Oceanario

Experiencia fantástica: I did the shark feeding with Lucas and it was amazing!! Lucas was so detailed in explaining everything and it was an all around amazing experience. 10/10 would definitely come back to do it again!

Experiencia positiva: It is beautifully managed at the bank of Bournemouth Beach. You can see how clear the water is inside the aquarium. The fishes and other aquatic animals are well managed in the aquarium. There were penguins and a huge turtoise inside.You can also see in the photographs, there's a huge skeleton framework of a giant tortoise. This is a very good place to visit with family and children. It was fun for me to see them as I had seen few of them only on discovery channel. If you are visiting the Bournemouth Beach in coming time spare about an hour for this aquarium. Don't give it a miss. I hope you will like it.

Experiencia positiva: If you have a small child and they're excited by sea creatures, then this place is excellent and well worth it. The tanks look clean and welfare standards appear good. Nice gift shop. However given it's mainly for kids the amenities are tired and in places not good enough. Things like having a hand drier right over a changing table, nowhere to put buggies, 'picnic areas' without any service that look like they were last decorated 50 years ago. We whizzed around in about an hour but couldn't use the communal areas due to overcrowding and lack of facilities/ space. Gluten free and vegan cake in the cafe but couldn't buy due to crowding (visited mid January). Might be a lot better on a week day

Experiencia fantástica: Super miejsce. Edukacyjne. Bardzo dobre na spędzenie czasu z rodziną.

Experiencia fantástica: EN: Interesting place! They have a lot of different species, and it is very well maintained. I loved going there with my friends, and it was such a great day. The descriptions are very didactic and easy to understand. BR: Lugar muito interessante! Eles têm muitas espécies diferentes e o espaço é muito bem cuidado. Adorei ir lá com minhas amigas, foi um dia ótimo. As descrições são bem didáticas e fáceis de entender.

Experiencia negativa: Que asco pagar para ver animales en cautiverio que depsues dejan abandonados como en el aprque acuatico Marineland, Antibes

Experiencia negativa: Against better judgement i visited with family. It was exactly as I perceived it to be. Incredibly small enclosures for such majestic ocean living creatures. One giant turtle swimming aimlessly up and down one small side of its pond. One gator in a small tank (no others?), one terrapin? One octopus? A couple of very large fish in tanks with rays and sharks, as well as marine fish and corals in smaller tanks. Seahorses. Group of penguins and birds in a small viewing area with a net to stop the birds flying out, you could see the penguins swimming underneath too especially during feeding time. Everyone looked healthy, the enclosures and tanks were clean and tidy, there's a little shop and cafe. Parents letting kids running around banging the glass tanks and kicking the boards No amount of conservation can justify keeping large ocean dwelling sealife in glorified fish bowls, and definitely not for humans to watch in such small enclosures. If they can't live in aquariums that have a substantially size and space for each one, don't keep them at all :( won't be back

Experiencia positiva: Visited the Oceanarium with my son and was impressed with the various displays and information provided. It is very expensive for a ticket though. It would be nice to see a discount for locals.

Experiencia fantástica: Ein kleines, aber feines Oceanarium. Vor allem die riesige Schildkröte und die Pinguine sind ein echter Knaller. Empfehlenswert für jedes Alter.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic visit, staff were amazing, knowledgeable and so friendly. Amazing place to visit.

Experiencia fantástica: Great place, lots to see.

Experiencia negativa: Good day out with the grandkids though I must openly admit, my younger one was left very scared when moving through the shark tank. There seemed to be live fish being thrown into the tank with sharks ultimately eating them. Quite the sight and one I would rather not see again. But apart from that traumatic experience all was good and think we will stick with the penguins instead.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice attraction for young kids!

Experiencia positiva: Fantastic place to visit, especially if your enjoying marine life. The display are organized, educational and enjoyable for all ages. Its perfect for families, couples, ans solo travelers like me. I can’ say no more give it try

Experiencia positiva: Nice place, but some tanks need a clean, the penguin one is really bad! Bit annoying there's no vending machine for drinks on the top level when the cafe is closed. You have to go all the way down the bottom to get a drink.

Experiencia fantástica: We have been before and it was nice to visit again, especially on a very wet and windy day.

Experiencia positiva: Great oceanarium to see a large variety of sea creatures including sharks penguins and a giant turtle! There is a small kids area halfway round for a little break and a couple of cafes with small areas to eat. It is a bit of an odd layout and there can be a bit of a wait for the lift to get to the buggy park. Having the tunnel to see the sharks being fed is great fun. It took us about 1.5 hours to go round and listen to one of the talks.

Experiencia fantástica: Really good place to visit

Experiencia fantástica: Lovely time in an underwater wonderland- nice air-conditioning on a hot day! Can't complain for a tenner and can come and go as you wish.... we didn't go back obviously, we went and played mini golf, but if we wanted to we could have gone back in!!

Experiencia fantástica: Very good place to visit and very friendly staff

Experiencia fantástica: Lovely place to visit especially on a wet day . Very interesting with more to look at than I thought. Entry price very reasonable.

Experiencia fantástica: Brilliant place to visit. Their aim is all about conservation and trying to save the planet.

Experiencia fantástica: Great day

Experiencia fantástica: Jest to miejsce ciekawe i bezpieczne jak jest brzydka pogoda. Zwierzęta ciekawe. Obsługa miła. Czysto. Można usiąść

Experiencia fantástica: Silly protesters outside. Wonderful experience inside. Animals are very well cared for, wide range and lots of fun.

Experiencia positiva: Good Experience, only enough to fill a hour or two.

Experiencia fantástica: A jolly nice place indeed with some magnificent displays

Experiencia fantástica: Come here every year whilst on holiday and it's always a lovely time

Experiencia fantástica: Really nice and kids love it

Experiencia positiva: I had the absolute pleasure of working with Ms. Monika from Vervene Financial Services Ltd on my mortgage application, and I cannot recommend her services highly enough. From the very beginning, Monika demonstrated an exceptional level of professionalism, deep industry knowledge, and an intuitive understanding of her clients' unique financial needs. Her expertise in the mortgage sector is truly impressive—she guided me through the entire process with clarity, confidence, and attention to every detail. What sets her apart is not only her technical competence but also her genuine commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome for her clients. She took the time to listen, understand my goals, and tailor the solution accordingly, making what could have been a stressful experience feel seamless and well-managed. If you're looking for reliable, knowledgeable, and client-focused financial guidance, I wholeheartedly recommend Monika and Vervene Financial Services Ltd. A first-class service from start to finish.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved it

Experiencia positiva: Pretty good, but for goodness sake what's the thing with the walk through, tiny lift? Barely room for a single buggy, and queues from both sides. Life would be much simpler if there was a line on the floor indication the best practical route round the place. Would be 5 stars if it wasn't so difficult to navigate around.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved the aquarium, especially the glass tunnel through the shark tank.

Experiencia fantástica: Lovely animals, would recommend to come and visit.

Experiencia positiva: Beautiful place should visit everyone

Experiencia fantástica: Didn't visit this place. Came to Bournemouth on a coach trip. Lots to see and do as well as plenty of people for a Wednesday. There was a bar outside opposite a restaurant with lovely comfortable seating areas as well as music. Drinks are pricey served in appropriate white solid plastic glasses but it was so relaxing being near the sea front on a warm and sunny day. Staff were polite and friendly. Wish we found this place earlier. It felt like a place you would have a beach party with canopies. Ice creams are expensive. For a twin cone and flake £5.15 so suggest you get your monies worth. I would highly recommend a visit and need to go back again.

Experiencia fantástica: Had a lovely time at the Oceanarium - plenty to see. Worth a visit!

Experiencia positiva: Place is good but too cramped.

Experiencia positiva: Nothing special. Relatively small. Maybe good for families with younger kids. Toilet has not been cleaned for a little while.

Experiencia positiva: Very busy but still ok to get round. All creatures seemed well cared for.

Experiencia fantástica: Great for kids and adults

Experiencia positiva: Not the best one we've visited but it was great for the toddler. She loved it Try to buy tickets online for a cheaper price.

Experiencia positiva: The Oceanarium was a nice experience, it is very small, I was expecting to be more to explore. It is absolutely fine for the children.

Experiencia fantástica: Great place! I really liked it! Everything is clean and there are great conditions for the pets! The fish are so beautiful! Turtles, sharks and rays... children can see everything very closely! The penguins are so curious and you can watch them for hours. Thanks for the wonderful and positive moments to all the staff. I will definitely bring my daughter and grandchildren here. I recommend it to everyone!

Experiencia negativa: Ridiculous prices for a tiny run down outdated little aquarium with only a few exhibits. There was a guy stood outside protesting at the conditions the marine aquatic specimens were being kept in. The gift shop is also crap.

Experiencia fantástica: I was gifted a "feed the turtle" experience. I had the most amazing time with the incredible turtle Carrie. I was shown around by Casey who was great, full of knowledge and clearly passionate about her role. Good to see and hear about the amazing work they do there and how they care for them all. Would high recommend going, and getting the experience of feeding Carrie! Thank you Casey, great day had!

Experiencia negativa: Arguably the dirtiest and filthiest aquarium Ive been to. I feel sorry for the animals especially the penguins. Dirty muddy algea everywhere only the small tanks were fine. Poor animals

Experiencia fantástica: Not just fish, there’s a few reptiles and tarantulas here too and penguins ! This is like a mini zoo. There’s talks and feedings at regular times during the day. Well worth the visit

Experiencia negativa: Amazed this place is still open. The shark tanks are absolutely filthy and not well maintained, and it is absolutely insane that the sea tortoise, who is gigantic, is kept in such a tiny tank. She's clearly gone stir crazy (we saw her hitting her head on the side of the tank and the glass several times as the tank is far, far too small for an animal of that size). I'm not sure how anyone can work at this place and sleep at night. It's a run down zoo, not a conservation aquarium by any means. Just grim.

Experiencia fantástica: Amazing honestly we'll worth it and if you buy a ticket you can go in and out all day They have very clean facilities especially the toilets The talks were really good, really reccomend the staff know their stuff and are so friendly and approachable

Experiencia negativa: Visited and as we walked through felt increasingly bad for giving this establishment money. The tanks were generally in pretty bad condition, fish in small tanks doing continuous repeated loops out of boredom. Once you look into the conditions and take a look at the oceanarium report undertaken by the local council you will soon wish you did not come here. On average, 26% of animals at this place die each year. I understand fish have a shorter life span but recent reports show this is an outdated and inadequate centre. Do not give them your money.

Experiencia positiva: I would say it's overpriced for what it is. It is difficult to get around if you are in the pram/wheelchair. Weirdly, their pram/stroller park is upstairs, so you have to queue for a small lift to get up to park. Also, to save money, try to get your tickets online and a few days before the visit.

Experiencia fantástica: My nephew thoroughly enjoyed his shark feeding experience with Chris this weekend. Fantastic one on one experience, with food preparation for the sharks ahead of feeding them. Chris was really great with my nephew, sharing lots of information about the sharks, answering his questions as well as drawing information out of him. Plenty of time for photos and nothing felt rushed, which was lovely. Would thoroughly recommend, and my nephew is already excited about the prospect of being a volunteer - even though at aged 7 he’ll have to wait another 9 years! Thank you Chris for making his experience such fun and so memorable - and his accompanying aunt had a great time too.

Experiencia fantástica: Get a membership if you are planning 2 or more visits per year. We are regular (weekly) visitors and believe me or not bit it doesn't get boring. My little girl loves visiting all animals, gift shops and the café.

Experiencia fantástica: This is one of my sons favourite places to visit. It's a brilliant day out. We always get fish & chips after the aquarium. Making memories.

Experiencia fantástica: Really enjoyable visit where we were able to see many different marine fish, some reptiles, penguins and some birds.

Experiencia positiva: It is small but cute place. We really like the penguins. We stayed for their feeding time and they have each penguins name and characters written on a board. It was lovely presentation.The tickets are cheaper if you buy online but their website did not work.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice experience. Kids will enjoy a lot.

Experiencia fantástica: Oceanarium is a great family day out and was under £70 for a family of four adults, a toddler and a baby. There’s lots to see and you can go at your own pace. The location is right on the beach and by the pier so lots of other things to do as well. Parking was easy in the multi storey attached to the BIC about 300m away

Experiencia fantástica: Been here so many times, went today for my 21st birthday. Incredible time. Special thank you to Amber for my penguin feeding session and the kind members of staff who were so sweet to me and my family. Never get tired of coming here

Experiencia positiva: We went with a two year old. The time was well spent here. The little one really enjoyed it. Friendly staff and you can see they really like what they do there.

Experiencia positiva: If you're in Bournemouth and the weather turns sour, the Oceanarium offers a modest indoor escape. Situated conveniently by the pier, it's easy to find and provides a brief respite from the rain. Pros: Indoor Activity: Ideal for those looking to stay dry during inclement weather. Location: Proximity to the beach and town center makes it an easy addition to your itinerary. Family-Friendly: Suitable for families with young children seeking a short indoor activity. Cons: Size: The facility is relatively small, and the tanks reflect this, limiting the variety of marine life on display. Variety: While there are some interesting species, the overall diversity is lacking compared to larger aquariums. Value: Given the size and offerings, some may find the admission price a bit steep for the experience provided. In summary, the Oceanarium isn't a must-see attraction but serves its purpose as a decent option when outdoor activities are off the table. It's a quick visit that can fill an hour or so, especially for families with young children. Just set your expectations accordingly, and it can be a pleasant, if unremarkable, part of your day.

Experiencia positiva: Small oceanarium. Could go through it in half an hour. But brilliant animals

Experiencia negativa: I heard good things about this place and wanted to visit with my emotional support dog. I carried my dog with me to the entrance as she’s a tiny dog and would have been carried in the bag and I also had a doctors note with me of my disability. when I looked up this place it says to have a sign letter from GP confirming disability. Which I asked and they denied my entry, which was quite disappointing. I’ve attached the photo on what it says on their website but it’s not very good when their staff says something else ‍♀️

Experiencia fantástica: Being able to leave and return throughout the day is value for money. Accessible access to all areas. Was a lot quieter towards the end of the day

Experiencia fantástica: Absolutely loved it! They had everything here, it was bigger than I expected! Alligators, Otters, Penguins, Sharks, Turtles - The list goes on... Really good value too as the tickets are valid all day, so if you wanted to see one of the feeding sessions, you could go back just for that.

Experiencia fantástica: Took our little baby girl here for her birthday. It was incredible! Friendly staff and an amazing array of aquatic animals. I would definitely come back again!! It is bigger than I expected, they have a number of events to attend through the day, such as penguin feeding. The giant turtle is crazy big!! So cool to see. Good map, easy to navigate and they have toilet/baby change facilities at the entrance aswell as upstairs by the penguins. There is also a buggy park to leave your buggy while you enjoy the aquarium. 10/10, we had a great time

Experiencia positiva: It's ok if your going on clubcard vouchers, otherwise it's not great. Quite run down, a couple of dead fish. Enclosure's getting a bit grotty and old. Could do with a burst of life putting back into it. Young kids enjoyed it and it's a couple hours of fun for them.

Experiencia positiva: Very small but still lovely really enjoyed the time we had there very busy and got trapped in the walk way very clean all fish looked happy only about an hour there but worth visiting we live locally so look out for the bh discount

Experiencia positiva: A lovely aquarium with fish, otters, penguins, sharks and turtles. I liked that we could return later in the day to say goodbye to the sharks after we had been on the beach. I liked that i could use tesco vouchers to contribute to the cost but this only applies if you buy tickets on the door, which are more expensive than booking online

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful experience here. Child friendly and accessible for prams. There was a lot to see and there were many areas that overlooked the beach and ocean. We had such lovely service from the moment we came in. Wonderful staff on the front desk and gift shop- there was a young lady serving us there who really made the experience memorable for myself and my little one. She was such a ray of sunshine. Thanks to her for her kind words and her overall courtesy- we’re looking forward to coming back!

Experiencia positiva: Mixed feelings about our visit the penguin enclosure wasn’t ver big and the poor lonely giant turtle just pacing up and down the side of a small enclosure. Doesnt it have a mate ? Couldn’t help but wonder if some of the tanks were small for the amount of fish in there too. On a positive everything looked very clean

Experiencia positiva: It was okay, nothing special about it. To be honest it’s pretty small, not much to really see and go wow about, you see something then you say let’s go next hoping next would be more exciting. The glass of every single aquarium needs to be cleaned. Staff was friendly and nice.

Experiencia fantástica: Friendly staff, some amazing creatures to see, tunnel under the sharks and giant tortoise was absolutely amazing! Thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. 5*!

Experiencia positiva: The Oceanarium was a pleasant surprise. From the outside and much like the rest of the town, it looks slightly rundown. Inside however was a very contrasting story. The aquarium had plenty to see and do and really felt like a well put together experience. I would say it is slightly expensive for the size of the aquarium however that being my only downside to the experience.

Experiencia fantástica: Good fun for half hour my little girl loved it

Experiencia negativa: Shockingly disappointed! Despite great reviews, photos online to do show the actual dark gloomy environment. Hardly any sea life were available to see, lots of empty tanks. Online ticket services doesn’t work, so we were forced to pay full price at the entrances despite the staff knowing of the technical issue being there for months this was not solved. False advising of prices! We were done within 20-25 minutes so we left, but once complained when we were home (as there were no staff around there to do so) they advised we could have left and returned in the same day? this was not advertised anywhere! honestly one of the worst experiences, dull, boring and a rip off.

Experiencia fantástica: Myself and my partner recently did a penguin feeding experience, which was fantastic!! Amber who ran the experience for us was brilliant. She knew so much about all of the penguins and offered to take photos for us throughout the experience. Would highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: It was really an awesome experience. Watching variety of Sea animals is always delightful. Oceanarium is a right place to visit for that.

Experiencia positiva: This is a venue filled with exotic fish, sea creatures and amends. Personally it was not for me as a solo traveller, however this venue would be an important place to visit for large groups, and families. There are many informational plaques and posters around the venue, both about individual animals, and the effect that global warming. Is having these specials. The Ocianariuum is located on the Bournemouth sea front. When I went there was not much of a queue. However, there were plenty of staff on hand to help, direct and great people apon entering the venue.

Experiencia positiva: Yes it was ok if you was coming to Bournemouth it's a nice place to come with the family please be aware it is very expensive posting myself I don't like seeing animals this way they should be out in the natural world I think it's a bit crawl I'm sure they are well looked after but this is my opinion

Experiencia fantástica: My sons first Time, fantastic for kids, really enjoyable. Well worth the entry fee.

Experiencia fantástica: Good for those who love sea life. All animals are very pretty and so much information is dotted around the building. It's also right next to the beach and pier which is very handy.

Experiencia fantástica: We did the penguin feeding experience - it was great! Penguins were hungry! It was well organised, Chris the keeper briefed us really well and answered all our questions before, during and after, it's clear he knows his penguins well! Altho it's obviously a guest experience, he was clearly making sure all the penguins were getting enough food. Was great to be able to feed the penguins currently sitting on eggs too, hopefully they'll get some more chicks soon The only negative was that we weren't allowed to take any of the penguins home with us...! Really enjoyed our time, thank you.

Experiencia positiva: We took our daughter and had a lovely time but we were sad to see the penguins in the conditions they were in and can't understand why they need to have them there.

Experiencia fantástica: Lovely way to spend an hour or two. Frequent talks from knowledgeable and friendly staff. The highlights were definitely the otters! Possibly not the most accessible wheelchairs and prams as it was quite tight with lots of stairs. Overall, highly recommended!

Experiencia fantástica: We had the most wonderful visit the other day when our son (aged 11) had his 'aquarist for a day' experience. Our guide for the day was Casey and she was friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and informative - she really made it for us! Our son was able to feed otters, sharks, turtles, pufferfish and more and he was taught how to prepare the food as well as undertake other aspects of care for these marine creatures - it was incredible and something we will both remember forever! We both made so many special memories on this day and, Casey, we can't thank you enough! Would thoroughly recommend this experience!

Experiencia negativa: it’s okay, but quite small especially considering the price and how i couldn’t get disabled tickets despite bringing proof of disability. a lot of the animals seem depressed and don’t seem to have enough room. the penguins seem cramped and do not have enough stimulation besides eating the otters or whatever they were, they were just depressed. honestly think this place should be shut down atp, despite all of the animal advocates outside protesting. i’ve been here 3 times and each year it seems to get worse and worse, or maybe im getting older and im starting to understand what depression looks like in animals one good thing is that the fishes seem okay, except for one of them dying and floating at the top. and the jellyfishes are doing just fine, the jellyfishes seem to be the only thing that is happy. theyre kept in the correct conditions, as its very easy to maintain jellyfishes since they have no brain.

Experiencia positiva: Very nice experience for the kids Does get quite packed Make sure U read the sign in the lift which way to start the journey! As I didn't and had to walk around to put the buggy! Buy online as it's cheaper

Experiencia positiva: Better than expected, lots to see, well kept and well presented. Spent about an hour but could spend longer! Love that your ticket allows you entry over the whole day so you can return

Experiencia fantástica: Small but nice. Takes about an hour.

Experiencia fantástica: Had a nice experience. Worth going there. Underground tunnel was cool but not that long. The whole Tour in oceanarium took about 2-3hrs.

Experiencia fantástica: Great place for families. Absolutely love that you can go in and out all day on your ticket. Well worth a visit.

Experiencia fantástica: family pass was £17 for a family of 4 if you book online. entirely wheelchair accessible, super nice staff. wide range of animals with a café next door. they even have a buggy park and play area.

Experiencia positiva: Booked in advance for myself and my daughter. Was a lot smaller than I thought and was in there around 45 minutes. Was expecting more for the price we paid, my daughter loved the penguins and the tunnel view.

Experiencia fantástica: Such a cute little place! Enjoyed walking round and learning all the animal's names, it was super cute.

Experiencia negativa: Really sad, the enclosures were too small and animals were displaying signs of distress. I am a marine biologist so should have known better than to go here, I was hoping it would be educational but it it was nothing short of a cruel display using animals. I found out afterwards about the protests about this place and I'm absolutely disgusted by the death rate reported in the freedom of information requests We need to do better than this...

Experiencia fantástica: Visited the oceanarium back in August 2024, and it was amazing! There were sharks, axolotls, jellyfish, starfish, stingrays, and more! Loved it - I'd recommend you go there!

Experiencia fantástica: Great place to visit for adults and children , plenty of child friendly play areas and a balcony to look at the sea and the beach. Very interesting afternoon. 50%off for local postcodes at the moment which we took advantage of.

Experiencia positiva: Bournemouth is a good place to visit and enjoy for the beach and relaxing.