommend waiting for renovations to be complete before making another trip. Luckily, they update the website regularly, so you can keep abreast of the situation.
1 family found this helpful
"I Love it!!!"
The aquarium I go to every year and when I take my step daughter there and my neice there we spend all day it's a lot of fun and very interesting. I can't wait til my son gets older and understands what he see's!! We went once this summer but now that we have custody of my fiance's 2 son's we get to go back YAY!!! It's a great family outing and especially with the imax movie that is a great option to do.
0 families found this helpful
"Cant wait till its finished!"
Been here for the past 3 yrs and every new they have something different. And even though they have been under construction for a while we still have a great time!
You can take tours on boats, touch a stingray, watch a 3D movie or take a nature walk. It has something for everone and I cant wait to see it when its all finished!
0 families found this helpful
"Fun time, but crowded"
We went to the aquarium the same day we drove into VA Beach. It was a Friday morning and the kids were looking forward to it. When we got there, I was disappointed to see a lot of the exhibits were under construction and what they DID have open for viewing, it was absolutely crowded beyond belief. We ate in the cafeteria, which was a LONG line and a longer wait to pay. Beware that they only have ONE cashier for all those people, so I would suggest eating before you go and bringing a light snack. After dealing with the crowds all afternoon, we finally went to the IMAX theater for the 3D Under the Sea program. AMAZING. I am convinced that this IMAX experience saved our day, otherwise, we would've been miserable having seen only a portion of the actual aquarium. Our kids still had a blast, but was glad they had one exciting thing to talk about from the experience!
1 family found this helpful
"Explore the Ocean"
Most people who come to Virginia Beach spend most of their time on the beach and playing in the ocean. Just a few miles away is the Virginia Aquarium. Hosting a variety of sealife including sharks, seals, turtles, sting rays, and fish. There is education on the area and wildlife that live the the area, marsh, and ocean. Small critters including snakes are also on display. There is a nature trail that leads to another building that host otters, birds, and other small critters. A new exhibit, Restless Planet, host crocidiles, snakes, and komodo dragons. A great relaxing day away from the beach learning about nature. A must see if you visit VA Beach.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
This is a must-see. At the Atlantic Ocean Pavilion and Main Building, visitors can see sand-tiger, nurse, and brown sharks; stingrays; and other open-ocean dwellers in the 300,000-gallon Norfolk Canyon Aquarium. There is also a 70,000-gallon sea turtle aquarium, a sea turtle hatching laboratory, a jellyfish and octopus aquarium, a life- size model of a humpback whale, a 3-D IMAX theater, and lots of hands-on exhibits. The Owls Creek Marsh Pavilion tells the story of Owls Creek salt marsh, the waterway on which the museum is located.
The exhibits are clever and have kid-friendly touch-screen computers. In the whimsical Macro Marsh gallery where the “grass” is ten times larger than real life, visitors feel as tiny as hermit crabs. In the Micro Marsh gallery, little things such as mosquito heads come into view via microscopes. June through October there are half-hour pontoon boat tours through the marsh. Call (757) 437-BOAT for a schedule and fares.
The dozens of aquariums and terrariums feature creatures such as river otters and seahorses, and at the one-of-a-kind interactive theater, children can test their knowledge about the local environment. Attached is a 0.5-acre outdoor aviary featuring more than fifty-five species, including cattle egrets, brown pelicans, turkey vultures, and great blue herons, all viewed from an elevated wooden walkway. Preschool Discovery Days and Fishy Fun Days offer kids 5 and under a fun way to learn about marine life through stories and crafts. (Preregistration is required; 757-437-6007.)
Between the two pavilions is the Nature Trail, a 0.3-mile trail that meanders through ten acres of salt marsh preserve along Owls Creek. On this walk sweet gum and maple trees offer shade and circular loops jut out into the water to provide clear views of the gulls and great blue herons swooping down for fish. (You can almost ignore the steady hum of the traffic on busy General Booth Boulevard just 30 feet away. The contrast makes a powerful case for preserving wetlands such as this one.) A 30-foot observation tower and information boxes help visitors identify what they’re seeing.
Informative fifteen-minute programs are held throughout the day in both pavilions and along the nature trail on a variety of topics. In addition, special family programs are held throughout the year at the Bay Lab in the Chesapeake Bay Center at First Landing State Park (see above). These range from simple ones, such as learning how sea stars protect themselves, to Exotic Aquatics: An Evening of Mystery, where participants (ages 6 to adult) are given clues to solve the mystery of what kind of animal has been pulled from the Chesapeake Bay. Overnights at the aquarium give families a chance to go behind the scenes while enjoying games, crafts, and animal interactions.
In winter, sign on for the whale-watching trips sponsored by the museum. From January until mid-March, look for humpback whales as museum staff tell you about these leviathans. June to October the museum sponsors dolphin-watching trips. Throughout the year Ocean Collection boat trips give visitors the opportunity to examine sea life up close, with sea creatures pulled from the ocean and brought on deck. Call (757) 437-BOAT for information.
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