Get ready to embark on an underwater adventure in the heart of Melbourne CBD!
Take your family to explore the fascinating world of marine life at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, one of Melbourne’s most popular family attractions.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium is one of our go-to indoor places when the weather’s wild – hot, cold, wet. The aquarium regularly promotes new features, events and activities to make it a more appealing attraction for families.
Melbourne Aquarium Exhibits
The SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium is divided into several themed zones and exhibits, each showcasing a unique aspect of marine life. Some of the notable zones include:
- Night on the Reef: Dive into a bioluminescent wonderland filled with tropical fish, sharks, eagle rays, and more.
- Coral Caves: Immerse yourself in the vibrant colors of coral reefs and the diversity of marine species that call them home.
- Antarctica: Experience the chilling cold of Antarctica and witness playful penguins in a state-of-the-art exhibit.
- Rainforest Adventure: Explore the lush rainforest environment, complete with cascading waterfalls and exotic creatures like turtles and crocodiles.
- Mermaid Garden: This area features seahorses, sea dragons, and other enchanting creatures that resemble underwater gardens.
- Bay of Rays: Get up close to graceful rays and other gentle giants of the ocean as they glide through the water.
- Ocean Invaders: Immerse yourself in three interactive zones teeming with a captivating variety of mesmerizing jellyfish species.
The recent $9 million renovation has transformed the basement-level oceanarium into a lively, thriving ecosystem, mirroring the enchanting beauty and diversity of coral reefs worldwide.
This 360° habitat offers a close encounter with fascinating marine species. Educational presentations by marine experts add a layer of understanding to the fragile ecosystems these creatures call home.
The layout of the aquarium exhibits means a bit of travelling between floors which are easily negotiated with a pram using the lift and ramps.
Melbourne Aquarium Highlights
One of our favourite parts is getting up close to the penguins and watching as they waddle and swim, plus seeing the cute penguin chicks snuggling into their parents. At 11:30am and 3:30pm daily you get to watch the keepers feed the penguins.
Another highlight for the kids is seeing Pinjarra, the 6-metre-long saltwater crocodile!
To take a break from the fish check out the Ice Age: No Time for Nuts 4D cinema. What is 4D cinema? Not only do you wear the kooky paper glasses, other special events occur including smoke, vibrating chairs and gusts of air.
The movie goes for 10 minutes and is recommended for 4+ years, though Baby 2.0 (3yo) is still ok.
Outside the cinema is an interactive touchscreen game and a wall of ice for sensory play.
The Art Aquarium is an exhibit where kids are encouraged to colour in and decorate fish. You then scan your creation and watch it come to life on the big screen.
The Art Aquarium has the potential to be a great feature but unfortunately, the scanner is not working on our visit (or at least the bunch of parents who were there with us couldn’t work out how to use it).
There are opportunities to get hands-on in some of the tanks and you get to pick up and touch some of the sea creatures.
The fish-feeding experience is low-tech but quite fun for toddlers because you feed the fish living in the massive tank. The kids love dropping the pellets into the water and watching the fish rise to feed.
Finally, entry to SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium doesn’t have to be expensive if you take advantage of various offers and discounts available. BUY discount tickets to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium.
You can also buy a combined discount ticket to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium and Legoland Melbourne.
You can also buy a membership if you’re planning to visit regularly. It’s one of the best memberships for Melbourne families.
The SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium is not just a place for fun and entertainment; it’s also an immersive, hands-on place to learn more about the biology, behaviour, and conservation of marine life.
HOT Tips:
- BUY discount tickets to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium or a combined discount ticket to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium and Legoland Melbourne to save time and money;
- Under 4s are free;
- Pram friendly with ramps and stairs;
- Ice Age: No Time for Nuts 4D cinema is billed at being suitable for kids 4+ years;
- Cafe on site, though I prefer eating at The Grain Store instead or BYO food;
- parents room with change facilities available;
- best access during the weekday is via public transport;
- on weekends book cheaper parking at Wilson Parking or Secure Parking;
DON’T MISS OUT!
Buy SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium Tickets
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