New York Aquarium – Location
New York Aquarium is located at Coney Island, Brooklyn in New York City. (Coney island is not really an island, and is easily reachable by road and trains – more details are below)
Its exact address is:
502 Surf Avenue at W. 8th St., Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York NY 11224
New York Aquarium – Contact Details
- Phone: 718-265-FISH / 718-265-3474
About New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium is the oldest and most famous aquarium in the United States. The Aquarium has been a part of the city since December 10, 1896 when it opened at its first location in the Battery’s Castle Clinton in Lower Manhattan.
New York Aquarium on the Coney Island Boardwalk
The respected and famous fish expert, Dr. Tarleton Hoffman Bean, was its first director. On October 31, 1902, the New York Zoological Society took charge of caring for the Aquarium.
In the Aquarium’s early years, the aquarium housed only 150 specimens. The renowned zoologist Charles Haskins Townsend enlarged the collections of the aquarium greatly over time. He was also one of the directors of the New York Aquarium.
The Aquarium was relocated to Coney Island in 1941 because of the construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. The aquarium inhabitants were temporarily housed at the Bronx Zoo in the process of relocating.
On June 6, 1957, the New York Aquarium opened its doors at its new location on Coney Island boardwalk. The relocation was a part of a larger plan to revitalize the area.
New York Aquarium Facts
- It uses 1.25 million gallons of water
- It covers an area of 14 acres
- it is home to over 350 species of aquatic wildlife
- It has over 8,000 specimens
What to see at New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium is a great place to visit. It is the home to all sorts of underwater creatures. It has a huge collection of fish, reef, and more.
Underwater Tunnel at the New York Aquarium
The collection features aquatic animals from around the world – some living as close by as the Hudson River, and others from as far as the Arctic.
This huge collection of fish, reef and aquatic animals attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The Aquarium is a good place to visit in all types of weathers because there are many indoor attractions, and a few outdoors.
As you enter the aquarium, there is a huge fish tank with colorful reefs and exotic fishes as well as stingrays, which is visually stimulating. At the aquarium, kids can touch live sea urchins and starfish. An outdoor aqua theater showcases the antics of California sea lions (very similar to seals) and bottle-nosed dolphins.
There are Conservation Hall and Spiffed-up Glover’s Reef, the 167,000-gallon tank that replicates part of the Belize Barrier Reef in the Caribbean. Kids can learn about the delicate ecosystem and its inhabitants.
In spite of their brutal venom, the jellyfish in the Alien Stingers exhibit are an attractive sight. The larger Sea Cliff is the habitat for the walruses, seals, sea otters, penguins, etc, and allows anybody to view the animals from above as well as from underneath the tanks.
California Sea Lion - Seal - Show at the New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium also has 4-D earth theater with movies about nature that are repeated every 15 minutes.
There is a cafe named The Seaside Cafe that offers a variety of meals and snacks for visitors. There are a plenty of volunteers for helping you or for answering your queries.
The NY Aquarium is also home to one of Coney Island’s most important public artworks, the 332-foot long, 10-foot tall cast-concrete “Symphony of the Sea” sculpture wall by artist Toshio Sasaki (one of the eight finalists of the Ground Zero Memorial competition). This sculpture was installed on the boardwalk outside the Aquarium in 1992.
New York Aquarium Hours
The visiting hours for New York aquarium are as follows:
| Winter hours, Nov 6–Mar 30 |
10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Daily |
| Spring hours, Mar 31–May 25 |
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Weekends & Holidays |
| Summer hours, May 26–Sept 3 |
10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Weekends & Holidays |
| Fall hours, Sept 4–Nov 4 |
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Weekends & Holidays |
- The New York Aquarium is open 365 days a year.
- Last entry into the Aquarium is 45 minutes prior to closing.
How to reach New York Aquarium
You can easily reach New York Aquarium by Subway trains or by bus from anywhere in New York City.
A Shark at the New York Aquarium
By Train / Subway
You can take the:
- F, Q trains to the West 8th Street-NY Aquarium subway station in Coney Island
- N, D trains to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station
By Bus
You can reach New York Aquarium by city buses as well. You can take the:
- B36 bus to Surf Avenue and West 8th Street, or
- B68 bus to Neptune Avenue and West 8th Street
New York Aquarium Admission Tickets
A Walrus at the New York Aquarium
Total Experience Ticket
These tickets include general admission and admission to the 4-D theater. These tickets are available March–December.
| Adult | $18.95 |
| Child | $14.95 |
| Senior | $15.95 |
4-D Theater
| Non-Members | $6.00 |
| Members | $4.00 |
General Admission
| Adult | $14.95 |
| Child (Ages 3–12) | $10.95 |
| Senior (65+) | $11.95 |
| Groups | $8.00 |
Entry for children under 3 years is free.
Other Tourist Attractions Near New York Aquarium
- Far Rockaway Beach
Speak Your Mind