Vancouver Aquarium

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Vancouver Aquarium is as entertaining as it is educational

Sea Otters holding hands at Vancouver Aquarium cc licensed photo by mindluge

Located inside beautiful Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is Canada's largest aquarium and the fifth largest in North America.

One of Vancouver's top tourist attractions for over 50 years, this was the first Aquarium in the world to capture and display an Orca whale, although they no longer keep Orcas in captivity. Sea lions, sea otters and a rescued dolphin are just a few of the thousands of species on display. The Aquarium, the largest in Canada, is currently home over 50,000 animals native to areas ranging from Canada's northern Artic, to local BC waters to the Amazon rainforest. The animals are organized into twelve different exhibits and galleries, where trained naturalists are on hand to answer any questions you might have.

The aquarium opened its largest ever expansion in the summer of 2014. The expansion includes an outdoor courtyard where they feature educational programs, entertainment for the kids, concerts and other special events throughout the summer. Inside, you'll find a huge globe wrapped with screens that take you on an exploration of the world's oceans and the life within. Be sure to check out the updated tropical gallery which also includes a new bat cave.

Each day the aquarium features a full schedule of fun and interesting shows, all included in your admission. You can see a list of the day's shows on the information board inside the aquarium and on the official website. There show schedule includes an immersive 4D cinema experience.

If you get hungry during all your exploring, you can head over to new Ocean Wise indoor or outdoor cafes.

It's good to know that the Vancouver Aquarium, while indeed entertaining, is highly focused on education, ocean and marine research, and conservation. The institution is highly respected around the world for their efforts in these areas. A non-profit charitable organization, your admission fee not only goes towards maintaining the aquarium and its many animals, but also helps support their ongoing work. Except for rescuing distressed animals, which are only kept when it's determined they are not releasable, the aquarium does not engage in capturing wild animals relying on breeding their current specimens.

Combining a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium with a walk around the famous Stanley Park seawall is a memorable way to spend a gratifying and pleasant day. For complete details about the Vancouver Aquarium click on the official website link below.

See the complete line of Vancouver Experiences on Viator

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes. Tickets must be purchased from the official website in advance.

Vancouver Aquarium Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Address: 845 Avison Way, Vancouver, BC V6G 3E2, Canada

Phone: (778) 655-9554

Official Website: Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium Reviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating It changes a lot over the years. It’s a small aquarium compared to others but it nevertheless contains abundant water creatures, and sloths(?) Otters are the cutest! A great place to create some memories.
HJ Marshall - a week ago

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5 Star Rating I loved this place. However, I thought the admission fee of $51 was way overpriced. The displays were exceptional, and everything was so wonderful other than how busy it was. The seals and otter exhibition was excellent. I really enjoyed the Amazon display as well. While an exceptional experience, the price of admission was far too high .
Toni - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Wheelchair accessible; elevators at areas where there are floors, beautiful sea creatures, very informative on what wildlife consist in each tank/area. Definitely recommend 3-4 hours here to stroll through, take pictures and videos, definitely do the 20mins IMAX 4D shorts. The restrooms were clean. I do not recommend walkers, they have stroller parking. The walking space in most parts of the aquarium are very narrow. Wheelchair rental is free, you just need to leave your ID.
Kent - a week ago

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4 Star Rating The admission tickets are expensive but the aquarium staff do a great job showcasing many tropical marine species. Kids and their families seem to love interacting with aquatic creatures in person. There’s also a 15 minute 4D movie that is included with the ticket price.
Cindy Xu - in the last week

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5 Star Rating Had a fantastic time at Vancouver Aquarium during a trip to Vancouver in late June 2024. Great place to learn about marine wildlife on the coast of British Columbia. The sea otters, sea lions and seals were a highlight for me but the numerous exhibits on various marine life ecosystems around the world were impressive. Top conservation aquarium worth visiting.
Jani O - a week ago

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Directions

Skytrain and Bus Line	Nearest Station	Walking Time
Expo Line	Burrard Station	5 Minutes
Canada Line	Waterfront Station	5 Minutes

How to get to Vancouver Aquarium by Skytrain and Bus

From Burrard SkyTrain Station take the Burrard Street Exit. Walk to your left (North) along Burrard Street 1 block to West Pender Street. Cross to the far side of Pender and look for the westbound #19 Stanley Park Bus Stop to your left.

From Waterfront Station exit onto Cordova Street and cross over at Seymour Street and walk uphill 2 blocks to Pender Street. Turn right on Pender and walk ½ block to the westbound #19 Stanley Park Bus Stop.

Ride the #19 Stanley Park bus to its terminus just inside the park then make your way to the east following the signs for the quick 5 minute walk to the aquarium.