Discovery Passage Aquarium
📍 Location and contact
📷 Photos from Discovery Passage Aquarium
ℹ️ Information
Come visit our collect and release non-profit aquarium!
The Discovery Passage Aquarium offers fun and unique hands-on educational experiences for people of all ages. Come to see, touch and feel our incredible local marine species and habitats and discover the diverse marine life of Discovery Passage and Islands.
The Aquarium is open from spring until fall each year. Specimens from representative local species are collected from the marine environment in the spring and returned to the area of collection at the end of the season.
Welcome to the Discovery Passage Aquarium, a charming and intimate marine experience located in Campbell River, Canada. Despite its small size, this aquarium packs in an impressive array of local sea life, creating a perfect opportunity for families and children to learn and explore.
The aquarium specializes in a catch-and-release program, ensuring that all marine creatures are returned to the ocean at the end of the season. This commitment to conservation is not only educational but also engaging, making it a must-visit charm in the area.
Highlights include:
- Knowledgeable Staff: The friendly and enthusiastic team is eager to share their passion and knowledge about local marine life.
- Touch Tank: Kids and adults alike can enjoy a hands-on experience touching various sea creatures.
- Seasonal Operation: Open from May to September, providing a summer adventure for visitors.
- Beautiful Location: Enjoy stunning views of the harbor while exploring the aquarium.
Whether you're looking for a fun outing with kids or a unique opportunity to learn about marine conservation, the Discovery Passage Aquarium is well worth a visit!
🕒 Opening hours
- SUNDAY: 10H-16:30
- MONDAY: 10H-16:30
- TUESDAY: (CLOSED)
- WEDNESDAY: (CLOSED)
- THURSDAY: 10H-16:30
- FRIDAY: 10H-16:30
- SATURDAY: 10H-16:30
🎟️ Buy your ticket
🗣️ Discovery Passage Aquarium: Reviews
Fantastic experience: Inexpensive but fairly small. Worth it if you take time to ask questions and look closely.
Fantastic experience: Super knowledgeable staff and so engaging for a small aquarium. Catch and release method every 6 months for the species is very nice to to hear. Definitely worth a visit and a walk through the area.
Negative experience: my parents took me and i hatted it here animals were sad
Negative experience: Terrible facilities! Staff was extremely rude to me and my autistic child. Additionally, I did not know that they stole animals from the wild for this exhibit I thought they were supposed to care about ocean life not teach kids to disrespect it. Very disappointed!
Fantastic experience: Finally got to visit this small aquarium. It’s only open in the summer with limited hours. All of the sea creatures are local and are released back into the ocean at the end of the season. The staff are very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the local sea life. The touch pool was a cool experience. The octopus was the highlight of our visit. It was mesmerizing to watch her - such an intelligent creature. I do wish she had a larger tank. The place is small and felt a bit crowded. There’s an accessible entrance at the back. Plenty of free parking.
Fantastic experience: They take immaculate care of their animals. They house local sealife caught off shore and release them after the season. Local research and conservation efforts are run through the organization, too. Gorgeous little space, wonderful people.
Fantastic experience: A lovingly curated aquarium that showcases the local sea life. A must see!
Fantastic experience: Never been in here but it's a part of the place my wife and I went many times when we started dating. It's non profit and showcases some interesting looking stuff (we've peaked in the doors before passing by) This harbor and the ice cream shop as well are all wonderful memories and beautiful scenery to go see. A tucked away icon of campbell river life.
Fantastic experience: Wonderful local catch-and-release aquarium! Small but high quality habitats and diverse native species. Staff are friendly and kind. Touch tank is a fun experience for all ages. Would recommend!
Fantastic experience: My 3 yo did not want to leave. We went in the morning and returned in the afternoon. Small building but a lot of critters to see and touch! Amazing staff. Brunette with curly hair gave us what seemed like a private tour, answering all of our questions and super nice. 100% recommend for a nice day on the pier!
Fantastic experience: So much to look at if you really take the time to enjoy the little things. Everywhere you look there is a new little treasure in the form of a life Thank you Rachel for answering all my questions throughout my time! Will be back
Negative experience: Overall, actually a cute aquarium and nice for kids. Fair price as well. But the octopus and its aquarium ruined the rest of my day. How can you keep such a beautiful and intelligent creature in a tank that is maybe twice as long as the animal itself? Absolutely unnecessary and very sad to be honest. I was upset afterwards that I went in.
Fantastic experience: Amazing! The interpreters are very knowledgeable and helpful, great place to hide from inclement weather
Fantastic experience: Cool place with all the native species
Fantastic experience: Cute little aquarium with some really cool animals in display. My 4 y.o. really enjoyed the touch tank.
Fantastic experience: There's a lot packed in to this little aquarium. Great for toddlers.
Fantastic experience: Very informative and what they're doing is here makes the entry fee well worth it definitely recommend if you're in the area.
Thanks so much Brando! Appreciate your feedback :)
Fantastic experience: Great view over the ocean and the harbour
Fantastic experience: Staff are wonderful and i love the catch and release process. Its different every year and i look forward to go every year!
Fantastic experience: The fish are only there for the season then returned back to the ocean. Pretty neat idea
Fantastic experience: Great little aquarium. The guy taking care of the place was really knowledgeable. So happy to see the octopus!!!
Fantastic experience: You can tell the people here care a lot about their animals. So informative and really an amazing way to meet nature in a way that is good for the environment. It is a small space but there is so much inside. Worth supporting for sure!
Fantastic experience: Small but oh man!! This place you can't miss. There is so much to see, touch and hear. I was visiting with my 4 year old daughter about month ago and we still can't stop talking about this place. Plus (huge plus) staff was incredibly friendly and was "blasting" us with their knowledge, happiness and such a positive vibe. We would like to thank you all so much for all you do. We will be back.
Fantastic experience: A wonderful local aquarium. The staff are knowledgeable and have been able answer every question my kids have thrown at them.
Fantastic experience: Small but spectacular! I can’t say enough good things about this aquarium. The staff and volunteers are friendly,knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate. The aquariums are all kept very clean and you can easily see everything. They have a large variety of local marine life and even a touch tank. So much packed into one room!
Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed your time here :)
Fantastic experience: Awesome little aquarium. Recommend checking it out and the people there are very experienced and really friendly. Thank you.
Fantastic experience: Cheap price, we got to see a giant pacific octopus and many other marine animals!
Fantastic experience: Jam packed full of fun! Don’t let the small stature of the building deter you, this place is very well laid out for maximum use of space and has many interesting exhibits and helpful staff. The touch pool was a favourite with the kids.
Fantastic experience: I was very impressed with this little aquarium. I’m a Wildlife Biologist, and love showing my kids all things nature, and this little aquarium was exactly what we were looking for. It’s so special for the kids to be able to get their hands on and touch these marine animals. The staff were very friendly, and had an impressive level of knowledge. Thank you for answering all my nerdy questions.
Fantastic experience: Great things come in small packages! This aquarium is a great family fun adventure! Every year, new marine life are gently captured by loving staff and volunteers and then at the end of the season the aquarium holds a public release event where visitors can help gently release the marine life back into its natural habitat. Fabulous fun! We go every year! Don’t forget to pick your choice for a name for this year’s Octopus!
Thank you so much for your positive feedback! Glad you're enjoying the season :)
Fantastic experience: If anybody is local and looking for great volunteer experience, this is an ideal location. Especially if you enjoy marine life.
Fantastic experience: Gorgeous! Incredible diversity & excellent use of space. Non profit, catches and releases the fish. Came here with my partner and our sketchbooks. Stayed way longer than we expected to .
Fantastic experience: Enjoyed our first visit here with 5 yr old grandson. Not too busy which gave us freedom to see the aquariums well. About 10 of them, with one hands on tank. Two staff are happy to answer questions. Lots to see. Beautiful.
Fantastic experience: Really amazing little aquarium! Lots of fun for the kids with a touch tank, surprising variety of marine life in a natural setting.
Fantastic experience: Cute little aquarium, my younger kids loved it. The touch tank was their favorite!
Fantastic experience: So many things to see, this aquarium is very well set up and well stocked! Staff is very friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our visit!
Fantastic experience: Ok it's small but fascinating for the children and an excellent place to spend some time. Lots of crabs, fish, starfish, anemone and other local beasties in the tanks, in addition to the petting table. Not a significant investment of time or money, totally worth it.
Negative experience: We got discriminated against so we weren't able to get in but at least they refunded us. A shame in 2021. It's very small and didn't seem like there was a lot to see. Probably 5-10min to see everything so 8$ seemed overpriced but like I said, we didn't even make it inside because of discrimination.
Asking our visitors to wear a mask is not a form of discrimination.
Positive experience: Small aquarium. More like a aquatic petting zoo. Younger kids have fun. Apparently, many of the residents on display are there only for a season, then let go.
Fantastic experience: Took the whole family and we all loved it! Kids got to do some hands on with some of the sea creatures and the staff is very knowledgeable of all the different species and creatures. Highly recommend a visit! We will most definitely be back.
Negative experience: Incredibly disappointed. Very few things to see, read about or look at. This is literally the saddest aquarium I have ever seen, and I don't recommend it for anyone! It's unfortunate the municipality does not put more money into making a more significant aquarium to really showcase the many amazing species in the area!
Very sorry to hear that our small, non-profit aquarium did not meet your standards. I would encourage you to keep in mind that many of Canada's large, world-class aquariums did not appear overnight. Many of them began as pilot projects similar to our own.
Fantastic experience: Great place for kids to learn about the ocean
Thank you for your comments!
Fantastic experience: It's small, but mighty! The young folks working there are so enthusiastic & very knowledgeable. It would be hard to leave the building without having learned something. Great interactive experience!
Thank you for your comments!
Positive experience: Tiny yet amazing aquarium where you get up close and personal with local sea life. Also the staff are very knowledgeable and engaged in your discovery of the species.
Thank you for your comments!
Positive experience: Great fun for the kids!
Fantastic experience: Very interesting little acquarium. Well priced at $8.00 for an adult. Our family was alone so we didn't feel rushed at all. About an hour should do the circuit. Best thing is the animals are all released at the end of each season back to nature. Well done.
Fantastic experience: Great, knowledgeable staff. Very friendly and very patient with my Niece and Nephew!
Fantastic experience: Tiny but packed with interesting creatures! Give yourself an hour to explorexall this little museum has to offer.
Positive experience: Small aquarium but nice set up. Lots of info.
Fantastic experience: Small aquarium with lots to see. I liked that tgey are non profit and the sea creatures get released back into the ocean.
Positive experience: Cute little Aquarium with some really cool things to see, including an octopus!
Fantastic experience: COOL place. Interpretive staff are very knowledgeable. Best $8 you will ever spend. We saw a great pacific octopus. Every creature comes from the harbour and is returned to the harbour. WOW.
Thank you Fraser! We hope to see you again!
Fantastic experience: Great for kids and adults. Knowledgeable staff that shpwand explain the local sea life. It is small but full of interesting things. Even get to "pet" some of the critters
Hi Calvin - we are so glad that you enjoyed your visit to our Aquarium! Hope to see you next season!
Fantastic experience: Great little aquarium that is kid friendly. There is hands on for kids and an attendant on site to answer and questions.
Hi Glenn - we are glad that you enjoyed your visit and thank you for taking the time to write a 5-star review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Fantastic experience: Kids had a great time here
That's awesome, Judy. Hope you are able to come back again soon! Thanks for taking the time to write this review!
Fantastic experience: I great place to see and learn for the whole family, about our local aquatic friends :-)
Hi Kalenna - We love hearing that the whole family had a great time! Thanks for coming by and for taking the time to write this review. We look forward to seeing you next season - we will open on the May long weekend!
Fantastic experience: Took the kids here this week. Loved it. It's a small aquarium, but they've packed a lot of native species into it. The octopus was a hit and the kids loved the touch tanks. The staff were very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly.
Fantastic experience: What a great idea.. it's small and intimate with very knowledgeable staff.. Ty for the amazing experience..
Fantastic experience: Geat place! Great price and the little souvenirs are fairly priced. Staff is very knowledgeable and always happy to educate us on the marine life. Thanks so much!
Positive experience: It's like tacos. Cheap, good and satisfying. Plus they have Octopus
Fantastic experience: One of the highlights of the trip. We drove a little out of the way but it was so worth it. Tiny little shack but the staff obviously loves their jobs and the creatures were AMAZING! Would visit again if in the area.
Fantastic experience: This was a last minute impulse decision for our group of 3 to go, and I am so glad we did. The aquarium is small, and the price of admissions reflects that. I brought my 15 year old sister from the interior in, and she fell in love with the touch tanks. The staff was very friendly and offered their expertise when asked. I would highly recommend this aquarium for a quick visit.
Fantastic experience: Our family really enjoyed this aquarium. It is a small facility but the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Our kids really enjoyed the touch tank. Worth the stop.
Positive experience: Tiny but so cool! Loved touching all the animals and enjoying how much the staff tells u about everything there
Fantastic experience: Great small aquarium to educate anyone, but particularly children, about undersea life in the oceans of the World and in Campbell River especially. I attended with 19 month old granddaughter and she was truly fascinated by the various saltwater tanks with various sealife, including crabs, octopus, sea cucumbers, fish, plants, starfish, etc. It was a great experience where everything is obtained from the ocean in the Spring and returned at the end of summer to where they were caught. The aquarium is partially operated by volunteers, and it is very inexpensive to visit. In my view it is a top attraction and should be publicized as much as possible. The facility has an intimate family appeal for infants through to seniors such as myself.
Positive experience: Small but quaint. The touch tank us amazing & the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. You can touch the sea cucumbers, sea urchins, several species of star fish. Take your time & enjoy the many sea water tanks that contain a vast array of sea life. Admission is $6 for seniors & worth every penny.
Positive experience: Small aquarium with tanks filled with a fairly wide variety of ocean creatures from our local waters. Great for young children and adults alike.
Fantastic experience: Amazing. So much for the children to do. Interaction with the sea life.. amazing. The kids have been talking about it since we left.
Positive experience: Very cute and interactive. a little tight on space so moving around was a little difficult when busy. But over all our children loved the experience. The touch tank was their favourite by far and the staff are very knowledgeable
Negative experience: It's the size of a large shed and not worth the entrance fee
Positive experience: Its very small but its cool to look at the tanks
Fantastic experience: Such an awesome place. My grandson absolutely adored it and so did I
Fantastic experience: The discovery passage aquarium is nothing but wonderful! The staff are extremely educational and very informative about local marine life. The exhibits are lively and fun for people of all ages to see. It is a lovely facility that I'm happy to be a part of!
Positive experience: Great place to go if u never seen things in the ocean my grandkids were fasinated by it
Fantastic experience: This was the neatest aquarium experience! It was fun to pick up and hold different types of starfish and sea erchins. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about all of the different species on display. This is a must-do if you visit Campbell River, especially if you have children!
Fantastic experience: Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Not a huge place but totally cool. Tank residents are caught off the pier in Spring and released in Fall. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable.
Fantastic experience: Quaint place right on the Harbour and the entrance to the pier. Small but packed with great examples of local marine life! Touch tank was a total hit!
Positive experience: Small but delightful. My most unique aquarium experience and I've been in some big ones. The idea of using locally gathered exhibits coupled with very knowledgeable and attentive staff makes an aquarium adventure for all. Taylor (my guide) shows an amazing depth of knowledge and the ability to impart it. Well done all.
Fantastic experience: Great place for the kids. friendly staff,
Fantastic experience: Great for families with young kids. Lots of hands-on. Knowledgeable staff are super good with kids (and adults with dumb questions).
Positive experience: I loved the octopus!
Fantastic experience: Fantastic aquarium with superb staff who are not only friendly and approachable but incredibly knowledgeable and we had a great time learning about the various sea creatures and the local marine life and environment. Our two young children were really inspired and captivated by the numerous species on show and especially loved getting hands on with all the various types of star fish and seeing the octopus get fed was a real highlight for us all as was the great story about the octopus who sneakily travelled through the water pipes to feed on crabs in the other tanks!! Yes, it's on a smaller scale than most aquariums, but it certainly provides quality over quantity and really is well worth a visit if you're in the area. If aquariums were this good in our part of the UK we would go more often!
Fantastic experience: Small but full of fun. The touch tanks are great and staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
Fantastic experience: Was fun nice to see some of the sea life in our ocean up close staff was friendly
Fantastic experience: Love this place! The interpreters all know their marine biology and ecology! So friendly and an absolutely delightful crew! Fantastic specimens from the discovery passage and even involve the public in collecting samples.
Fantastic experience: My son has a passion for marine life and we spent a good hour here talking t the staff and learning about marine animals in the nearby ocean. I only wish we lived closer so we can visit more often. Thanks for the great educational n opportunities:)
Fantastic experience: This is a very small building, but full of interesting displays. They recently added an octopus and had a naming contest. The winner was Calypso, but I prefer one of the honourable mentions, Octopus Prime :-). The co-ordinates to their parking lot, for a GPS or map program are: 50.02054 N, 125.23691 W (Decimal), --or-- 50° 1' 13.94" N 125° 14' 12.88" W (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds )
Positive experience: Good to visit with the kids where they can learn about local marine habitats. There is a tank where you can touch some of the creatures found on our beaches. It is a small aquarium however and somewhat pricey.
Positive experience: This is a quaint little aquarium which houses on a few marine animals but is a fun stop. There were three adults and two kids (6 and 4) in our group and we stayed about an hour. We were lucky because we manage to be there during feeding time for the octopus otherwise we probably wouldn't have had more than a half-hour of entertainment. The cost is definitely too high with having to pay $36 for admission. But the kids (and many adults) did seem to really enjoy being able to touch some of the marine life.
Fantastic experience: I was so impressed with my visit today on Labour Day. Friendly and knowledgeable staff who really took time to explain things to me and my kids. There was a great selection of marine life including a shy octopus, crabs of different sizes, and so much more.. What a great way to touch and feel some of the diverse marine life from off the west coast. Deb and the other staff and volunteers were great at sharing their knowledge. Thank you!!
Thanks for your review Andrena! It was lovely to meet you and the boys today, and we just love all of your curious energy... we look forward to seeing you again next May when we open again for our fourth season.