National Aquarium of New Zealand
National Aquarium of New Zealand
National Aquarium of New Zealand
4
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Discover an exciting world above and below the water at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. Visit Penguin Cove and watch the world famous Little Penguins feed and play. See stingrays, kingfish, hapuku, snapper, kahawai and other majestic native species swimming over you in the 1.5 million litre oceanarium tunnel. Spot New Zealand’s native wildlife – the Tuatara and Kiwi. If you’d like to get up close to our Little Penguins, book a Close Encounter! You'll get to experience what goes on behind the scenes, discovering all about the day-to-day care of these character-filled birds and feed them in their enclosure. Terrapin Encounters can also be booked for a unique experience for the whole family. Daily feeding times are 10.00am for the reef fish, 2pm oceanarium diver hand feeding, and the little penguins at 9.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm. For the best way to experience the aquarium book a guided tour which run daily at 10.30am.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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$28.50
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- Graham JWagga Wagga, Australia475 contributionsMeet the penguinsThe aquarium is set out over a couple of levels with some really interesting displays. The upper level has activities for youngsters to test their skills and maritime equipment on show. Another section has large tanks with different types of fish and other marine life. There is the surround aquarium with stingrays and bigger fish on display, then head through to the penguin enclosure. It was close to feed time when we were there and they were eagerly awaiting the moment.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 December 2023
- Maps5567121073510 contributionsFinally saw a kiwi!We were hoping to see a kiwi and we were in luck! Thanks to the kindness of the desk staff , we were escorted straight through to see Matariki their female kiwi! She was happily foraging around at the front of her home and we spent several minutes enjoying watching her! The penguins were also delightful and all the creatures looked well cared for. The Cafe even had some great vegan choices to finish our visit on a high. Thank you for a great morning!Kiaora! Thank you for your review. Our team are thrilled to hear you had such a great time & got to see your first kiwi! Very special experience indeed. We hope to see you again in the future. Nga Mihi.Written 3 August 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 8 January 2024
- SquirtleNew Plymouth, New Zealand58 contributionsIf you love animals have kids ts a great experienceAwsome day out with my hubby ❤️ got to have a great conversation with the lady who looks after the blue penguins, we learnt so much was great to see someone who was enthusiastic about there job and to see the joy she had caring for these beautiful animals. Was a shame the cruise ship had been through before us, had used there phones and ph lights in the kiwi enclosure and she had hid away. Otherwise a great experienceVisited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 January 2024
- Roderick M9 contributionsReally super aquarium. A great way to spend a few hours.We have been in many aquariums in different countries and thought this was one of the best, if not the largest or most diverse. The little penguins are lovely and the chance to see a turtle up close was great. Actually saw a Kiwi up close too; have paid more at specialist Kiwi venues and seen nothing. Information all clear and readable. Staff friendly and helpful. Watching the divers feed the rays and fish underwater was very interesting. Well worth the money.Kia Ora! Thank you for your review! Our team here at the National Aquarium really appreciate your positive feedback & are glad you enjoyed your experience here! We hope to see you again in the future. Nga Mihi.Written 17 June 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
1,474 reviews
Excellent
555
Very good
554
Average
276
Poor
58
Terrible
31
sallyanne03
Napier, New Zealand28 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Not a lot to see, tanks are empty, water was clean this time.
Looked forward to having lunch in cafe.
Was meeting family members there. Did not as a poor selection only one sausage roll, was only 11am they do not cook hot chips anymore for children.
Definitely will not revisit, better of flushing your money down the toilet
Looked forward to having lunch in cafe.
Was meeting family members there. Did not as a poor selection only one sausage roll, was only 11am they do not cook hot chips anymore for children.
Definitely will not revisit, better of flushing your money down the toilet
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for visiting the National Aquarium and for providing feedback. We are in the process of undertaking some projects to help improve the visitor experience and hope to see you again soon.
Written 15 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Row S
New Zealand32 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
Generally good fun and fairly informative. We were there on a rainy day and so mayb busier than normal. Very very noisy families in so we did not get a chance to see kiwis or panguins. This is hardly the attractions fault but they could maybe be more clear about noise levels and children running about?
Animals and fish well kept. Aquariums clean and maintained. Just some of the general decor is a wee bit tired. Gift shop total crap. Didn't try the cafe. Staff all very helpful and nice when I asked some questions. :)
Animals and fish well kept. Aquariums clean and maintained. Just some of the general decor is a wee bit tired. Gift shop total crap. Didn't try the cafe. Staff all very helpful and nice when I asked some questions. :)
Written 27 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sallyanne03
Napier, New Zealand28 contributions
Nov 2020 • Family
I live in Napier and have visited the Aquarium 3 times in the last few weeks with young children, I have an educarers card. I have found the place to be very un child friendly, the children cannot see the penguins there are no activities to stimulate or teach them, there is no te reo used in encouraging visitors to use. The kiwi house is too dark, I know the kiwi like dark but it never used to be that dark and the children always saw the kiwi, is NCC saving money on power usage.
The cafe does not serve food suitable for children only a biscuit shaped like a seahorse. It is sad to see the Aquarium in this state, even the staff look depressed and sad.
Where is the poor Alligator?
Dont expect to see alot if you visit, and don't expect a nice cafe lunch afterwards
The cafe does not serve food suitable for children only a biscuit shaped like a seahorse. It is sad to see the Aquarium in this state, even the staff look depressed and sad.
Where is the poor Alligator?
Dont expect to see alot if you visit, and don't expect a nice cafe lunch afterwards
Written 12 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate your feedback and are happy to say that we are working on improving our signage - te reo and Māori knowledge and storytelling will be key developments made across the site.
We endeavour to make sure the Aquarium is a very family friendly destination with diver displays, penguin talks and a range of activities on, particularly over the school holidays. For our smaller visitors, it always pays to pop up to the Penguin Cove viewing platform so they can get a higher viewpoint of the enclosure if the little penguins can’t be seen swimming around in the underwater viewing area.
We’re sorry that was your experience in the nocturnal house. It is a challenge balancing that our kiwis’ needs are met with the low light levels, and do encourage visitors to spend a bit longer to allow their eyes to adjust to the space.
Cheryl, our American Alligator, returned to her home at Butterfly Creek, Auckland, in February after her time with us here. She is missed, but some of the team have been up to visit since she returned and they can definitely recommend a visit to Butterfly Creek!
Written 15 November 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vicky U
London, UK471 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We have been to some great Aquaria including Lisbon and in Singapore zoo so I found the scale of this disappointingly small. Some of the exhibit tanks were small and the number of them correspondingly so. As a diver I don’t like to see the sharks and rays in such a small space and my comparisons are to the other aquaria I have visited. And sadly the kiwis were on holiday. But I thought the educational aspects were good. Information for kids was funny and interesting and as a learning tool it seemed
to fit the bill
to fit the bill
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stewarts Vacation
1,535 contributions
Feb 2020
For a small city, this is a decent sized aquarium and houses a fair range of sea creatures, also a tuatara and kiwi. Some pools were very small for the size of the fish, and other pools contained very few fish. The displays have good signage and the aquarium is well laid out. A highlight was the feeding of the little penguins. The travellator in the large oceanarium was not operating until the feeding of the sharks started, which was interesting timing. It was very noisy and squeaky! There is also a small gift shop and cafe. The coffee was good and the muffins and scones a generous size, but there was no offer of butter and no cutlery available for eating them! There is ample parking. If you have visited large aquariums in big cities, then you should probably skip this one.
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mat6174
Singapore, Singapore33 contributions
Jan 2021 • Family
Seeing a kiwi bird (nocturnal, lives in forests) and tuatara in the aquarium was surprising - they have their place in a zoo, but we were not looking forward seeing them here.
A bit underwhelming at that price; perhaps we were spoiled with the aquariums we visited in the past. It pales in comparison to Spore’s.
A bit underwhelming at that price; perhaps we were spoiled with the aquariums we visited in the past. It pales in comparison to Spore’s.
Written 2 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes the S.E.A Singapore Aquarium is amazing. Thankyou for dropping into the National Aquarium of New Zealand and we are sorry that we didn't meet your expectations on this visit.
Written 25 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lee-Ann M
Auckland, New Zealand19 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
It was an easy way to spend an hour but the building and aquarium did feel tired and in need of some updating, love and care. Given it’s the national aquarium we did expect more. But it is always nice to spend time with animals so we enjoyed our visit. Just set your expectations before visiting.
Written 27 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou for your review.:)
Written 25 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul C
Katikati, New Zealand51 contributions
Feb 2020
At first, I was a little underwhelmed with the National Aquarium, I was comparing it to KellyTarltons but when you factor in the price then it was a worthwhile diversion. Tuatara, Water dragons and Kiwi are also there. The highlight of the trip was definitely watching the Little penguins being fed.
Written 20 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for visiting us! We're pleased you enjoyed the range of species we have and our Little Penguins are definitely one of the highlights for our visitors.
Written 20 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ingrid M
Wellington, New Zealand41 contributions
Sept 2020
We went there last weekend. I was very disappointed in the aquarium.
It wasn’t busy when we were wandering around. We saw the penguins being fed, which was also disappointing. The chap that had the microphone wasn’t over enthused about the experience either by the sound of his voice.
Being the National Aquarium of NZ it really was a complete let down.
I would imagine visitors to NZ would also be disappointed.
We would have spent about an hour there. The coffee shop was closed when we got to the end of the aquarium. Would have been nice to have a drink after.
It wasn’t busy when we were wandering around. We saw the penguins being fed, which was also disappointing. The chap that had the microphone wasn’t over enthused about the experience either by the sound of his voice.
Being the National Aquarium of NZ it really was a complete let down.
I would imagine visitors to NZ would also be disappointed.
We would have spent about an hour there. The coffee shop was closed when we got to the end of the aquarium. Would have been nice to have a drink after.
Written 8 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samantha Nicholson
Wellington, New Zealand64 contributions
Jan 2020
We really enjoyed our trip to the Aquarium, its not a big aquarium and its not super cheap but it is still very enjoyable. I really liked seeing the penguins and the seahorse. the clear tunnel to see the sharks and stingray was really cool and my step daughter enjoyed watching the divers cleaning the tank haha. all in all im glad we went.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amc18082017
Perth, Australia
Hi, what range of sizes do you have for wetsuits, i.e. is there an upper/lower size/weight limit that will impact who can/can't participate in the swim with the sharks?
We have a group of 5 adults that range from 50-120kgs that would like to do this swim in December.
Thanks
thanks
Written 25 September 2017
Hi, we had no problems with size, group ranging from 110kgs to 80kgs. Very accommodating instructor ensuring we were comfortable and well briefed. Take a camera for some great close ups of the sharks. Enjoy!
Written 4 October 2017
I was wondering if the kiwi encounters can be booked for February, and what exactly they encompass?
Written 23 January 2017
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
Thank you for your question. This Encounter involves Kiwi and Tuatara, a native reptile. You will help the keeper prepare food for both animals. You will get a one on one overview of both species and what makes them so unique.
You can book a Kiwi & Tuatara Encounter in February.
Time: Tuesday, Thursday at 10:30am.
Duration: Approximately 45 minutes.
Participants: Maximum of 2 people. Minimum age 6 years. Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Bookings: Bookings are essential and subject to availability/confirmation.
As this forum does not allow email or web links, please visit our website to make a booking
Written 29 January 2017
Huan F
New Zealand
Hello, I saw there is a "dive in main tank" function listed in the price page of National Aquarium's website, but there is no more detailed info about it. Is it still running? How much is it and how can I book?
Written 8 April 2016
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
Hi, Thanks for your question. We do not currently have a public option to Scuba Dive at the National Aquarium. The reason it is listed in the price page on our website is for dive schools who sometimes use the Aquarium to teach students.
Written 25 April 2016
Hello! How can I get to the Aquarium from Rotorua?
Written 26 February 2016
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
From Rotorua, travel to Taupo along state highway 5 and then from Taupo to Napier along state highway 1. The National Aquarium can be found along the marine parade in Napier. This is a two and a half to three hour trip by car. Hope this helps
Written 28 February 2016
Approximately how many sharks are in the tank for the swim? I would love to do this if there are quite a few...
Written 9 November 2015
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
Thank you for your question. We have 5 Species of Shark – Seven Gill Sharks, Carpet Sharks, Spiny Dogs, Rig and School Sharks. There are around 30 individual sharks, ranging from less than a metre up to almost 3 metres in size. There are also Short Tailed Stingrays and up to 20 species of fish.
Written 9 November 2015
how to get there from the cruise ship with one older passenger.
Written 28 December 2014
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
There is a shuttle/bus service that operates during cruise ship visits. This runs from the ship and into the city and then loops back around to the ship. Stops include the information centre and the National Aquarium of New Zealand. Hope this helps.
Written 29 December 2014
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