National Aquarium of New Zealand
National Aquarium of New Zealand, Napier: Hours, Address, National Aquarium of New Zealand Reviews: 4/5
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
The National Aquarium of New Zealand, on Napier’s Marine Parade, is home to over 100 rich and diverse saltwater, freshwater and land animal exhibits from New Zealand and around the world. You can view native saltwater and freshwater species, as well as exotic reef and deep-sea fish from around the world. Meet the famous Naughty and Good Little Penguins! The kiwi, tuatara and penguin enclosures provide an insight into New Zealand's most precious species. Also on exhibition are species from the Americas, Asia and Australia, including piranhas. Allow one to two hours to make the most of your visit or book a close encounter with our Little Penguins, Piranha, Tuatara or Kiwi. Open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9am to 5pm. Last entry is at 4.30pm. Daily feeding times are 10am for the reef fish and 2pm for the sharks. The penguins are fed at 9.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Features animals
Learn more about animal welfare in tourismSuggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience National Aquarium of New Zealand and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
160 within 5 kms

Restaurant Indonesia
1,458
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Asian • Healthy • Indonesian

Continental Fish Supplies
47
0.3 km$ • Quick Bites • Seafood • Fast food

Thai Hutt Restaurant Napier
439
0.8 km$$ - $$$ • Asian • Thai • Vegetarian Friendly

Burton's Restaurant
87
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • International • European • Contemporary

Lick This
86
0.7 km$ • Dessert

Bollywood Stars Indian Tandoori Restaurant
339
1 km$$ - $$$ • Indian • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly

Pacifica Kaimoana Restaurant
539
0.9 km$$$$ • Seafood • New Zealand • Gluten Free Options

The Coffee Corner
6
0.5 km

Poivre & Sel
72
1 km$$$$ • French • European • Vegetarian Friendly

Six Sisters Coffee House
305
0.9 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Attractions
55 within 10 kms

Spirit of Napier
2
12 mMonuments & Statues • Fountains

Millenial Arch Sculpture
1
0.4 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues

Hawke's Bay Trails
144
0.9 kmBiking Trails • Hiking Trails

Napier i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
400
1.2 kmVisitor Centres

Faraday Centre museum
162
1.4 kmSpeciality Museums • Science Museums

Junior Bike Track
1
0.5 kmBiking Trails

Sunken Gardens
261
1.1 kmGardens

McLean Park
24
0.6 kmArenas & Stadiums

Marine Parade
1,461
1.8 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks

Bay Skate
11
0.7 kmParks • Playgrounds
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.0
1,435 reviews
Excellent
544
Very good
544
Average
268
Poor
53
Terrible
26
Danielle
1 contribution
May 2022 • Solo
The penguin experience was wonderful! Very informative, lovely staff and the penguins were beautiful!! Such little characters!
Written 9 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
StaceyCheer
Arapuni, New Zealand145 contributions
Apr 2022
Really enjoyed this aquarium. Especially loved the penguins and the turtles! Had a lovely coffee and scones at the cafe, and a wee bit of retail therapy in the shop!
Written 11 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dani
Auckland, New Zealand3 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
I would not recommend, over priced and hardly any fish. We thought given it was the national aquarium it would be impressive, we were very very wrong.
Written 24 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Nicole
66 contributions
Jan 2022
I expected a lot from our national aquarium, but was disappointed. There weren't as many varieties of fish etc as I thought, and the enclosures were rather small and I ended up feeling sorry for a lot of the animals, some of which looked particularly unhappy (seahorses and turtle). I couldn't believe how little time it took to walk through the entire thing (though I skipped the kid learning areas), especially as I took my time. No sign of the kiwi either. The only saving grace really was the little blue penguins - it's great to see that the penguins who have been injured and wouldn't survive in the wild can find a home here. The commentary was awkward though, as was the commentary that accompanied the divers in the main tank. There definitely needs to be some spark added to this aquarium.
Written 19 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
heidijeju
Jeju, South Korea34 contributions
Feb 2022
It was a rainy day but we enjoyed our visit, especially the T-Rex giving us a roar! Loved the rays in the overhead tank. Friendly staff :)
Written 16 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Karamjeev K
Auckland, New Zealand28 contributions
Jan 2022
My son had a good time , in the aquarium . Also we enjoyed it . The penguin enclosure was very nice and we loved everything there.
Written 24 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
janicexbrown
Wellington, New Zealand8 contributions
Dec 2021 • Family
Not a huge exhibition but definitely well worth the visit. It helps children to learn about fish and sea creatures in a fun way.
Written 31 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
russlo
Christchurch, New Zealand102 contributions
Oct 2021
We enjoyed our visit here. It was just after the school holidays so we had it almost all to ourselves. The people we encountered that worked here were all very pleasant and happy to answer questions. Very nice place to visit.
Written 8 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ange M
1 contribution
Feb 2021 • Family
Run down. In desperate need of maintenance, for the sake of those poor animals. Animals look sad, in tiny enclosures. Feel so sorry for Terry the turtle, spent nearly 50 years in a closure far too small for him. Cruel. Sharks have grazed noses from hitting the glass :(
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Teresa E
4 contributions
Oct 2021
So much the grandchildren couldn't do due to
Covid restrictions, very sad as we have visited before & it was amazing
Covid restrictions, very sad as we have visited before & it was amazing
Written 12 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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
Braesidedave
Somerset, UK48 contributions
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!
nurunet
Toulouse, France126 contributions
I was wondering if the kiwi encounters can be booked for February, and what exactly they encompass?
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
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?
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.
carlosRedKoyote
Japan41 contributions
Hello! How can I get to the Aquarium from Rotorua?
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
Mattlateer
Bethesda, MD2 contributions
Approximately how many sharks are in the tank for the swim? I would love to do this if there are quite a few...
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.
AltheaTasmania
Tasmania15 contributions
what is the entrance price?
NationalAquariumNZ
Napier, New Zealand
Thanks for your enquiry. Entrance price is $20 for an adult 15yrs and older, $10 for a child 14yrs and younger and under threes are free. There is a family concession price of $54.00 for two adults and two children.
Rangashaz
Port Stephens, Australia3 contributions
how to get there from the cruise ship with one older passenger.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions about National Aquarium of New Zealand
- National Aquarium of New Zealand is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- We recommend booking National Aquarium of New Zealand tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 National Aquarium of New Zealand tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near National Aquarium of New Zealand:
- (0.17 km) Pebble Beach Motor Inn
- (0.28 km) Mon Logis Bed and Breakfast
- (0.35 km) The Nautilus
- (0.42 km) Shoreline Motel Napier
- (0.46 km) Beach Front Motel Napier
- Restaurants near National Aquarium of New Zealand:
- (0.29 km) Restaurant Indonesia
- (0.34 km) Continental Fish Supplies
- (0.38 km) Burton's Restaurant
- (1.00 km) Bollywood Stars Indian Tandoori Restaurant
- (0.81 km) Thai Hutt Restaurant Napier