New England Aquarium Entry Ticket Boston

The Giant Ocean Tank

The Giant Ocean Tank is the centrepiece of the aquarium, a four-storey cylinder that recreates a Caribbean coral reef. It is about 23 feet deep and holds around 200,000 gallons of salt water, with sea turtles, stingrays, eels and hundreds of reef fish. A spiral walkway lets you follow the animals from the bottom level to the top, so you see the tank from several angles.

This is the exhibit most visitors remember, and it is the answer if you are asking what to see at the New England Aquarium first. Allow time to walk the full spiral slowly, because the view changes at every level. Around the base you will find smaller displays, including reef life that you cannot see from the main tank.

Penguins, seals and sea lions

Around the base of the Giant Ocean Tank lives a colony of more than 50 penguins on the first level. The aquarium breeds African penguins as part of a conservation programme, and feeding and training times are often the liveliest moments of the visit. Watch for the birds diving and swimming in the water beside you.

Outside on the front plaza you can see harbor seals in an open-air exhibit, and California sea lions play in the marine mammal centre. Training sessions are held during the day, so check the schedule when you arrive. If you are wondering whether the aquarium is a good day out with children, the animals at eye level make it an easy yes.

Coral reefs and more galleries

Beyond the main tank you can explore the Yawkey Coral Reef Centre, with dwarf seahorses, garden eels and staghorn coral, and the Indo-Pacific coral reef with its floor-to-ceiling displays of colourful fish. The aquarium also has galleries on New England waters, freshwater habitats and rainforest species such as piranhas.

Each gallery has clear signs explaining the animals and the threats they face, and the aquarium is active in conservation and research, so your visit supports that work. A short walk through the galleries takes a couple of hours, but you can stay longer if you enjoy reading the displays.

Visiting the New England Aquarium

The aquarium is at Central Wharf, a short walk from the Aquarium subway station on the Blue Line and from Faneuil Hall and the North End. If you are asking how to get to the New England Aquarium, the subway is the easiest way, and your voucher confirms the entrance. Your ticket is for a timed slot, so arrive a few minutes early and show your voucher.

The best time to visit is a weekday morning, when crowds are smaller. Weekends and school holidays are busy. There is a free timed ticket for children aged two and under. The Simons Theatre show is an optional extra and is not included, and food, drinks and transport are not included either. Opening hours change by season.