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Things to do in Napier
National Aquarium of New Zealand

National Aquarium of New Zealand, Napier: Hours, Address, National Aquarium of New Zealand Reviews: 4/5

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National Aquarium of New Zealand

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National Aquarium of New Zealand
4
1,435
#16 of 65 things to do in Napier
Aquariums
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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
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We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
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55 within 10 kms
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2
12 mMonuments & Statues • Fountains
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Popular mentions
4.0
1,435 reviews
Excellent
544
Very good
544
Average
268
Poor
53
Terrible
26
Danielle
1 contribution
Wonderful experience
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
Who doesn't love a good aquarium?!
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
Don’t bother
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
Disappointed It's Our National Aquarium
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
A quick visit
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
Enjoyed and loved it
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
Good for children to learn
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
Beautiful Turtle
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
Run down
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
Disappointing due to Covid re-strictions
Oct 2021
So much the grandchildren couldn't do due to
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions about National Aquarium of New Zealand
National Aquarium of New Zealand is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
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