Vancouver Aquarium

The Basics

Visitors can prebook tickets for the Vancouver Aquarium online for convenient entry and skip-the-line privileges. Daily animal presentations and interpreter-led programs offer opportunities to learn about marine life and conservation throughout the day, and the immersive 4D Theatre experience is included with admission. You can also enjoy interactive experiences such as the Wet Lab, where you can get hands-on with invertebrates with the help of knowledgeable staff.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Aquarium is open 365 days a year.

• The Aquarium is located within Stanley Park. Parking can get busy in the summer, so . We recommend consider walking, taking public transportation, biking, or riding the hop-on, hop-off bus into the park.

• Admission includes access to daily animal presentations, interpreter-led programs, the 4D Theatre experience, and the Wet Lab. Book a ticket with Express Line access for an even smoother visit.

• Plan to spend between 2–4 hours exploring the indoor and outdoor exhibits.

• Bottled water is not sold at the aquarium. Bring along a reusable water bottle to fill at stations around the site.

• The aquarium is fully accessible and suitable for visitors of all ages. Sensory Comfort Kits are also available at Guest Services.

• Food, beverages, and gift shops are available on-site.

How to Get There

The Vancouver Aquarium is located in Stanley Park, just minutes from downtown Vancouver. You can reach the Aquarium by car, bike, public transportation, or on foot. Parking is available nearby within Stanley Park, but it tends to get busy in the summer months. The hop-on, hop-off bus also stops close to the park entrance. Many visitors combine their trip with time exploring Stanley Park’s scenic seawall, gardens, beaches, and viewpoints.

When to Get There

The aquarium is open 365 days a year. Weekday mornings typically offer the quietest experience, while weekends, holidays, and summer months tend to be busier. Visiting earlier in the day allows you to catch the full schedule of daily animal presentations and programs. Rainy days are especially popular times to visit, as the Aquarium offers many engaging indoor exhibits alongside outdoor habitats.

Amazing Animals in the Aquarium

The aquarium is split into zones that focus on different marine habitats. The Tropic Zone hosts blacktip reef sharks, endangered seahorses, and pajama cardinal fish, while Penguin Point is home to a colony of waddling African penguins. Treasures of the B.C. Coast highlights the diversity of British Columbia’s coastal habitats, the Pacific Canada Pavilion showcases life in the Strait of Georgia, while Canada's Arctic gallery focuses on the cold waters of the frozen north. The Graham Amazon Gallery—a recreated rain forest habitat where simulated thunderstorms occur hourly—not only houses marine life but also sloths and scarlet ibises.