VIA Aquarium
📍 Location and contact
📷 Photos from VIA Aquarium
ℹ️ Information
Family aquarium housing many local & international species in 25,000 ft. of water tanks.
Welcome to VIA Aquarium, a delightful family-friendly destination located in a mall setting. This charming aquarium offers a wide array of aquatic life and interactive experiences that make it perfect for visitors of all ages. Guests have praised the opportunity to feed and pet mantas, participate in engaging activities, and marvel at the diverse species on display.
- Interactive Experiences: Enjoy hands-on encounters with koi and stingrays, which are favorites among both kids and adults.
- Family Fun: Families appreciate the variety of exhibits and activities available, including engaging educational programs that foster a love for marine life.
- Friendly Staff: The aquarium staff is frequently commended for their kindness and helpfulness, enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
- Clean and Well-Maintained: The facility is recognized for its cleanliness, creating a pleasant environment for guests.
- A Hidden Gem: Despite being smaller than larger aquariums, VIA Aquarium packs a punch with its impressive variety of fish and engaging displays that cater to younger audiences.
We invite you to visit and create lasting memories with us!
🕒 Opening hours
- SUNDAY: 11H-18H
- MONDAY: 11H-18H
- TUESDAY: 11H-18H
- WEDNESDAY: 11H-18H
- THURSDAY: 11H-18H
- FRIDAY: 11H-18H
- SATURDAY: 11H-18H
🎟️ Buy your ticket
🗣️ VIA Aquarium: Reviews
Positive experience: Cool place. We were there a couple hours. Definitely feed the manta rays when you’re there.
Hi Bill! Thank you very much for your visit, your rating, your review, and for uploading some pictures! We truly appreciate all of those things, as well as you spending a couple hours with us! We're glad you got to feed our rays on your visit, we agree it is an incredible experience. We're also always on the look out for ways to improve and to keep earning these positive reviews, so is there something you'd like to see/experience in the future that would help us do that or even push us into 5 Star territory? Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: Was a really fun experience. Got to pet some mantas and one even came out for a high 5. Lots of cool fish and other creatures. I plan on stopping in again sometime!
Hi Spencer! Thank you very much for your visit, your rating, your review, and all your pictures/videos!! Stingray Bay is definitely a favorite exhibit for our guests, and we're glad you got to experience a hands on experience with our rays! We're very honored that you plan to come back again, and we would love to continue to earn your 5 Stars, so is there something you would like to see/experience in the future that we don't currently offer? Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: On the smaller side, but filled with amazing aquarium life.
Hi Desiree! Thank you so much for your visit, your rating, and your review! Also, your picture of the Hawaii exhibit is beautiful!! We appreciate that you mentioned we are field with amazing aquarium life, because we do recognize we are a smaller facility so we try to fill our space as much as possible. Is there an exhibit you connected with more than others? Our bet is Hawaii, but we'd love to read about what your favorites were and even what you'd like to see in the future. We want to keep earning your 5 Stars. :) Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: Great price and a great experience for the family
Hi Shadow! Thank you so much for taking the time to visit, rate, and review us! We are very happy to see your family had a great time with us. That's our ultimate goal, because when guests have a good time it translates to carrying more about animals and our natural world! We want to continue to earn your 5 Stars, so we'd love to know what you all enjoyed the most and/or what you'd like to experience in the future. Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: This is a smaller aquarium, but we loved the exhibits and participated in an activity for Wolf Oceans Day. While I would recommend this as a destination alone, if you are traveling through the area on a road trip, this is a perfect activity.
Hi Wil, Thank you very much for taking the time to visit, rate, and review us! Did you happen to find us on a road trip through the area? We'd love to know how you found out about us. We're always looking to improve (and to continue to earn your 5 Stars) so what would you like to see that would help kick us over to the "destination" category? Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: Took the kids here and they loved it this place is amazing!!
Thank you very much Noah for taking the time to visit, rate and review us! We love hearing about younger generations connecting with us and our animals since they will become the next generation of conservationists, scientists, and volunteers helping our oceans and our planet. We hope the bigger kids (including yourself) found some things to love as well! Was there something in particular that drew everyone in, or something you wished you'd have experienced? We would love to continue to earn your 5 Stars! Thank you very much again!
Positive experience: What a little gem in an old mall! It had been a while since I’d been to an aquarium, and I really missed the atmosphere—this visit brought all those good feelings back. I knew it would be on the smaller side, but it was actually larger than I expected! The variety of fish and other animals was impressive, and I even saw a few species I hadn’t seen in person before, which was a nice surprise. I thought it was super cute that they offer scavenger hunts for the kids to keep things engaging. The staff was kind and efficient—they got us through the line quickly, even though there was already a hefty crowd before opening on a Saturday. It is a bit pricey at $24 per adult, but I get that the cost of running an aquarium is high. Overall, I was happy with the visit and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and educational stop!
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you very much for your visit, rating, and review; we're glad you found us! We're very happy that we could help you capture some of the nostalgia and showcase some new species for you. Trying to maximize our space is an ongoing quest for us, and we hope to someday be able to expand within the mall to really increase our offerings. We will pass along the compliments to the staff and we truly appreciate your recommendation. As we mentioned, we're always looking to fill in our space and we are constantly looking to improve; what would you like to see how a future visit so we can continue to ear your 4 Stars, and maybe even cross over into 5 star territory? Thank you again!
Fantastic experience: Don't let the mall storefront entrance fool you. This is a really great aquarium experience at a very accessible price point. Get in early to snag a cup of ray food for the touch tank.
Hi Philip! Thank you so much for taking the time to visit, review, and rate us, we truly do appreciate all our guests' feedback. The Owners of ViaPort knew that they would need to focus on something other than retail to keep malls going and switched focus to education/entertainment which gave birth to us. Our entrance, especially our exterior one, is something we've been talking to the mall about so we can have something more fitting of our experience. Time will tell! Our Stingray feedings are a guest favorite experience, so we're glad you got a chance to do that! We truly appreciate that you feel your exploration with us was worth the price of admission. That being said, we are always looking to increase our value. Is there something you would like to see/experience on a future visit to help us continue to earn your 5 Stars? Thank you again!
Fantastic experience: Great aquarium, would recommend. It was a lot bigger and better than I expected it to be. Suitable for all age groups.
Hi Matthew, Thank you very much for taking the time to visit, rate, and review us! We love to see that we exceeded your expectations, and we would love to continue to do so. To that end, is there anything you would like to see or experience on a future visit? We are always looking on ways to improve and earn those stars. Thank you very much! PS: I just noticed the Moral Eel picture, that is fin-tastic!
Fantastic experience: Staff is extremely nice and great with children.
Good morning Starr! Thank you very much for visiting and taking the time to rate and review us. Would you mind letting us know when you visited or if you remember the names of any of the staff you interacted with? We love sharing these compliments with the staff directly involved! Also, is there anything in particular you'd like to see in the future? We'd love to continue to earn your 5 stars! Thank you very much!
Positive experience: This place was pretty cool. Located in an old mall. Many kids were there having a ball. It was really dark, a little more light would have been better. Many interactive exhibits. We were there for about 2 hours. Worth it, for sure.
Hi Theresa! Thank you for taking the time to rate and review us after your visit! Our lighting design is actually a project we've been working on this year, although we were thinking we were just about done. Was there a particular area you thought could use the most attention, or conversely was there a spot you thought was good that we should work out into other areas? Anything you'd like to see us add in the future that would sustain/increase your rating for us? Thank you again!
Negative experience: We went for a birthday party. The party helper assigned to our group was incredibly rude and had an attitude the whole time. I’m not going to write a name or go into detail but I was incredibly put off by her lack of energy and negative attitude. Perhaps not the job for her. Aside from that the party was fine. The decorations were great and the kids seemed to have a fun time. They also “couldn’t find” the goody bags that the host paid for as part of the party package. I wouldn’t do a party there for my own children unless I was guaranteed not to end up with the party helper we had at today’s party.
Good morning Katie, Thank you for reaching out to us with these concerns, and we're sorry that an otherwise positive experience was brought down through your interactions with this staff member. Would mind sending an email to [email protected] with the part host's name or the name of the birthday child and date so we can further address these issues. We have already passed this information onto our GM and he has been talking with the Education/Events Manager and Events Coordinator, but having further details would help them to pinpoint/correct the issue. Thank you very much.
Fantastic experience: Small great for toddlers but expensive for the quick experience. Customer service was excellent
Good morning Amina! Thank you for taking the time to visit and review us, and we truly appreciate the 5 Star rating! Was there someone in particular that provided excellent service so we can thank them directly, or if it was everyone during your visit, when did you come so we can let that staff know. We also love getting ideas and our guests, so what would you like to see/experience that would help increase our value for you? Thank you again!
Negative experience: I'd been to Via Aquarium years ago when it was relatively new and thought it was small, but nice. I went again recently and the aquarium has gone WILDLY downhill. Multiple exhibits were closed. The tanks looked dirty and the whole area smelled like musty fish. The tank you can climb under to be surrounded by fish had a crack in the glass and was particularly unclean; I felt bad for the fish. The lizard area was even worse, smelling badly, many of the enclosures were empty and the ones that did have animals in them were filthy. I will not be returning to this aquarium.
Hi Carol, we're very sorry to hear that your experience on your last visit was not what you've come to expect from us. What you're describing is not something we expect from ourselves either. Could you please let us know what day you visited? Currently the only exhibits we know of that are "closed" are 2 news ones that we have never been open and are in the process of being built, and the Horseshoe Crab touch tank as the animals are in the process of molting. If you can remember some of the specific exhibits you thought were closed, we can look further into the situation. And while some of our reptiles are very well versed at hiding, the only exhibit we have down in the room used to hold our Scorpions which we taken off exhibit while hatching her eggs. We'd also like to know what in the enclosures caused you to believe they were filthy? We do our best to mimic natural habitats for our animals, but we can certainly point out your concerns to our Bio Staff. We appreciate you taking the time to reach out and would be interested in further details so we could share specific concerns with the teams in charge. Thank you very much.
Fantastic experience: I'd never been for a party experience before. Set up well, plentiful food including popcorn. Staff was helpful and patient with a bunch of 4-6 year olds.
Hi Timon! Thank you very much for taking the time to rate and review us! We are going to share this with our Events Staff so they can get the kudos. Hopefully we'll see you again for another party or even just a normal visit!
Positive experience: Small and not fully worth the price
Good morning D R, thank you for taking the time to visit and review us. We are always looking to utilize out space as much as possible, hopefully you saw the wall we had blown out to add 2 more exhibits, and we are always looking for feedback from our guests. In that respect, what would you like to see to make your visit more worth the cost of admission? Thank you very much again.
Fantastic experience: We came here while visiting from out of town and I was skeptical of how good it would be after hearing that it's a smaller aquarium. I was pleasantly surprised! They have a large selection of fish to look at and all the tanks are super clean and clear! Feeding the rays was an added bonus! We've never fed rays before. My kids loved the koi pond too! I'm so glad we stopped by to check it out. The gift shop was very reasonably priced and the staff very friendly. Just an overall great experience! Thank you!
Hi Allison! Thank you so much for your detailed review and 5 Star Rating!! We are happy to have surprised you and to have been a part of your family's time together. We know we don't have a ton of space, so we try to maximize it (you may have even seen the new wall extension were putting up!) and we'd love to hear what you and your family would like to see on a future visit. Continuing to earn your 5 Stars is something we strive for. Thank you again!
Positive experience: It came out to $50+ for 2 adults. It was nice, but way overpriced for what you see. Good for a one time experience.
Hi Bridget, thank you for visiting and your review. As I'm sure you can imagine, keeping up with the bills at an aquarium can be pretty expensive, but we are always looking to increase our value to guests. What would you have liked to see to help make the ticket price more worth the visit for you? Thank you very much!
Positive experience: They have a good collection, but I think it’s kind of bit more expensive for the view. For somewhere around 25 we get to experience lot more. It’s still a nice place though.
Hi Azmain! Thank you for visiting and for your review. We are very happy you enjoyed our collection of exhibits and the animals we house. We are always looking to increase our value to our guests and love to get feedback. What would you like to see to help gain that 5th star and to increase our value for your visit? Thank you very much!
Negative experience: Okay price, quite a bit to see. However checking out at the gift shop is nothing short of a nightmare. Only one staff for customers who’s elderly and struggles figuring out what has and has not yet been entered into the point of sale computer. My items were rung in canceled and then rung back in two more times. Also struggled to figure out what my items were on the system
Hi Brandon, We're very sorry to see that your experience in the Gift Shop was so aggravating and brought down your whole visit. That's not what we want our guests to go through. Could you let us know what day you visited? We have shared this with Guest Services, and they want to be sure to address this with the appropriate associate and take action as needed. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and for your visit.
Fantastic experience: Great place to take the kids or even alone! Very friendly staff. Admission could be cheaper but it was decent— Multiple interactive experiences for kids such as: water tables, sand bin(s) and direct interaction with kio fish. You can spend about an hour and a half here. Gift shop is reasonably priced. I would highly suggest!
Hi Samantha! Thank you very much for your rating and review. We truly appreciate when guests take the time to rate us, and we love detailed feedback that we can share with the team. Our cost of Admission is consistently a topic of discussion, especially recently, and we do strive to balance the cost of running the aquarium with being accessible to as many people as possible, and we do appreciate your feedback on that as well. Another thing we strive to do is provide more interactive experiences for our guests so we're very glad that those were some highlights from your visits. We have 2 or 3 more we hope to have completed by the Summer! We'd love to know what you'd like to see or experience in the future so we can continue to deserve your 5 Stars your "highly suggest" recommendation. Thank you very much again!
Positive experience: Had a fishy smell when you first walk in. A couple tanks had a few dead fish, it made me think they may need a little more care. Other than that it was a very fun experience, the stingrays were definitely my favorite.
Hi Larayssa, Thank you for your visit and taking the time to review us. Stingrays are a huge draw and one of our personal favorites also. Could you let us know which tanks you believe you saw dead fish in? We would like to pass that information onto the Bio Staff. They make multiple rounds in front of and behind the tanks every day, but if we can tell them what you saw, they can give that tank an extra look. We do have some fish that exhibit behaviors similar to playing dead, especially in our smaller nursery tanks near our Axolotls. Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: Pretty cool place. Clean, many exhibits and the hands on experience with stingrays, koi, etc is amazing.
Hi JLD Girl! Thank you for taking the time to not only visit us, but to write a review as well. Normally we'd ask what your favorite part was, but I think we can put a check in the touch Tank column for you. :) We'd love to continue to earn your 5 Stars, so is there something you'd like to see in the future that you didn't during this visit? Thank you again!
Fantastic experience: I took my 14 month old and he loved the experience.
Hi Jeanmarie! Thank you very much for your visit and your review! We're very excited to see that you're starting your little one off early with his underwater exploration and grateful to hear that he loved it! Did he seem to connect to one exhibit over the others? How about yourself; what was your favorite part? Thank you very much again, and we hope his love for the underwater world continues to grow!
Fantastic experience: We are membership holders - and for good reason! We love this place. My son just participated in the junior aquarist for a day today and it was absolutely AWESOME for him. The aquarist he worked with was so very kind and knowledgeable. My son can’t stop talking about his day!
Hi Adriane, thank you so much for your review and your membership! We are so glad your son was able to enjoy the Junior Aquarist program, and we're excited to read how excited he's been! We will be sure to pass along this review to his mentor as well. Let us know if there's something you'd like to see us add in the future, and we'll see you soon!
Fantastic experience: Our 7 year old on the spectrum ASD loves it. Would recommend if the child is on a sensory stimulating journey. Get the 1 year membership. It costed is 150 for 3 for an year. He loves it. The team is phenomenal they understand. Thank you for that.
Thank you very much for your visit, your review, and your support. We are constantly trying to be more inclusive to try and connect as many people to the wonders of water as possible. We are very humbled to hear that we've hit the mark for your family. Is there an exhibit you all enjoy the most, or something you'd like to see in the future? Thank you again very much, and we'll see you soon!
Fantastic experience: Recommend the annual pass if you have young kids and live somewhat close. Pays for itself after a couple visits. Otherwise I'd consider it pretty expensive. Great place to go in the winter to get kids out of the house.
Thank you Robert for your membership, support, and review! We truly appreciate feedback from our guests. We agree that a membership is the best value for visiting the aquarium, and we're happy that you and your children have been able to enjoy the facility together. We're always looking to improve our exhibits and facilities, so what you you like to see in the future to keep you coming back and/or to make the cost of general admissions seem more equitable? Thank you very much!
Fantastic experience: Love this aquarium! It's not huge or anything, but they do a great a job. The staff is always amazing!
Hi Cynthia! Thank you for visiting us and for taking the time to leave your review! We certainly try to pack in as much as possible in our space and guest experience is always something we're trying to improve. With that in mind, is there anything you'd like to see us add or expand in the future? Thank you again very much!
Fantastic experience: came over for a day visit from vermont. my wife and I had a great time . one of the employees named shannon was awesome . very pleasant and informative. we would definitely return .
Hi Ryan! Thank you so much for making the trip from Vermont to visit with us! We are very happy to see that it was worth the trip for you and your wife, and that you'd definitely return! We are interested in keeping that 5 Star review , so do you have ideas or suggestions of something you'd like to see on a future visit? We are also passing along this review to Shannon. She's our Head of Education, so it's very nice to know that she was informative! ;) Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: We threw my daughter’s birthday party here and it exceeded expectations! Everything was taken care of, there was plenty of food, goodie bags, and everyone was so helpful. Nina took care of everything and kept me updated on every detail. Thomas was so kind and helped our guests during the party. I highly recommend their birthday party services they have to offer. We even had a private reptile show for the party and the kids got to hold some of them. I honestly can’t say enough good things about our whole evening here!! Thank you Via Aquarium for making such a memorable birthday for our girl!
Caitlin thank you so much for trusting us with your daughter's birthday as well as for your rating and review! We are incredibly happy to see how well the party went, and you can be sure we will share that with our team, especially Nina and Thomas. We appreciate your recommendation very much and we are very happy to have been part of this memorable occasion for your daughter and your family. You are very welcome, and thank you once again!
Positive experience: The mall itself was closed the day we visited, so the aquarium was empty. It isn't a huge exhibit, but there is a lot of educational information on the animals they have. The whole place was very clean, and the animals all looked healthy and well taken care of. For the price it was an overall good option for something fun to do that didn't take all day. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
Hi Johanna, thank you so much for visiting, rating, and reviewing us! We appreciate your observation about our cleanliness and the health of the animals as well as compliments for our staff, which we will share with them! We strive to be a place for families to enjoy some EduTainment, build memories, and hopefully find some new favorite animals, so we are grateful that you shared your experience with us. We are also always striving to improve and fit more into our space, and love hearing suggestions from our guests. Is there something you would've liked to have seen or done that we didn't offer? And/or what could we add/do to earn that 5th star? Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: For the size of the facility, this aquarium had a LOT more than I expected. The whole place is very clean and the staff is very friendly. There was no wait for my group, and the gift shop was even reasonably priced. I would love to do a sleepover under the big tank!
Thank you Dorene for visiting us and for your review! We try to pack in as much into the space we have as possible, and we're constantly trying to work in more. We're always open to suggestions if you've got some! The Tunnel Tanks would make PERFECT bedtime ambiance and when we've done sleepover events, they are the most requested spot. Unfortunately, fire codes don't allow for guests to sleep in that space. :( Thank you again, and please let us know if there's something you'd like to see in the future to help us keep that 5 Star review!
Positive experience: Small aquarium, but engaging. I wish the Halloween decorations weren't there- it really took away from the exhibits.
Hi Kelsey, thank you very much for taking the time to visit and review us! We've also taken your feedback into account and passed that on to the Bio Staff. While walking the Aquarium this morning, we did notice some decorations that were more obstructive then in previous years. The Team seemed to be very excited to use different forms of caution tape in this years' setup for instance. We also passed those observations over to the Biology Manager so they can make some adjustments. Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: This place is a cool place for families. I attended today while visiting in Schenectady. It is hands on you get to touch the Koi & Sting Ray fish. My 3 year old nephew was more tough than me. I was not touching anything. There is also a jungle gym for the kids to play, roller skating, indoor golf, karaoke, and a small open gameroom.
Hi J! Thank you very much for visiting and leaving us a 5 Star review! We strive to be a place where families can share some unique experiences and create some fun memories, so we are happy to see we provide that space for your family. We are always looking to expand and improve, so is there something you'd like to see in the future to keep up that 5 Star rating? We hope to see you back, and maybe next time we can help you get hand to fin with some of our friends! :) Also, the Bounce Houses, Roller Skating, mini golf, etc. are run by The Local-FFF, I know they would love to read your experience with them as well if you haven't already given them a Google review. Thank you again!
Positive experience: The tanks were great. Not as many as Boston aquarium but still very clean and filled with fish. We had a good time, but not all the exhibits were open. My kids were looking forward to the 3D play sand, and that wasn't working. Also, they had atappers out but no books to go with it. My daughter was bummed about that. Only 2 of the 3 touch tanks are operational. Overall, I'm not sure it was worth the $24 each.
Hi Lisa, thank you very much for visiting with your family and for taking the time to review us. Our old 3D sand exhibit has become a dig table because the software and equipment that ran it have become obsolete, but we are looking at ways to bring that back to the future. We do have a new 3D Sand Table to the right of the Stingray Bay Touch Tank. That one does have more than one game it is capable of, so do you mind letting us know if that one was on a different program or if it was off altogether? Our Education Department is also in the process of reworking the Stamper interactive. We have been rotating out one sheet programs to go with them, but we have currently moved away from the Passport program. However, it may come back as a new version in the future! Do you also mind lettings us know when you visited? We'd like to relay your comment about a touch Tank being closed to the Education Department so they can look into the coverage. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tanks, and appreciate the comparison to the New England Aquarium. Thank you again and we look forward to hearing back from you!
Fantastic experience: Had a nice first experience here had a good time looking and learing new things about fish and other animals staff was friendly.
Hi Natalia! We're very happy to see you had such a fun and educational first impression! We truly appreciate you taking the time to review and rate us, and we will pass along the compliments to our staff. We want to keep those nice experiences going for you, so is the something you would like to see or experience in the future? We love hearing suggestions and ideas from our guests. Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: A hidden gem in the Adirondacks. The stingray and the shark tunnel were by far my favorite exhibits. A great experience for the entire family.
Hi Jeanine! Thank you so much for visiting and for your review! We are very happy to see that you found us and that you enjoyed your exploration with us. Stingray Bay and the tunnel are two of our marquees exhibits that we are very proud of so it's exciting to hear when they connect with our guests. We are always looking for ideas on how to expand and improve, so is there anything you would like to see during a future visit? Thank you again very much!
Fantastic experience: Went there over the weekend. My child enjoy the aquarium, it was quiet. And staff was very polite.
Hi Benita! Thank you so much for visiting us and for your review and pictures! We strive to be a place where families can spend quality time together, so it makes us happy to know that your family did. We will also pass along the compliment to the staff. We are always interested in ideas from our guests on how we can improve our experience, so is there something you'd like to see or experience on a future visit? Thank you again very much!
Positive experience: This was such a fun spot to go to with family! The sting ray pool and koi were hits all around, and there was a good variety of sea life to explore and learn about up close. We did not have to wait long to get in on a Saturday, and the aquarium was clean with friendly staff.
Hi Rosalie, thank you so much for visiting us, for leaving your review, and for sharing your pictures! We love to be a place that families can spend some quality time together having fun and connecting with the animals, so we're very happy to see we checked those boxes for you all! We appreciate you touching on the variety of exhibits as well. We will also happily share your compliments about the staff and the cleanliness of the facility with our associates. Another thing we like is to get ideas on what our guests would like to see when they visit us. Is there something you would like to see or experience at Via Aquarium that would help us get closer to that 5th Star? Thank you very much again!
Fantastic experience: It is a small aquarium in Schenectady, NY inside a mall. Don't let the fact it is a mall. They have a variety of aquatic life and even have lizzards. It is small but packs a punch
Thank you very much for your review and rating Linda, we truly appreciate it. We're especially happy to share this with the staff today as they spent a couple hours dealing with some flooding. We know this will help boost their spirits a bit. We're always looking to expand and improve our experience, so is there something you'd like to see in the future to keep that 5 Star rating?
Fantastic experience: Went there for a Birthday Party in the Aquarium,didn't know what to expect,after observing the thrill of the small children it was one of the best times I ever seen for the children,our host was great and kept things moving,Pizza was great and the kids loved the fish and feeding the stingrays,I strongly approve this for anyone who gets the joy of being at the Aquarium with small kids getting a thrill of nature.
Hi phrotojoe! Thank you very much for your rating and for also taking the time to write out some detail on your review, both are truly appreciated. Our biggest mission is connecting people to the animals and ecosystems of our waters, and the younger the connection is made the bigger impact there is. It sounds like you witnessed some of those connections firsthand, and we are very happy to hear it! We also strive to be a place where families can have experiences and make memories together, so your last line really hits home for us. We are always looking for ways to improve our facility and the guest experience, so is there something you can think of that you would like to see during a future visit? Thank you again for your visit, your review, and your support!!
Fantastic experience: Truly magical!! Fish are very well kept. Tons to do for both kids and adults. I highly recommend feeding the stingray!
Thank you, Sara very much for visiting us and taking the time to write your review! Our staff works diligently to keep the exhibits healthy, and we appreciate you noticing that. We're glad you got a chance to feed the rays as well, that experience tends to sell out quickly during the day, but it is such a fun and memorable one! We are always looking to improve, so is there something you wish you saw or would like to see in the future? Thanks again!
Positive experience: not bad for kids but it's inside a mall that's practically dead and it's not that big for the price tickets? which was $62... to feed the stingrays with raw shrimp (shellfish allergy in case)they had them going in circles on a big pool and that was all, I guess the big show is the stingrays feeding and a small tunnel that has a glass see-through tunnel of water life fishes swimming all around you. overall it's for kids to be entertained for a while and tickets are too high for a small aquarium at the mall.
Hi Alexa, thank you for visiting with us and for taking the time to write your review. As retail in the US continues to shift, many malls have moved towards an entertainment business model which is how we found ourselves in ViaPort Mall. We believe this shift in focus will also help bring new neighbors into the mall with us. There are currently two gyms, one for kids and one for adults, in construction and we have heard of other projects the mall management is working on. Hopefully you'll see some of these changes live when you visit in the future! Also, in terms of the future, what would you like that see in our facility that you believe would make the ticket price more equitable? Similarly, what do you believe would be a fair cost for what we offer now? As you can imagine, running an aquarium can be expensive, but we are always looking for feedback and ways to improve our guests' experience. Thank you again!
Negative experience: Why would anyone have snakes at an aquarium! Especially without warning! Would’ve been a perfect without it. Had to run with my children…
Good afternoon Cynthia, We're sorry to see that our reptile room left such a bad impression with you and your family. The reptile room was an expansion we completed in October 2022. We were approved for this after the success we had a with our hands-on reptile program that features rescued animals. We do admit that there is no specific signage stating that there will be snakes in the closed exhibits of the Reptile Room, which is something we can look into, especially since we designed the room to be completely skippable if guests looked in and realized it wasn't for them. We hope you and your family were still able to find some fun and enjoyment before that.
Fantastic experience: What an amazing experience this was! So many fish to see and feeding the sting rays was adorable! I was terrified at first but they are so sweet! Highly recommend. Perfect for a toddlers too!
Hi Kendra, thank you so much for taking the time to visit and review us. We are very happy to hear about your amazing experience and humbled by your review. We are also very excited to read you pushed passed your fear of feeding the stingrays and got to experience them as the sweet little "puppies" they are. :) We love reading about what our guests enjoyed, but we are also looking for ways to expand and improve. Is there anything you wish you had seen on this visit or would like to see in the future? Thank you again!
Negative experience: Drove my daughter 3.5 hours for mermaid show, very cheesy, not like the ones you see all over YouTube. Girl in a flipper comes out in a wheel chair and sits on a stool in the middle of a blow up clam shell, very disappointing for a 3 year old
Good afternoon Nik, we're very sorry to read about your experience. Today's Mer-May-Day event was setup as one of our Mermaid meet and greets as opposed to one of our in tank dive shows, which is probably what you were expecting. We'd be interested in continuing the conversation if you'd be interested in emailing our GM [email protected].
Fantastic experience: This was my first visit, I loved it. Especially interaction with the Stingrays. Also the walk through the tunnel, where the sharks and fish swam above your head. I'm definitely going again.
Thank you very much for the review Fran! Our Stingray Bay is a consistent favorite of guests (and staff!) we're glad you got to connect with Priscilla and her cousins. We're sure she'll be excited to see you again!
Positive experience: It was a wonderful visit. Not crowded at all. There were four of us, and we saw a family of three, as well as another couple. Of course, today, it was gorgeous outside and a school day. I imagine that on the weekends and once school lets out, it would be busier. It was clean, and the staff was well-informed and polite and cordial. I did see some equipment issues where some of the circulating pumps might be malfunctioning. Overall, I would go back, maybe with our grandson.
Thank you very much for taking the time to visit and review us Rick! You are right that when the weather is bad, especially on weekends and when schools out things get a little crazier over here. Do you happen to remember which exhibit you notice some circulation issues? We'd be happy to pass that onto the Biologistics Team to make sure we haven't overlooked something. We also are always looking to improve our guest experience, so is there something we could add/change for that fifth star? Thank you again and we hope to see you and your grandson in the future!
Fantastic experience: My wife loves sea creatures, but had never been to an aquarium before. We happened to see the signs for VIA as we got off the highway, and decided to give it a try. From the outside, we weren't quite sure what to expect; this is a nearly-abandoned shopping mall. But we were VERY impressed with this attraction. The animals are well cared for and seem very happy. The staff was great. The touch pools were terrific. We had a great time. This is a great place for kids, yeah. But even us big kids can have fun here. Highly recommended!
Hey J. Kent, we're so glad you stumbled upon us! We are so happy and humbled that you and your wife had such a positive experience with us, especially since this was her first. We definitely gear towards building relationships between younger guests and the aquatic world, but we too believe there's something for everyone, including big kids!! Thank you so much for your review and we hope to see you all again!
Fantastic experience: Had an amazing afternoon at the aquarium! Every exhibit was great, well maintained with healthy happy fish ! We brought our newborn and look forward to bringing her when she’s older! I loved interacting with the Stingrays of course too!
The aquarium is for everyone of all ages! Can’t wait to grow alongside your newborn and help your family create memories for years to come :)
Positive experience: Great attraction for kids. They had a lot of fish we didn’t expect to see and some interactive activities for kids all ages.
We’re always adding new exhibits and interactives. Stop back in to see us soon! Please let us know how we could have made you visit a 5 star visit.
Fantastic experience: Well beyond my expectations and my children were thrilled at every thoughtful aspect of this wonderful gem. Sea-life was diverse and interactive experiences were awesome. We will definitely be back when we are back for a visit.
Awesome pictures! Glad you had such a great time. If haven’t already consider our annual memberships. They’re the best way to save money and get the most out of the aquarium!
Positive experience: We have a membership here and for the piece of tickets, I recommend the membership if you're local. The aquarium itself is small compared to full sized aquariums in larger cities, but its perfect for the younger crowd without a long attention span (think 8 year olds or less) my son is 3 and he loves to come see the stingrays! We stay for about an hour and head home. They also offer different monthly programs to keep it engaging.
Thank you for being a member! What more could we do to make sure you get the most value out of your membership?
Fantastic experience: Went on a Tuesday afternoon. Nice little aquarium with several exhibits. Place was clean and appeared to be well maintained. Kids seem to like petting the sting rays and koi fish the most. Annual passes also available if you frequent regularly.
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for visiting! The stingrays and koi fish are definitely a favorite of our guests. We highly recommend the annual pass to our guests as well!
Negative experience: Very small, all the tanks are tiny, the marine life appears to be neglected and unhealthy, and this place in general is just not it. It is in the center of a mall which should tell you everything you need to know. Do not go here unless you want to be disappointed.
Hi Connor, thank you for taking the time to write your review, and we are sorry to read you were disappointed. For our benefit, could you explain what you would consider a large tank? We have 10 tanks that average 4,000-6,000 gallons, and our two tunnel tanks have 18,000 gallons of water each. That doesn’t include our interactive Stingray Bay or Koi pond. Yes, we do have a bunch of tanks that average 75 to 90 gallons, but that helps us to exhibit more animals from varying habitats. Some of our animals wouldn’t thrive in a large exhibit. Could you also share some of the specifics you witnessed that made you believe that the animals are neglected and unhealthy? Our Bio staff is here every day, even when we are closed to the public, to ensure the animals are getting the best care we can provide for them. If there is something we have overlooked, we will remedy it immediately. During your visit, I’m sure you saw that some of our tanks, like our Cichlids, have babies swimming around the tank. Those come from the animals breeding new generations within the exhibit. Yes, we are located in a mall, but I’m not sure what that explains about us as an Aquarium? As the face of retail continues to change, malls have switched to a focus on entertainment. We are far from the only aquarium in a mall, but we believe it makes us more accessible to our guests and provides a boost to surrounding facilities. We are always looking to improve, and would be interested in sharing any suggestions you might have to avoid future disappointment.
Positive experience: Cute new experience to try & get out of the house for a while. Best to go week days instead of weekends. Gets too crowded on weekends heads up on that
Thanks for visiting! The weekends are certainly busier but we also have more events on the weekends. Weekdays are a great visiting option as well!
Negative experience: There is nothing ethical about this aquarium. Fish and sting rays shouldn't be subjected to constant touching. There's not enough space for most of the creatures. This place needs to be shut down. They don't even rescue the fish, they breed them to be kept in a small tanks to be exploited for money.
Good morning, Michigan, We are always disheartened to receive a negative review from a guest that had a “less than” experience, but your review is especially troubling. You level some heavy accusations. By what standards are you using to judge our unethicalness? Could you please share those specifics so that we may respond to them and point out the ethical standards we follow? We work with agencies like DEC, Fish and Wildlife, Seafood Watch, as well as other Zoos and Aquariums constantly and consistently to be sure we are well within or exceeding ethical standards. As I’m sure you wouldn’t write this review without visiting our aquarium, could you please also point out which exhibits you believe to be too small for our animals? This is another area that we monitor closely and adjust as needed, including building new exhibits in house or finding new homes at other aquariums for animals that have outgrown our facility. Again, I’m sure you saw during your assumed visit that our Koi Pond and Stingray Bay have ample room for any animal that doesn’t feel like being touched. I’m sure you also noticed how quickly the animals flock to the areas of interaction because it is something they enjoy, not something they are forced to do. We’d also like to direct your attention to this article: https://people.com/pets/touch-tank-stingrays-study/ It is a brief summary of a study performed by aquariums testing the effects of touch tank interactions with Stingrays. You’ll notice it concludes that the rays are at worst indifferent to the interaction with plenty of evidence supporting they enjoy it, “especially when back rubs [are] involved.” We also don’t know were the idea that we “don’t rescue the fish” came from, but it is categorically false. The majority of our exhibits have or currently feature rescues or rescue donations. The large majority of our Cichlid population have come from hobbyist rescues. Our alligator gars are rescues to prevent them from becoming invasively introduced into local ecosystems. At the time, we didn’t even have a tank themed to them, so we placed them in our New York State exhibit. This exhibit was biologically suited to them, but thematically they are not native to New York. However, keeping them out of local ecosystems and in a healthy environment was much more important than preserving the exhibit theme. On your visit, the exhibit you would have seen them in is now reworked and labeled as the Louisiana Bayou which is a native home to them. We have also bred our own animals and work with groups like Project Piaba as sustainable resources for our exhibits. Our rescue efforts extend past aquatic life as many of our reptiles on exhibit have found a home with us after being rescued from varying situations. We understand that not every guest that comes through our gates will have the experience we strive to provide, so we use that criticism to improve and do better. Your review, however, is making accusations that are not included in the guest experience. If you would like to provide specifics and evidence for those, we are more than willing to address them as we take all criticisms seriously. Thank you for your time in reading this.
Fantastic experience: Granddaughters birthday party. This is an amazing experience for a little kids birthday! Kids and adults can wander thru the aquarium and use the party room to hang out, celebrate and relax! Pizza party, feeding the rays as well as cake and opening presents! Staff is amazing and interact with kids so well. If you want a fun idea for a birthday party, check them out!
There isn't a better place to have a birthday party! Thank you so much for the great review, and we're glad your granddaughter had a great birthday :) We'll pass along the kind words to our staff
Fantastic experience: Cute aquarium. They had a lot to see, bigger than I thought it would be. A few tanks were empty, but all in all a cool little place. I did see some cool fish and amphibians that I’ve never seen before! I touched a stingray so that was special. I would definitely come again
Awesome pictures and videos! A couple tanks are being re done so that they look even better. We hope to see you again soon! Glad you liked petting the stingrays. They love the attention!
Negative experience: Aquariums are nice but were much nicer last time I visited ( about 2 years ago). Reptile room was new to me and was extremely disappointing! The carpet python was clearly dead! And the tortoise enclosure was way too wet and dirty! The large Monitor lizard enclosure was absolutely filthy!
Hi Daniel, thank you for taking the time to visit and add your review. We are always looking to expand and improve so we value our guests’ feedback. We’re sorry to read that our Reptile Room was disappointing to you, however; we can assure you the carpet python is alive and well. While not a very active animal in general for us, it is doing quite well in terms of overall health. We have a dedicated reptile caretaker, and the rest of the Bio Team assists on the Caretaker’s day off or as needed, and our exhibits are checked multiple times a day for noticeable health issues. We’re not sure which reptile you’re referring to specifically when mentioning the giant monitor exhibit, but both our Mangrove Monitors and our large iguana exhibits have substrate that mimics their natural environments. Exhibits are cleaned for animal and food waste at least once a day, otherwise we try to keep the exhibits as close to their natural environment as possible. Which brings us to the tortoises. These species of tortoises live in the rainforest and a wet and humid environment is natural for them. We have sensors that control the misters in the exhibit to keep the humidity in the peak range. This can create some mud, but that is within the norm for that environment. Even with the sensors and regular checks of the systems, it never hurts to check to make sure they are functioning properly. We have forwarded your review to our Bio Manager so she can make sure that the humidity/moisture levels and cleanliness are still within healthy limits for our animals. Please know that our team takes their jobs as animal stewards very seriously. Thank you again for reaching out with your concerns, and we hope to earn your visit back in the future.
Fantastic experience: Absolutely love Via Aquarium. Located in a mall it has free parking and super easy entrance access. There are many exhibits that are very well cared for , the fish look healthy clean and well fed. They have a new reptile area now as well and touch tanks for the kids with stingrays. Take your time and really check out every tank there are a wide variety of species. The staff is always super friendly and knowledgeable and there is a nice little gift shop at the end! Highly recommend Via we go every time we are in the area!
Great review! And yes we recommend everybody takes their time at each take to get the full experience! Well said!
Fantastic experience: Love Love this aquarium!!! Being able to pet a sting rays and have the Coy Fish suck on your fingers eating the food they give you. My family gets the chance to do this every day because we hold a season pass!!! Never get old and there is always a different experience!!!
Thank you for being a member! There is so much value in our memberships!
Positive experience: Update, September 23, 2023: There was an event listed on their Facebook page (at least that's where we found it) about a "lobster touch tank" today. I think this event is a perfect representation of how anticlimactic their events can be. Their definition of a "touch tank" is a shallow, what looks to be Rubbermaid, plastic bin with a tiny little lobster in it. They often do this, though. They hype up the event to draw people in only for the excitement to last a whooping two minutes. It very well could just be us as a family, though, so take it all with a grain of salt. Regardless of their events, we continue to go and are even talking about continuing our membership. Also worth noting is the sand tables rarely work as they should and they turned off the "kick the trash" projector. Update, January 2, 2023: We have now been here at least half a dozen times. While there is still plenty of room for improvements it's growing on me. Update, March 24, 2023: Google bugged me to update this review so here it is in all its glory. Are you ready for it? Please see above subs below. That is all. The Positive This “aquarium” is not what I imagined an aquarium to be. While there are fish and other sea creatures here, the variation is limited – presumably because of the lack of space. That said, my family and I enjoyed the stroll through the twists and turns. At the midpoint of the stroll there is an open area where some hands-on things are located. There is a water table, a few interactive sand tables, a microscope, as well as a handful of interactive sea life areas. For anyone between the ages of two to seven this would probably be a great time. There is just enough to keep them interested but not so much as to prevent movement. Room for Improvement Again, the variety is severely lacking. I do not recall seeing anything bigger than the stingrays. I believe 80% of this was just fish (as compared to something else like jellyfish, blowfish, etc.). In the hands-on area, the water table was barely flowing and the toys were screwed down making using them difficult as one had to fill a cup over on the one end and carry it to the toy. The sand tables were nice – and I built one when I worked in education – but the simulated water was lacking movement and the difference between heights in the topographical map was minimal. There was one area for learning about various kinds of animals, however that was not running when we visited. The stingray enclosure was rather high making it difficult for my two-year-old to participate, as he could not reach. And finally there were plenty of hand sanitization stations dotted throughout; too bad they were all empty. (To go inline with that, there was a handwashing sink available however there were no paper towels to dry them.) Overall Impressions We purchased the season membership before our first visited because so long as we visit twice the membership will pay for itself. As short of a path as the aquarium was, we do suspect we will be back – especially with winter knocking on our door. Do not go expecting anything terribly exciting. It is merely a good way to entertain young kids by giving them something to look at.
Hi Adam, Thank you for this great in depth review! Reviews help us out tremendously by showing us where we can improve and how to provide a better experience! With that being said we’re happy to hear that you are a member with us. I urge you to check out our monthly calendar of events to get the most of the membership as that is where the value is. And if you haven’t seen one of our hands on reptile shows or been on one of our in depth guided tours we highly suggest that as well! But like you said, the winter is fast approaching and we hope to see you again soon!
Fantastic experience: My girlfriend and I love this place. It’s nice to have an aquarium less than an hour from home, let alone an aquarium with such beautiful displays and a lovely variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. We love it so much that we got ourselves year passes so we can come back any time and feed the rays at a discounted rate. This aquarium is equally enjoyable for youngsters and the staff go out of their way to keep things interesting for kids. If I could rate more than 5 stars I absolutely would.
Thank you so much for the amazing review! It means the world to us ☺️
Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, super fun and great size facility for small kids. Sting ray feeding is totally worth the experience! There’s also reptiles to look at, and goldfish to touch and feed. Love having this fun and educational place in our community!
We’re so happy that you enjoyed your visit! Feeding the stingrays and koi fish really adds to the experience of our aquarium!
Fantastic experience: Absolutely surprised by this aquarium. In a mall. For a relatively small aquarium, there were tons of exhibits. Hundreds of different species of underwater creatures. Sharks, rays, eels, and many more fish and sea life. Great aquarium for families and individuals. Highly recommend a visit.
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Glad you had such a great time and thank you for leaving a great review!
Positive experience: We had such a great time at the aquarium. The staff was truly wonderful! Everyone was so friendly and looked like they truly enjoy what they do! That made the experince so much more enjoyable! We went for the trick or treat event, and my daughter said we have to go every year. She loved the decor and the treats given out were great! Thank you all for putting on such a great event and being so inviting!
Visiting our Aquarium during the Halloween season is truly a treat and a must! Can’t wait to see you next Halloween and even before then! We have events every weekend!
Fantastic experience: Nice aquarium to take the kids! We have been twice & both times it wasn't busy at all, which we like, as we could take our time walking and looking at all the aquatics! Kids really enjoyed it there.
Thank you so much for the great review and for visiting! If you’re not a member of with us, I would highly consider it. You could get a lot of value from a membership since you’re a frequent visitor!
Fantastic experience: I have an unhealthy obsession with fish and fish facts! I most wanted to see my favorite fish today, frogfish and parrotfish, and I got to see them, so I'm more than satisfied :) My partner and I got to feed the koi fish, feel the stingrays, and peruse the fish tanks for as long as we wanted, even if we decided to double back and check for more. It's a great medium-sized aquarium (and it offers student discounts)!
Fantastic experience: Drove to visit and was pleasantly surprised with this aquarium! Check in staff was very welcoming but I wanted to take the time to say how great the staff member was at the sting rays! My daughter went a handful of times to play with the sting rays and I couldn’t help but notice that she was so outgoing and full of knowledge on the sting rays. I enjoyed listening to her talk about them with guests as they came and went- added to the experience for sure. The sandboxes were a hit and the hands on koi pond and sting ray stations were a favorite part of our day. A wide variety of things to see and do separated into different areas which helps make the visit last longer and less crowds. My personal favorite part was the tunnels. Very clean place, well organized! Highly recommend a visit!
We’re so happy that you had such a great visit. Our staff loves the animals here and loves sharing their knowledge with our guests. Our job is to educate our guests about our animals while putting a smile on their faces. It sounds like we successfully did that here :) Thank you so much for visiting!
Fantastic experience: Great assortment of rare sea life. Highly recommended if you're in the area and have 30 minutes to spend & casually stroll around.
Thanks Michael! Glad you had a great time and enjoyed your visit! Hope to see you again soon!
Fantastic experience: Very nice educating set up. Which makes you aware of the importance of ocean life. Our son definitely loved it.
We love to push education and give all our guests the opportunity to learn more about the ocean! Glad you enjoyed your visit!
Fantastic experience: I went to this aquarium in July 2023. I was impressed by the diversity of aquatic life. This is a great place to bring small children. The grandchildren enjoyed touching the stingrays, and much to my surprise, they were able to touch the Koi. I thought the entry price was a little high, though after seeing all they take care of, the cost is spot on.
The aquarium is the perfect place for children. There is so much for them to do! The koi fish are definitely one of the best parts of the aquarium. Thanks for visiting :)
Fantastic experience: Took a small group of special needs adults. We had a great time! The staff was very sweet. Everyone enjoyed seeing the wide variety of fish. There is a large room with two huge touch tanks. Plenty to see and do.
Thank you so much for the amazing review! Hope to see you again soon :)
Negative experience: Feeding the koi fish and walking under the tunnel were really cool, but most of the tanks seemed far too small for the fish they had living there. Admission was way overpriced as well and not worth the money.
We’re glad you had some great experiences during your visit! We can also assure you that our team of aquarists take great care of our animals and see to that they have everything that they need to be happy and healthy. Also we try to price competitively to other attractions in the area along with maintaining overhead costs . Hope this helps and we hope to see you again soon
Fantastic experience: Confused how there are so many people saying it took them 20 minutes to get through. If you have children and you’re letting them be interactive with everything the aquarium has to offer, then you’ll be there for quite some time. My daughter loved petting the sting rays. I needed up needing to drag my kiddo (and husband) out of the aquarium.
The aquarium is such a great place to visit for children! Taking advantage of all the interactives and touch tanks is a great way to get the full experience! That’s the exact reason we have so many members. Thank you for taking the time to leave a great review!
Fantastic experience: Although this aquarium was on the smaller end, I was genuinely impressed. It was an extremely clean facility and all of the marine life seemed extremely healthy. They have occasional events for kids which is great in my opinion. I would recommend anybody to go who loves sea life and enjoys interacting with animals.
We’re glad you had a great time! We take a lot of pride in the cleanliness of the facility and putting on great events for our guests!
Fantastic experience: Perfect for toddlers and young kids! My 2 year old had a blast, he was more excited for the sandbox and water table than anything else. Great interactive areas where you can learn more and touch a starfish or stingray, plus a huge koi pond.
The aquarium is the perfect place for young children! You are absolutely right about that! So many options and interactives to do when here, and we're always trying to add more. Thank you for visiting and thank you for the great review! Hopefully, we see you again soon.
Fantastic experience: My three kids and I needed something to do before our flight out of Albany. The aquarium was about 25 minutes from the airport and was a perfect way to use up an hour or two. Very surprised to find something like this in a mall but they found a way to make it work. The mall itself looks like it’s trying to reinvent itself and even has an axe throwing venue across from the aquarium. This isn’t the NE Aquarium but it filled our time perfectly and the kids had a blast.
We're glad we could be there for you! An aquarium in a mall is very unique, but we make it work! Happy to hear that you had a great time, and we wish you safe travels!
Fantastic experience: Staff were delightful , exhibits were awesome! we came here for my 2 year olds birthday and they even gave her a super cute goodie bag !!
Looks like she had a fantastic time! Happy birthday to her!
Negative experience: Not worth the $. Took our two granddaughters, 2 and 3 and it cost us $65. Not enough water in hands-on water exhibit so the water toys would not work, , three toys in the hands-on sand exhibit, no towels to dry off hands after playing in the sand as required. We were done in 30 minutes. Staff not friendly.
I'm sorry to hear that you had a less than satisfactory experience during your visit to the aquarium. We take all feedback seriously, as it helps us to improve our services and better meet the needs and expectations of our visitors. Regarding the pricing of the tickets, we strive to keep our prices competitive with other aquariums and attractions in the area while also providing a unique and memorable experience for our guests. We also understand your disappointment in the amount of time it took to view the aquarium. We are constantly working to improve and expand our offerings, and we appreciate your feedback as it helps us to identify areas where we can continue to improve. Finally, we apologize for any inconvenience caused by the lack of paper towels during your visit. We strive to ensure that our facilities are clean and well-stocked at all times, and we will take steps to ensure that this does not happen again in the future. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We hope that you will give us another chance to provide you with a more enjoyable experience in the future.
Positive experience: The aquarium itself was very cool however the gift shop was not. We had purchased several items and they refused to release our items even though the amount was taken out of our account. Eventually we were allowed to take our items home but there was implied comments that the charge wouldn't go through on their end resulting in loss even though I showed them on my end it was indeed taken out. Highly doubt we will return. Seemed a bit scammy on their end for transactions. I suggest paying with cash if you visit.
Thank you very much, Deanna, for taking the time to review us, and we are very happy that you find the aquarium cool! We are very sorry you ran into trouble in the gift shop. The company we use to process our credit card transactions is WorldPay, a very reputable global company. Unfortunately, even the most prominent companies experience glitches, and we apologize that your transaction got caught up in one. We appreciate how frustrating that was for you to deal with during your visit and hope you give us another chance in the future.
Fantastic experience: We love coming here. We love the touch tanks with the sting rays and koi.
Great pictures!!! Glad you had such a great time visiting us! The stingrays and koi will be waiting for you on your next visit
Positive experience: A bit small, very humid, but folks were friendly and it made for a nice break from the mundane. The empty mall was creepy.
The aquarium is definitely a great excuse to get out of the house and have some fun! There isn’t much we can do about the humidity unfortunately because the reptiles need that environment to live but we’re happy you had a great time overall!
Fantastic experience: Overall a great experience. So many different kinds of fish and the tunnel you walk through is amazing. You have the option of feeding the sting rays and koi fish for an additional cost, which I highly recommend. I would definitely visit again.
Sounds like you had a great time! The tunnel tank is a fan favorite! We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Positive experience: Just went for the first time today. I’m a college student, my school is nearby, and I’m always looking for something new to do. This aquarium has a lot of good things! Amazing touch tanks, super friendly stingrays to pet, and they have a koi touch tank where the koi will kiss your hands. One of the stingray splashed me which was hilarious. Staff was very kind and the glass on the tanks was super clear, no scratches or smudges. On the downside, I say for all guests over the age of 10, is that it’s a little small and FILLED with kids. Very excited little kids who were super loud, aquariums are very echo-y. If you are a teenager/college student/not a child or not with a child I recommend bringing earbuds and breezing your way straight to the touch tanks. Gift shop was lacking, it would be nice if they had fun collectibles for the older guests. Overall I had a great time! I would go back (maybe before they close so it’s less crowded).
Glad you had such a great time! The koi fish definitely love people! Also try visiting on the week days if you want to beat the the rush and foot traffic! Highly recommended
Positive experience: We visited this aquarium in July 2022. We got tickets for each and the guy at the reception is very friendly and helpful. This is our first time visiting an aquarium. It wasn't a big one but I can see many different kinds of fish. They got different species of sharks and many colorful sea creatures. It's worth the trip because my kid enjoyed the experience. I don't know if this aquarium is the best around the central NY area. I am going to explore more at other aquariums.
We're glad you had a great time! This is great feedback. When you explore other aquariums please reach back out and let us know your thoughts! Feedback is always welcomed!
Positive experience: Great interactive area where you can pet different fish and do various activities! Although the other exhibits were a bit smaller than other aquariums I’ve been to, there was still a solid variety of tanks and a cool (mini) shark tunnel. The interactive area is definitely the main point where the majority of your time is spent
Thank you for visiting! We are always adding more to improve our customer experiences. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!!!
Fantastic experience: Pleasantly surprised. Went in without much expectations but came out very satisfied. Wide variety of fishes and aquatic plants with trivia about them. Good for adults and kids
We're glad you had a great time visiting us!
Positive experience: The aquarium is small. The most exciting part for my son are the water play areas, he'd stay at each one for an hour or more. He loves touching the sting ray and the koi fish. He knows that the other exhibits don't really change so just runs until we get to that section. We got the membership, because we only live 15minutes away so if we go once a month it quickly pays for itself. Overall though, don't go out of your way to come here. But if you are close by and going to visit or can visit frequently then just get the membership as it'll save you in the long run.
Thanks for the review! We're always looking to add to our aquarium and expand. Also thank you for being a member! The memberships really are a great value.
Positive experience: The fish and reptiles are neat. We enjoyed a reptile show a lot on one visit, the educator was great. But I took off one star because of the mermaid show - it would be a little bit of a stretch to actually call it a show. It's a mermaid in one of the fish tanks, going up for air and then coming back down to smile and wave, then again. I wouldn't go out of my way for my kids to see it.
Thanks for the review Lana! We're glad you had a great time here at the aquarium, especially during the reptile show. We'll definitely look into ways to make our dive shows more entertaining! There is always room for improvement. Happy Holidays!!!
Fantastic experience: We had ViaPort Aquarium bring their touch tanks to Holiday On The Ave in Scotia. It went great, drew a lot of people. Shannon had great interaction with both kids and adults. Drew a lot of people in, very popular. Several families came back at the end of the day, because they had so much fun. Great problem solving skills when the tank broke and the doors were left open."
Happy to have been a part of this event!
Fantastic experience: A great place to spend time with family, particularly your kids! They will enjoy this place so much because there's just a lot to see. I really admire the fishes and how they maintain the place itself. Staff are also very friendly and they can tell you a lot of stuff about marine animals.
Fantastic experience: Was pleasantly surprised by our trip here today! I have an almost 3 year old and a 15 month old. Super kid friendly and I could fit my double stroller throughout the aquarium. The koi pond, stingrays, and water table were a big hit. Also enjoyed touching the jellyfish. All of the employees were helpful and nice. Will definitely be back!
Glad you enjoyed your time visiting us today! And thank you for the feedback on the jellyfish touch tank. That was our first time doing that for the public, so we’ll definitely be doing it again!
Fantastic experience: What it lacks in size it makes up for in beautiful tanks and healthy animals! Everything looked beautiful and well maintained and clean. Fish tanks are well thought out as far as inhabitants, and everyone looked happy and healthy. Plenty to look at if you’re not just glancing at the tanks for 30 seconds and calling it a day lol.
Thanks for the great review Adrian! Glad you enjoyed your time here! We hope to see you again soon!!!
Fantastic experience: Had a great family day. 4 adults and 2 young boys. Shannon did amazing job at the reptile show. It was wonderful to touch the reptiles and stingrays
Shannon is the absolute best! We’re ecstatic to hear this feedback about our reptile shows! Glad your family had a great day with us That’s what it’s all about!
Fantastic experience: Very pleasant and clean aquarium, informative by each animal, lots of activities through out, a photo booth to get a nice family memory and they have a good sized gift shop at the end! My favorite parts were the tank you can get in the middle of, the arch tank and the sting rays who LOVE to be pet. It is in a mall (didn’t have many stores open when we went) but you can come and go all day which I thought was cool!
Thanks for stopping by Alexis! We're glad you had a great time! The sting rays are one of our favorite parts too. This means a lot to us and we hope to see you again soon!!!
Fantastic experience: Amazing aquarium. One of the best places I've taken the kids so far. Awe-inspiring tunnels and wondrous creatures!!
Thank you so much Charley!! We're so glad that you enjoyed it. Did you or the kids have a favorite animal?
Fantastic experience: This is an amazing place to take kids... And adults! Fun and interactive, there's an area with water animals you can pet and feed (for a small fee)
Thank you so much Rebekah!! We're so glad you enjoyed your visit! What was your favorite animal?!
Fantastic experience: Great aquarium. Small but still lots to see and do. The stingray touch tank is great as well as the shark tunnel. Was happy to see a nice amount of freshwater exhibits as well. And once you're in you can leave and come back the whole day.
Thank you so much for your review! That's definitely a question we get a lot, so I'm thankful you mentioned that guests are allowed to come and go all day :)
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