Acuario Nacional de Nueva Zelanda

Experiencia fantástica: Exceptional visit here as we booked very early in advance to do the penguin feeding which is limited to a group of 4 a day only. Staff at penguin feeding were very informative and friendly and great hosts to help us feed the penguins. Penguins were our favourite exhibition. The big turtle was great. Kiwi Exhibition was great to see them walking around active. 2pm feeding time in the big tank was also a great watch especially the stingrays.

Experiencia fantástica: We had a lovely few hours here exploring with our kids

Experiencia fantástica: A nice little experience. We even watched the penguin feeding. It is all more personal in this smaller aquarium. Everything is really clean and you get to see a lot of sea animals, reptils and even Kiwis! One of our favourite experiences was the aquarium tunnel you can walk trough! Loved it!

Experiencia positiva: A great place to visit. The overhead aquarium is great. I did think a couple of the other enclosures were a bit small though.

Experiencia fantástica: Had a lively morning watching the blue penguin feeding. Lots to see.

Experiencia positiva: Great educational centre, collection of marine life local and international, the blue penguins are a must-see. Smaller than we thought it would be. Just quite expensive for an hour visit.

Experiencia negativa: DO NOT COME HERE! I saw reviews from 2021 with people concerned regarding the ethical nature of this aquarium. I thought perhaps things had improved as the aquarium had gained accreditation. However, if you do not approve of Zoo’s, do not come here. I leave feeling awful and disappointed in humans. For example, the huge turtle remains in a tiny cage and the little blue penguins in a small pond. It is very sad. When we think of New Zealand’s national aquarium, we thought it would be focused on New Zealand’s marine ecosystem, kai Moana, New Zealand’s values, how we can protect the sea waters and systems , the negative effects of deep sea trawling ect. Instead, there is a plaque outside recognising and honouring trawlers. Please do not support this aquarium

Experiencia fantástica: The aquarium was lovely to visit. The grumpy little penguins are funny to watch while they're fed.

Experiencia fantástica: We came here for a visit had an amazing time learnt alot about fish. The turtle Larry gave us a bit of a show we felt quite privileged to of been able to see it. Would come again. I loved how once you come during the day you could come back all day! I also got some awesome chopsticks at the gift store very good quality wood. Nice staff very clean.

Experiencia positiva: Not as much going on as Kelly Tarltons, but still 1-2 hours of amusement and hugely less expensive

Experiencia fantástica: To be able to see this much marine life (especially native species of Aotearoa) is incredible. The place is easy to navigate, and the animals appear to be well looked after. The perfect hotspot for kids and tourists of Napier.

Experiencia positiva: Very kid friendly and has wheelchair access. However, the value for money is quite $$ for a short encounter with the sea animals. Although, we had the chance to watch the staff feed them. It was still a good experience

Experiencia fantástica: A nice, well looked after aquarium. We visited here on Anzac day 2025. It was a nice surprise that we get to see Tuatara and Kiwi as well!

Experiencia fantástica: Actually a really good experience, I was surprised at the range of aquatic life and native species they had at the aquarium. Fun for all ages.

Experiencia fantástica: wonderful experience. also at under 30 bucks it's good value. Nice wee Cafe serving good coffee. worth watching the penguins being fed. Keeper was a great story teller.

Experiencia fantástica: Diversified aquariums, very satisfying experience.

Experiencia fantástica: Visited on a Sunday with my wife and two sons. Well worth it to see the look on my boys' faces as they saw the exhibits. There's a good range of things to see, not limited only to sea creatures. Aside from the expected fish, turtles, stingrays and penguins, they also have lizards and a kiwi on display. The central fish tank/tunnel is also an absolute marvel to observe. If you get in at the right times, you can watch the penguins being fed or the divers cleaning the tank and feeding the fish. If you're looking for seals, whales or sharks, the only place you'll find them is in souvenir form at the gift shop. They won't bite, but if the kids like the exhibit enough (like mine did) then they'll certainly take a chomp out of your wallet. Overall the prices were reasonable. Even more so if you're a community services card holder. I would definitely recommend everyone see it at least once.

Experiencia fantástica: We recently did the tails & scales tour, it was awesome. Shout out to the lovely staff for making us feel so welcome & teaching us lots about their wildlife. I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone ! ❤️

Experiencia fantástica: Was only slightly crowded in some areas even though it was a long weekend. Lots to see, some great displays and nice activities. Good car parking. And the kids loved it.

Experiencia negativa: Aquarium was nice but there was a large turtle in a tiny tank. It also look unhealthy probably because of it's habitat size. There were also a few other animals that looked in bad shapes.

Experiencia negativa: The way they treat the animals is horrible, they have a huge marine turtle with a habitat barely its size, its looks miserable and is all alone swimming in turtles when seaturtles are known to travel entire oceans in the wild. This is disgusting and shameful especially for New Zealand's national aquarium. Truly horrible. Typical example of a total lack of care and empathy from NZ towards its nature.

Experiencia positiva: Lots to see, especially Penguin feeding.Stingray sighting in Oceanic tunnel was amazing.Amazing conservation work conducted ...good job guys!!!

Experiencia fantástica: Thank you to the lovely Lady having us today and educating us on Penguins! It was a special day for us to feed them and we had a great time doing so! Café is so clean and food lovely as well! Great place and enjoyed every minute! Thank you

Experiencia fantástica: Loved the place. Kids can spend lot of time there and explore sea life. Watching penguin feeding was so cute. The explanation and announcement of the feeding was clear and informative. Staff walking around and intact with people and explain fishes. Seeing divers feeding and they waving and posing aity kids... wow..... must place to visit.

Experiencia fantástica: This place is amazing. My kids has so much fun and can't stop talking about what they saw. As a nzer I've never seen a kiwi so close up without squinting... he was right there!

Experiencia fantástica: This IS the national aquarium... Amazing place

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful experience for the whole family. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the aquarium.

Experiencia positiva: Lovely visit, although children visiting were over excited. A walk through was enough for us. Great educational place for kids. I felt a tad sad at the beautiful exhibits being held in captivity.

Experiencia positiva: Not a lot of exhibits so get through very quick. Gift shop was very reasonably priced for once.

Experiencia fantástica: We had a great time here, all the feeding times line up so we watched the penguins eat breakfast, then the fish in the big tank fed bya a diver then the reptiles.

Experiencia fantástica: I hadn't ben to the aquarium since I was too young to remember it. My parents tell me it had changed a lot. The penguin feeding was a bit underwhelming but the aquarium as a whole is excellent, interesting and informative.

Experiencia fantástica: Had a great morning out for the family. The staff were really helpful and the aquarium was better since my last visit. The only downside was it was a little bit pricey - not a problem for us as I had budgeted for it prior to our holiday, but it could be a barrier for some families

Experiencia fantástica: Super cool place to visit while in Napier. So cute to see the penguins swimming around in their enclosure & also to walk through the fish tunnel with all types of fish swimming around & above.

Experiencia fantástica: Smal compact aquarium but has some great assets like the small penguins and even kiei birds!

Experiencia positiva: No wait to enter. Charge is reasonable for the experience you get, try and time it so that you visit during some of the feeding/encounter times. Some of the animals feel like they're in small enclosures but I imagine there are some off view areas.

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful, there is the kiwi bird as well

Experiencia fantástica: We visit aquariums on our travels whenever we can. This was a real treat to visit. Very clean for visitors and fish as well. Not a huge area, but a lovely selection of fish to enjoy.

Experiencia positiva: Good selection of different species of aquatic life. The tiny penguins were very cute. Watching the divers feed the fish and stingrays while in the aquarium tunnel was amazing.

Experiencia negativa: The National Aquarium is an absolut catastroph. Plastic plants in the aquariums and all the other enclosures, not much information displayd to the habitates of the different fishes and reptiles and worst of all a big sea turtel in a tank witch is slightly wider than the turtel itself. Infront of the turtel was a sign that said, she' s there for the enrichmend of the other fishes! Only probably good point is the rescue work they do for the little penguins. Bisides the worst habitats I ever seen in a aquarium, the price of 28NZD ist to high for a the experience that takes around a hour if you walk throug slowly.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic aquarium, the staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable. Do the penguin encounter if you can, it was amazing The cafe was also great, super nice staff!

Experiencia fantástica: Nice aquarium— it is small, but saw penguins, kiwi, rays — so the price and time it took was a win.

Experiencia positiva: We loved our visit here, after following them on social media from Australia for a while. We particularly came to see the penguins and thankfully they were all out swimming around.

Experiencia fantástica: It may not be a large aquarium, but they do have Little Penguins, Kiwis, and a super relaxing tunnel. Nice way to chill out and just enjoy the wildlife. Good cafe and shop.

Experiencia fantástica: I had never been to an aquarium before. I really enjoyed this experience. The divers in the tank interacted with us, posing with photos and having fun

Experiencia negativa: So sad seeing Terry the turtle confined to a small enclosure. Watching him mindlessly swimming back and forth, hitting the glass every-time he turned was truly disheartening. Deserves a bigger tank for sure. In general for a national aquarium the visit was very dull, and considering the price for tickets we wouldn’t visit again.

Experiencia fantástica: It’s a beautiful aquarium, I would suggest 2 or 2.5 hours if you like to read the info and take it slow! I loved the tunnel I just didn’t like that some animals were alone, just one of them :( must be a bit sad and also some spaces were a bit small like the Pacu tank, they’re so big for that space and think will be much happier in a better one

Experiencia positiva: It was a nice small aquarium, I came to see the penguins and kiwis - the penguins were so cute but the one kiwi kept hiding - their turtle and sting ray were amazing! The gift shop is nice as well!

Experiencia fantástica: Such an awesome experience! Really enjoyed the time we spent here, so much to see and learn! Would definitely recommend friends and whanau to visit! So worth it. Staff were great! Very kind and enthusiastic. Food at the cafe was so yummy. 10/10 thanks team :)

Experiencia positiva: Staff were very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions as they were wondering around. It's shocking to see Terry the turtle who is huge in such a small thin Tank. He was displaying signs of stress by pacing. How is this allowed! No sharks at all which is what I was looking forward to and very randomly frogs were in a domestic fishtank... Rather amusing. Good for it's price.

Experiencia fantástica: It’s great ! Small but fun for young and old , fantastic unseated walk thought plenty to do and see . Nice gift shop , well looked after , well worth it !!!!

Experiencia positiva: Pleasant but not all that comprehensive . Nice penguin exhibit

Experiencia negativa: I had an extremely sad experience here when I saw the Hawkbill turtle Terry swimming back and forth in its tiny glass box... that I later found out he has been in since 1976... almost 50 years! He stared into my eyes with such a deep sadness... I can't imagine the 50 years of isolation and boredom this intelligent animal has been through / is going through. He needs to go somewhere that can give him a better life, somewhere he can swim more freely, he is a migratory species and naturally would swim 100s of kilometres. My heart breaks for Terry the Turtle :(

Experiencia positiva: Very cool set up, educational without being over the top. Super approachable staff with amazing about everything marine related. My kids learnt info without realizing... we were there about 90mins but could have stayed longer too.

Experiencia fantástica: We really enjoyed our visit here definitely worth it for us. Our baby was so entertained and all the fish seemed so happy and well cared for. Staff were friendly too. The gift store was a bit pricey but did have some really beautiful things within budget too.

Experiencia positiva: It’s smaller than the Birch Aquarium in San Diego, but has a concise collection of local and international specie. They also have the korero penguins which were a delight to see. The water tunnel was short, but fun. Over all, my son enjoyed it. The ticket price was a bit much and surprising, but as long as the proceeds go to the preservation of the oceans and marine life, then I’m okay with it.

Experiencia positiva: My favourite enclosures were 'Penguin Cove', the turtles, the sea horses. Plenty of interactive feeding sessions throughout the day. A family pass at $79 seemed quite steep.

Experiencia fantástica: Such a cool place to come visit with the family and look at all the amazing sea creatures.

Experiencia positiva: Very attraction. Especially the feeding of little penguins. The tunnel through the main aquarium was awesome.. I just wished the big turtle has a bigger aquarium to accommodate it, current is so restrictive..

Experiencia positiva: Felt a bit deflated and disappointed following our visit, it seems overpriced for what’s inside. We were stoked to get to see the kiwi so clearly but heartbroken by the very large turtle in a depressingly small tank as it paced back and forth. I could see the sadness in his eyes! It has been repeatedly mentioned in these reviews so you need to do better!!!!

Experiencia fantástica: Must visit if you are in Napier. Penguins, Turtles, stingrays and the different variety of fish makes you feel being in the depths of the ocean. The tunnel is a major highlight that makes the experience surreal.

Experiencia fantástica: Was wicked! Went visited twice in a day. Got to see the penguins been fed and the divers in the tunnel tanks

Experiencia negativa: Genuinely one of the worst aquariums I've visited in the world. Tropical marine aquarium had incompatible fish (multiple surgeon fish + striped damselfish) within a very small tank demonstrating some of the heaviest dorsal fin picking I've encountered. One of the first displays you see is, wait for it, common goldfish. Save yourself the trip.

Experiencia fantástica: clean city. with beautiful garden and amazing little penguins.

Experiencia fantástica: Great place to visit we had a 6 n 7 yr old went in on a family pass. In time to see penguin feeding at 1:30pm then the fish feed at 2pm . For us it was an amazing experience and the kids learnt heaps.

Experiencia fantástica: Very cool place to visit in Napier. Not the biggest or fanciest aquarium, but well put together and the staff are great. Learned loads of fun facts & got to see both the penguin and fish feeding. For people complaining about the entry fee, try going to Kelly Tarltons for twice the price. PSA: you can get discounted tickets for entry after 2pm through BookMe.

Experiencia positiva: Cool collection, and staff all very friendly and knowledgeable. Think an adult ticket is slightly overpriced ($28), but if at least $5 of that goes towards conservation, then can't be too mad

Experiencia fantástica: Our family loves visiting the aquarium. My favorite part is the kiwi room. Watching them run around is fascinating.

Experiencia fantástica: The National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier is an absolute gem! From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted by a wide array of fascinating marine life. The penguin enclosure is a highlight, offering a close-up view of these adorable creatures, while the underwater tunnel provides a mesmerizing experience, as sharks and rays glide gracefully overhead. The exhibits are well-maintained and informative, making it a perfect spot for both kids and adults to learn and have fun. The staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, always ready to share interesting facts and answer any questions. The aquarium’s focus on conservation and education is evident throughout, which adds depth to the visit. In addition to the amazing exhibits, there’s a cozy café offering a range of delicious food and beverages, perfect for a relaxing break. The gift shop is well-stocked with unique souvenirs and marine-themed gifts, making it easy to find something special to remember your visit. The layout is easy to navigate, and there’s something new to discover at every turn. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, the National Aquarium offers a wonderful experience that’s both educational and entertaining. Highly recommend it to families, couples, and solo travelers alike!

Experiencia fantástica: Took my girls there with my sista to enjoy the holidays.

Experiencia fantástica: Small, but very interesting site. Staff is extraordinary - so many things explained and they took a lot of time. Had the penguin feeding and it was amazing! Loads of information and fun. Btw. the turtle grew up there and wouldn’t have a chance to survive outside and has 1.5 times the space that is supposed for such species. It is not a turtle species that is having the need to move far away once a year - that was explained to us and very helpful for our understanding of the circumstances. We had a great time there and had a lot of fun.

Experiencia fantástica: It looks small on the outside, but this is a really great aquarium! We had a blast and learned so much about some cool native NZ animals!

Experiencia fantástica: Great displays and information available. This is our second visit but our first time with a child. He was mesmerised and the enclosures allow a good mix of viewing and enrichment for the animals.

Experiencia negativa: The admission price is very expensive for what you get out of the experience . Although the layout is easy to navigate , we did the loop in about 45mins to an hour - and that was us trying to get the most of the aquarium. The turtles, sting rays and the pacus were the stars of the show- which says a lot

Experiencia positiva: A small aquarium, which can feed penguins, needs an extra 150 dollars. You can also see Kiwi. But because it is too small, I can only give it three stars.

Experiencia fantástica: Really cool place. Informative and educational, kids have plenty of activities to keep them occupied. We'll worth a look.

Experiencia fantástica: Such a beautiful little installation with a consistent message for everyone to do their little bit. It's inconceivable to me that 8 million tonnes of plastic go into the oceans every year. That makes me sad and I have to do better myself.

Experiencia positiva: Nice experience today visiting the National Aquarium. No wait time coz we visited pretty early in the morning at around 9:30, but while leaving at around 12 pm, we saw there was a queue building up outside. So, getting there early is recommended. It's a fairly all right maintained place, and has got a limited number of creatures in it (as compared to Kelly Tartons in Auckland). We got a chance to experience the fish-feeding session at 10 am, and the divers were amazing. Kept the kids captivated all throughout. We were also fortunate enough to see the Kiwi close by. Some of the creatures are pretty unique and majestic, such as the big turtle and the water lizards. Couple of points to consider though :- - the collection of animals, and their conditions are much much better at Kelly Tartons in Auckland. - the big turtle is kept in a very small place. It was a bit sad to see it swimming frantically in such a small space. Would be great if the authorities can shift it to a bigger space.

Experiencia fantástica: We had such a lovely time at the aquarium. We waited about 10min to get tickets, which wasn't too bad considering it's peak time !

Experiencia positiva: It's worth a visit on a wet and windy day. It's great to have a good in door activity. Try and time your visit around the feeding times in the penguin enclosure and oceanarium (they are straight after each other). They are great to experience. There is a gift shop and cafe at the exit which is right next to the entrance. We didn't book in advance and got in without a problem

Experiencia fantástica: Recommend to book pinguin feeding experience!

Experiencia negativa: It’s tiny, and it made me sad— not only is it overrun with tourists but the areas for animals were way too small- especially the sea turtle seemed sad. I’ve never said this about an aquarium till I saw this one. Plz look after ur animals better

Experiencia positiva: I have a mixed review. Ive been to sea world and kelly tarltons as well. Compared to that this felt bit small. However it was organized in such a way to go through every fish in a loop. I enjoyed it. Worth the price as well. However felt not much to see

Experiencia fantástica: We visited the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier because our primary school-aged children were really excited about it. The visit turned out to be a fantastic experience! We started with the adorable penguin feeding session, which was a delight to watch. A highlight was the scuba divers in the main tank—while feeding the fish, they put on a lighthearted, comedic performance that was entertaining for both kids and adults. What made the visit even more special was getting to see two kiwi birds up close—a rare and memorable experience. Before we left, we picked up some souvenirs for the kids, which added to their joy. The kids had an amazing time and were very happy with the experience. For families traveling to Napier, this aquarium is a must-visit destination. The admission was worth every penny, considering how much fun we all had!

Experiencia positiva: Sadly, many of the animals are confined to very small spaces. The massive turtle was swimming back and forth in a small aquarium, appearing visibly distressed. It reminded me of chained elephants swaying their heads in desperation. Similarly, four frogs were trapped in a tiny enclosure, and a fish with its fins clamped down was another troubling sight. In healthy, relaxed fish, fins are typically held upright, indicating they are alert and in good condition. Clamped fins, on the other hand, can be a sign of illness or stress, often linked to poor environmental conditions. Possible reasons for clamped fins include: 1. Poor Water Quality: High levels of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate, as well as improper pH or temperature, can cause significant stress. 2. Disease or Infection: Issues like fin rot, parasites, or bacterial infections may cause discomfort, leading the fish to clamp its fins. 3. Stress: Factors like overcrowding, bullying by other fish, or sudden environmental changes can induce stress-related behaviours. 4. Inadequate Diet: Nutritional deficiencies can weaken fish, affecting their overall health and appearance. While the penguins may be unable to survive in the wild, as mentioned, the other animals deserve much better living conditions.

Experiencia fantástica: The aquarium is small for a national aquarium, but it is charming. We prebooked an experience feeding the little penguins. The little penguins are impossibly cute and feeding them was a highlight of our time in New Zealand.

Experiencia fantástica: Found this place while looking for Kiwis and saw all these amazing animals.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved it. Very informativ with agood focus on teaching about conversation. My highlights were definetly the kiwi and seeing the feedibg of the penguins. There is also a small nook that focuses on dinosaurs, which I didnt expect, but it was cool. Also there are a lot of little fun facts scatterd around, that you could find, even if you dont feel like reading the whole infotext. I can definetly recomend

Experiencia positiva: Nice little aquarium right on the main drag of Napier. It's small, we made it through with a toddler in about 50 minutes taking our time a bit. Removing 1 star for the abysmally small tank they have a massive hawksbill turtle in, that was a but depressing and surprising actually as most of the other habitats are good size. They have many species of fish, turtles, eel, crayfish, hermit crabs, a few little blue penguins, several lizards, at least 1 kiwi, among others. Was quite impressed with the kiwi habitat. No sharks that we saw but maybe they were hiding. They have quite a few shells and fossils to view, as well which was pretty cool. Overall happy with the visit and would come again on another trip but it's not a place I'd visit frequently.

Experiencia fantástica: Situated right on the coast, on a sandy beach, with Art deco buildings facing, a lovely visit. Oddly, this was where I had my best view of a kiwi, one of a breeding pair. Harmless, sweet little creature. The blue penguins were fun at feeding time and we all managed to squeeze into the jaws of a great white shark while a volunteer obligingly became our wildlife photographer for the day.

Experiencia fantástica: Haven't been here in years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Friendly staff

Experiencia fantástica: A worthwhile experience. Very interesting for adults and kids. Rather small for a 'National Aquarium' but we are a small country. Like others say, turtle tank also seems very small. Plenty of parking and close to beach with neat views.

Experiencia fantástica: Family tradition to visit here. Penguins are cute as and it was nice to see the kiwi again.

Experiencia fantástica: This one of the best aquariums ever. There are staffs around who tell you all the amazing facts and stories about the the animals in the place. The place is well sought out in terms of layout and they do give a map upon arrival; so u don't actually miss out on any enclosures. Edit: been there 3 times, sharks are not there anymore but there’s still more to see and do ❤️

Experiencia fantástica: Bought 50% discount ticket from BookMe, only $13.50. Last entry by 430pm. Main purpose to visit here is to see adorable little penguin, especially the penguin feeding time 930am, 130pm & 330pm. Also, u can see kiwi bird here and the bird is very active and size big like a basketball. There’s sea turtle here too, but the tanks seems bit small for such a big size turtle. The aquarium size is not really big compared to other country one, but still worth to visit for kiwi bird & penguin. I took around 2 hours to finish the aquarium. At gift shop, a lot of cute marine animals and kiwi soft toys available and other interesting souvenis.

Experiencia positiva: An interesting aquarium experience. Certainly not the biggest aquarium I’ve ever been in and not the best. Has a good range of small fish and interesting things for children to do. Caters well for families.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice little place to bring the kids and learn/see new things. Took about an hour to complete. Our first time seeing a kiwi here.

Experiencia fantástica: Awesome attractions, cute penguins and great staff. A place thar clearly cares about its creatures of all kinds.

Experiencia negativa: Horrible, dirty, run down and certainly not worthy of the national title . Good for kids but that's it . It's cruel to keep giant turtles in captivity. You couldn't pay me to go back

Experiencia fantástica: Great aquarium, enjoyed the guided tour and had some really cool interactions. My favorite was seeing a kiwi up close and the big turtle.

Experiencia positiva: The kids will enjoy a trip here especially if they love marine creatures.