Woods Hole Science Aquarium

Fantastic experience: Great free (with donations) activity to do with kids. Fun and informative.

Fantastic experience: Love this fun free aquarium. There's lots of fish to see and information to read about. There's a touch tank too! There is very little parking at the building and the surrounding area. So if you are driving you either need to plan for it or plan on biking/riding the bus.

Fantastic experience: Closed Monday’s and federal holidays. Go and visit and support NOAA

Fantastic experience: Free admission is hard to beat. I enjoyed visiting this aquarium, I found it informative and fun. Lots of interesting species on display. Do recommend.

Fantastic experience: This place was awesome! I took my 2 year old and she absolutely loved it. They have fish that I’ve never seen before. It’s free admission and lots to look at!

Fantastic experience: Super fun free aquarium. Has a reasonable selection of different fish and sea creatures on display. They even have a shallow tank where you can gently touch some sea creatures. Apparently they have a seal too but I did not see it out when I visited. Note that there is no parking and street parking can be hard to come by. But it is fairly inexpensive at $1/hr up to 3 hrs.

Fantastic experience: So perfect for my almost-3-year-old twins. They really enjoyed all the fish and it was small enough to hold their attention through the whole thing. No strollers inside and parking is difficult to find since it’s all street parking but we really enjoyed the quick visit.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful historic little aquarium for an hour or so in quant woods hole. Don't miss the tanks upstairs where you can see "behind the scenes"

Fantastic experience: Free self guided aquarium with a lot of information and a wide variety of animals. Also has a seal enclosure and behind the scenes access to learn how the aquarium runs

Positive experience: Great place to see local species. Fish, squid and other! Worth a trip. If you are in town check it out!

Fantastic experience: It's a small aquarium but the fish on display are local which is cool. You don't see that at mystic or ne aquarium. It's a great place to bring the kids. The fact that it's free is cool. I'd pay to come here and recommend dropping something in the donation box if you visit.

Fantastic experience: My kids had a blast! So informative and fun

Fantastic experience: An wonderfully maintained and informative free research aquarium focusing on local species!

Fantastic experience: Great aquarium. We always donate a minimum of $5 a person. I have been coming to Woods Hole Aquarium for over 40 years. It started in elementary school and just keep visiting every year

Fantastic experience: It was nice to take our time and walk throug. It was really cool! We were surprised it was free.

Fantastic experience: Love this place everytime we come out here we go to see the fish and the seals we love to see the seals . Love this place because it's free for the kids . When we are in town we come and visit definitely recommend to come here for the Littles. It's very clean and the fish are being well taken care of . Love that they are taking care of the seals and putting them back into the ocean once their better their doing a great job

Fantastic experience: Perfect aquarium for young kids to explore. Very clean, welcoming, and informative. We spend a good hour there checking out the fish and meeting Bubba the seal.

Fantastic experience: We absolutely love visiting the aquarium throughout the year. It is definitely top of our list when we do day trips!

Positive experience: As for aquariums go this one is small and doesn't have many things to look at. It has a seal in an outdoor tank and some little smaller things to look at inside including fish and anything u might find in woods hole harbor. Everytime I went in it wasn't very crowded so u got to see the exhibits for as long as u wanted. But overall it's a very small aquarium but perfect size for the town of woods hole, MA.

Fantastic experience: It was one of the best aquariums I have visited. It is the first in the country.

Fantastic experience: TLDR: Don’t expect dolphin shows, it is a great educational aquarium. This is an excellent science aquarium showcasing marine life from the Northern East Coast of US. If you read everything it is only going to be an hour or so to visit. It is free to visit with a couple of spots for voluntary donations. Bubba the harbor seal is in front of the aquarium and the caretaker feeding him the afternoon we were there was so knowledgeable and friendly. (I wish there was someone to answer more questions inside the aquarium, that’s my only quibble.)

Fantastic experience: Super cute little spot on the water. FREE mini aquarium with a few interactive exhibits and the grumpiest eel I've ever met.

Positive experience: Small,free,and nice for the kids. Parking is a little tough .

Fantastic experience: Really great quick and free outing for kids !! Super awesome fish and a seal to entertain the kids. Lots of fun things to read and learn. Just beware parking in this area is completely impossible so take that into account when planning your trip. My husband drove around while I took the kids through.

Fantastic experience: This free aquarium shows you the local sea life up close. They do take donations so please bring cash and donate!

Fantastic experience: Great place. Cute. Very informative. It is free.

Fantastic experience: It was free, and about the only thing to do in that town. Nice place for small children

Fantastic experience: Small but as the oldest aquarium in the US and running on donations it is a great stop for kiddos. Visiting Bubba the seal is worth the trip.

Fantastic experience: Great museum and behind the scenes access is fun!

Fantastic experience: A lot of fish I was not expecting that much fish. I thought this was a self-serve restaurant, in which you pick your food yourself, but when I tried doing that, they very kindly asked me to "get the fish out of here!"

Fantastic experience: This is not a mega-aquarium. This is an impeccably maintained small aquarium, located within, and affiliated with one of the mega-oceanic research facilities of the world! No admission fee but they accept donations. You can do it within an hour. The species are in great condition and are indigenous to local waters. Parking is tricky. It's worth it! Walking around Woods Hole is worth it too! There is another small museum nearby with Alvin presentations, worth a visit.

Fantastic experience: We visited the aquarium with my 6 year old son who is an ocean enthusiast. He Loved it!!! Very cool to be able to look in the tanks from above. And alot of great information. He loves to see Bubba the seal also! And even better that it is free. Staff was great. So many cool fish and displays.

Fantastic experience: Great little aquarium free entry (but you’ll want to donate) and interesting fish worth the visit

Fantastic experience: Great spot. Fun for all ages. Free but donation recommended. Nice outdoor seal tank and little touch tank on the second floor with starfish.

Fantastic experience: Excellent aquarium to take your little ones for a quick and fun experience. Although the aquarium is small, it is the perfect size with a fair diversity of marine life to stop and keep them engaged. The visit would take one hour max. including the seal, which is the best attraction. Staff is very kind. You can find street parking close to the aquarium.

Fantastic experience: Loved this aquarium! The upstairs touch tanks were not open when we went, but the staff were so nice and the seal was doing to zoomies and having a blast splashing my kids. Would definitely recommend.

Positive experience: Saw WHOI aquarium and science center. Donation entrance fee for both. Very small but with some interesting things in both. Ideal for young kids with short attention spans.

Positive experience: aquarium was good. only 1st floor open because of remodeling. harbor seal outside with trainer.

Fantastic experience: It truly was great, but i expected more. I can't complain because it survives on donation and federal funding. Watch out for the posers. Photo attached.

Fantastic experience: It is small, and you may have to park a 5-minute distance away, but it's worth it. Kids would like this little place, too. There's only three public parking places out front, so beware; the front desk said that they will tow cars.

Fantastic experience: Small but very nice showcasing local sea life. You can go "behind the scenes" and ask questions to the staff.

Positive experience: A nice little aquarium for short visits with lots of local history and information but has limited exhibits to explore. Unfortunately the touch tanks weren't open on the day of our visit otherwise I would probably have rated it higher.

Fantastic experience: It was a little bit crowded but nice. Some hands on things for the kids to touch. Some exhibits were closed due to renovations I believe. It's a great place but prepare to park outside town and take a bus or something. Parking is very limited in town. Informative.

Fantastic experience: Small but fun and informative aquarium, recommend spending 20-30 mins here. Love the display of interesting facts/history above each of the different aquariums.

Fantastic experience: Pretty cool local fish and a cute seal out fun. Very nice that it was free and open to the public!

Positive experience: Nice spot for a 15-30 Minute pit stop. It's free, which really made it worth the time spent.

Fantastic experience: Small but cute aquarium. You don't need to pay at all to get in. There is a seal tank outside and I think some touch exhibits upstairs but they happened to be closed when we went. It's worth the quick walkthrough if you are walking around woods hole. It's near some cute shops and other visitors centers.

Fantastic experience: Loved the step up bar in front of all of the aquarium windows for shorter kids to step up and see to the back of the tanks! Oldest aquarium in the US!

Positive experience: The aquarium is very small and the signs for which creatures are in which tanks are dark and hard to read. Those are my only reasons for not giving it five stars. It's a lovely, little aquarium with some beautiful sea creatures, with a wealth of information available. We were lucky enough to arrive in late afternoon and observe feeding in several of the tanks, which was fun to watch. Entrance is free and donations are accepted. Definitely a place to visit.

Fantastic experience: Just wonderful. I love all of the exhibits, the life, and the care put into such a great aquarium. Love it.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful places and places around the area!

Fantastic experience: Excellent place! Extremely friendly people there!

Positive experience: A small, free aquarium. The outdoor seal exhibit was the gem of the site. The aquarium is wheelchair accessible and there is accessible parking available as well for visitors.

Fantastic experience: Very nice free aquarium but it was a little short

Fantastic experience: Great free museum to learn about the local sea life. Though it’s small, it’s the perfect size with little kids. The touch tank was not open and we missed the seals, but worth returning

Fantastic experience: A small aquarium great for families with young children. The second floor was closed when we were there but they still had several tanks with a good assortment of fish on the first floor. Admission is free (they accept gifts) and they are open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 to 4. Staff was super friendly.

Fantastic experience: Great, free, and quick to enjoy aquarium. Just check in and enjoy.

Negative experience: Currently closed due to basement structure issues, but doesn't have the closure posted anywhere until you drive all the way there. I would suggest calling to verify they are open before going.

Fantastic experience: The aquarium is a science-oriented establishment that is locally-based. Guests can often witness seals swimming in the pool situated at the front of the building. In the interior, there are touch pools and displays showcasing local fish. The aquarium's displays and tanks are remarkable and effectively teach guests about the sea spaces surrounding the Cape, the ecosystem, and the impact of human activities such as fishing and pollution. The exhibits feature a diverse array of marine life that is sure to impress visitors. It is highly recommended to visit the upstairs area for a distinct viewpoint and the opportunity to converse with the staff who take care of the animals. The friendly and knowledgeable staff make the trip worthwhile!

Fantastic experience: The aquarium is small, but there's still plenty to see. They have a touch tank with a variety of ocean life inside, and a seal that lives outside.

Fantastic experience: Great place wish more of the exhibits would have been open but it was the off season!

Fantastic experience: Cute and well run aquarium I have been visiting for over 20 years! They have great educational details on various fish and invertebrates from the Atlantic! And well kept aquariums with many rescued animals! It is fun for all ages and a great spot to stop in if you have 15-30 minutes to spare!

Positive experience: Great place for seeing aquatic animals and it’s free! It’s pretty and they are good about us taking photos there!

Positive experience: I loved seeing all the fish, snd the kids enjoyed it. It isn't a big place but you can spend an hour and a half there. I loved the turtle! The kids loved it and the best part was outside...the seal! It's free, you can leave a donation.

Fantastic experience: Nice aquarium, kids 8 and 5 loved it. Behind the scenes was interesting. The tanks included some realistic junk like bottles, othe debris...forgot to ask the message

Positive experience: NOAA aquarium. Small but informative. Seal rescue area. Make sure you park and walk up the street to the main street of town. Get some sweets, lunch coffee/tea at Pie in the Sky.

Fantastic experience: A very small aquarium but it was so great! A nice place to visit when you only have a half hour to an hour of time.

Positive experience: This is an excellent, self-guided exhibit. In addition to the aquarium displays, you can see behind the tanks to see how the animals are maintained.

Positive experience: We had a nice time looking at the different fish. Donations only, perfect for younger children. We spent about 45 minutes but we were lingering.

Positive experience: The mission of this aquarium is to share the research of the woods hole oceanographic institute with the public. Consequently, don't expect anything as fancy as the Monterey Bay aquarium. The woods hole aquarium is much more basic, but still very informative with some nice exhibits.

Fantastic experience: Great times will be had!!! Location is excellent, kids will love the touch an animal section, and the price us right...IT.IS.FREE!!!

Fantastic experience: Seal viewing is fun for kids. The aquarium is solid but very low key. Don't expect "Disney."

Fantastic experience: Amazing little science aquarium, been coming here since I was a kid. It is donation based and is dedicated to the marine life of the northeast. They just reopened and got two new rescued seals, including a blind little seal pup. Love this gem of an aquarium!

Fantastic experience: What can be said that others have not... love the flowers out front. Great way to spend an hour with or twithout young ones in tow.

Negative experience: Sounds like a very interesting attraction, especially for my kids. Sadly we didn’t get to do it because there is literally nowhere to park nearby. There are a handful of meters that you’ve got to have lottery luck for, otherwise all 15 minutes only or a marathon away. Ridiculous setup, very frustrating.

Fantastic experience: We love this area. A very welcoming center of education, with interactive pools for kids, and friendly seals. Not a huge aquarium, but rich in information and history. The surrounding town and campus is fantastic, with unique architecture and discoveries to be made on every block.

Fantastic experience: Great place to see some cool fish and take a break from the hot sun. A highlight is the seal tank out side. Great for kids

Fantastic experience: Only like 4 parking spots so go down with plenty of time. Great spot to take the kids in woodshole, the seals are adorable and lots of things to see and learn for all ages. It is small but it's a free aquarium.

Fantastic experience: Great place to stop in if you're in the area exploring. A lot of fish that specific to the region. A real learning experience. Edit: visited again today, July 8th, 2022, THEY ARE OPEN and even better! They have two new Harbor Seals and the whole place looks amazing.

Negative experience: This place has been closed for about two years now due to Covid concerns. I will gladly give it 5 stars once they reopen or have an accurate time schedule for the public. The least you can do is update the Google Maps location while employees are in-office. Lol

Fantastic experience: I remmember going here when i was little and how i used to run past the lion fish because of how scared i was. This place is small but very cool and now that i am 13 i get to make my review. i sggest that you come here with your kid and show them this pplace if you come to woods Hole. one last thing is that i used to go here very time i go to Woods Hole

Fantastic experience: It's a great place for kids and adults alike. No admission but a donation won't be turned away. I went with 2 other women and we truly enjoyed it.

Fantastic experience: Supported by donations, (there might be an admission fee but it goes to saving the animals), the animals are taken care of well, and they often have something new. Lots of history, and a great thing to do when your ferry is late, your early, or you love cool fish.

Fantastic experience: Nice to walk around and see the different fish and exhibits. Takes about an hour to walk thru. No aquarium parking. Need to park on metered streets. 25 cents for 15 minutes.

Fantastic experience: Super place to visit. A free tour of an aquarium unheard off they should charge a small fee however you can leave a donation. It's a small place with a couple of tanks but really nice size and not out to get as much money from you as most of these places are. We really enjoyed walking around and will definitely come back to visit again.

Fantastic experience: Great place for all ages who don't mind walking 8or 10 blocks however parking is a nightmare suggest using the shuttles available in town

Fantastic experience: Small but well displayed fish and exhibit with north Atlantic species

Fantastic experience: Been on a few schl field trips here. Wonderful place for the kids. So much to see and learn. Great time.

Negative experience: Fyi there is no parking in woods hole....ANYWHERE! If you are going to woods hole for something else then stop by the aquarium for about 20 enjoyable minutes max to be spent there. If you are coming to visit the aquarium only do not waste the time. You will spend hours looking for parking for an anticlimactic aquarium.

Fantastic experience: This is a nice family fun place. The best part is that it's free and voluntary donation! The fish are fabulous!

Fantastic experience: Woods Hole is the home of of many marine biology establishments, and this wonderful FREE aquarium was an absolute treat. It was a tad out of the way of our route to Hyannis, but it was worth the excursion. This Aquarium is quaint yet beautiful. They have a wonderful amount of art on the outer walls of the displays, as well as a significant amount of wonderful history to learn about, concerning marine life, fishery practice and evolution, the vessels which made it possible, and the wonderful assortment of wildlife found locally and around our humble Atlantic coastlines. Little tidbits about the fish inside the beautiful aquariums are scattered above and around the glass to help you learn and recognize the fish and other marine creatures. My family from across the pond loved this experience. Who says the best things in life aren't free?! I may come back someday to see how it has evolved and changed.

Positive experience: Great for a short stop in Woods Hole. The perfect size for small kids - big enough to capture their interest, but small enough that you can see everything before they lose interest!

Positive experience: Free small aquarium(donations welcome), good displays and text to identify what we're seeing. Maybe 8-12 larger displays (4' wide, maybe), 3 or 4 smaller aquariums (3' wide) and one long display with larger fish (maybe 20-30' wide). All critters are from the US local and near Atlantic coast with some open-ocean dwellers. The visitor is then able to go up stairs to view all the tanks from the top and visit the touching tank. If you're using a wheel chair - I think the displays are easily viewed and the floor area wide and level, but you may have to loop around the building to get to the access ramp to the touch tank, which is in the same area as the tops of the display tanks.

Negative experience: Terrible experience. Another government agency that doesn't care about the general public. Try to find parking here, and you'll understand. All the parking is reserved for their use only. No other parking available unless you plan on spending an hour or so driving around in circles in the hopes that someone is leaving. Waste of time. Lost my interest and support.

Fantastic experience: Can't get much better for being free. Great place to take kids if the weather isn't good. Can get a bit crowded though due to the small size.

Fantastic experience: Great place to see and learn about different marine life. They also have a touch tank. Admission is free but you can make a donation at the door.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely amazing spot to visit if you’re in the area or on the way to Martha’s Vineyard. Donations recommended but I believe it’s free. The scientific impact of this area is fantastic and I recommend supporting this aquarium even if you have no idea what oceanic conservation is or how to get involved. Parking in the area is somewhat tough to figure out if you’re new, so watch out for one way streets.

Fantastic experience: The aquarium is a wonderful addition to this community and good for all ages! We took a walk through the building during the heat wave before cooling off and taking off for some ice cream.

Fantastic experience: This place is small but they have made a lot of improvements and updates. It's nicer every time we go. Kids love it.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful variety of specimens, well presented. My 21-month old grandchild was fascinated (as was I), but the size wasn't so great that she (or I) got bored or disinterested. Parking is an issue, but recall it's primarily a research facility.