Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
4.5
Science Museums • Aquariums
Read more
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A 300,000-gallon tank with sharks, rays, and other aquatic species, is the main attraction at this popular aquarium, along with a walk through tunnel featuring sharks, rays, and more. Featuring thousands of animals representing hundreds of species.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what other travellers are saying
  • thinktankjp
    Washington DC, District of Columbia118 contributions
    Nice indoor option, good animal exhibits
    We went during Covid and the aquarium did a good job with reduced capacity, timed entry tickets to keep the crowd low and spaced out. We had a 9am entry and it almost felt like we had the place to ourselves. Most of the interactive elements, including touch tanks, were off limits for now, but our visit spanned over 90 minutes which was a pretty good timeframe. One building is closed for renovation, opening in 2021, which was a little disappointing, but the parts that are open are well-crafted exhibits with a great variety of animals and fish. I would imagine with the reopening of the second building a visit would be 2+ hours. The facility itself is older, but kept in good shape. Lots of keepers and volunteers were on hand to answer questions. Even at the touch tank with sting rays where we could not currently touch the animals, there were volunteers to tell us about them and learn how to tell them apart. Note there are no food options available at the facility right now, so bring snacks if needed (did not even see a soda machine). Also, due to COVID there is a one-way path through the facility so don’t rush it; there is no reentry once you finish.
    Visited December 2020
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 December 2020
  • jln1992
    Pennsylvania40 contributions
    Nice place to visit
    The aquarium was very nice, however a little crowded and pricey like all other aquariums. Before you visit either get your tickets online in advance or you can get them when you get there, but there are time slots that you have to wait to get in. When you first walk up the the aquarium you see seals in an outside enclosure which is pretty cool. Once inside there is quite an array of animals to see and some areas of learning and touch activities to do. We would have liked to do the Dolpon
    We appreciate your thoughts and feedback, JLN. Thank you for taking the time to connect with us. We will pass this along to our leadership team. Wishing you all the best and hope for the opportunity to see you again soon.
    Written 28 September 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2021
    Written 9 September 2021
  • boxturtle
    17 contributions
    Great visit!
    We have always enjoyed this aquarium! The seals swimming in the front are always a crowd-pleaser. This year was a little different with the pandemic because you had to order tickets ahead of time. We waited until the day before and times were limited so I recommend looking at least 2 days ahead. I actually enjoyed the smaller crowd and felt pandemic rules were followed. They keep their tanks and facilities immaculate. A must see for anyone who loves aquariums!
    Visited July 2020
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
3,608 reviews
Excellent
1,884
Very good
1,095
Average
468
Poor
112
Terrible
49

jamaicalover
Cleveland1,389 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
Visited for the first time . It is a very well maintained aquarium . The shark tank was not working but the rest of the aquatic life was great to see . You have to get your tickets ahead of time . A solo ticket for me was twenty-nine dollars . They also have a gift shop , a chance to have your picture taken by a photographer and a Nature Walk there .
Written 22 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Wayne B
11 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Saw many dolphins on the Atlantic Explorer Dolphin Watch, including dolphin families (mother and babies)! Aquariums' Harbor Seal exhibit is fun to watch and inside exhibits well laid out. Well worth a visit and accessible on the trolley.
Written 1 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LAC
76 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Its a nice, but small aquarium. Mostly basic fish types, but they are building a new area that is not open yet that is supposed to house some cooler exhibits. Nothing amazing, and at $20, not that cheap, but it was a nice distraction for a few hours.
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tina S
9 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
I want to say for outdoor pathway for the oyster reef was very pleasant. We did learn a few things but the way it was set up was so confusing. You had to keep backtracking around the new people coming in. It was small for the price. Several exhibits were closed. It was just okay.
Written 20 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kate H
24 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Staff was very nice. Little ones enjoyed all the marine animals. I thought maybe they would have some show or feeding time to watch.
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Millie R
6 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
We took the Atlantic Scout dolphin tour and we were not disappointed! The Captain and the wildlife expert knew exactly where the were and told us all about them when we saw them. Highly recommend!
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hamguinster
Johnson City, NY86 contributions
Aug 2023
I did the Dolphin Scout Boat tour for my birthday, to treat myself... The staff there (did not know it was my birthday until near the end of the tour) was very friendly and professional. While I waited to board the boat, I decided to go into the Aquarium and get a ticket for after my tour on the boat. The Staff was very knowledgable and was able to answer questions, and I got to see MANY dolphins, and was NOT disappointed with this tour. We were close to the end of the tour, and I mentioned to Delores (who was telling us about the dolphins) that I did the tour for my birthday, she was very nice, wished me happy birthday, and in the process of docking the boat she announced Happy Birthday to me which really brought a smile to my face.

I HIGHLY recommend you check out one of the dolphin tours! Scout tour is faster, and closer to the water.
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elcole21
Monticello, KY115 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Great place. My kids loved it. Very educational but fun also. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. They were very helpful in getting my dad a wheelchair to use while we were there. Would recommend
Written 11 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hootie2257
The Plains, VA4 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
I like the prepurchase of tickets as it allows for families to funnel through without waiting in line, too long. We wanted to see the shark exhibit first, but had to walk through a multitude of other rooms before finding the large tank with the few sharks in it. Still a great place to visit as a family, and the vivarium as a whole exhibited multiple flora and fauna for the animals housed in them.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kcollins108
Birmingham, AL134 contributions
Jun 2023 • Friends
Lots of marine life to see. I did like the flow of the aquarium so you don’t have to double back in case you missed something. Staff were friendly, facilities were clean.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 3,542
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center (Virginia Beach) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM