SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's General Admission
Description
Dive under Auckland's waterfront and you'll discover spectacular secrets of the Southern Ocean and see the magic of an Antarctic fantasyland, complete with penguins strutting in fresh snow and ice! You'll get up close to the majestic King and playful Gentoo penguins, see jellyfish displays, find out how we look after our rescued turtles and check out the world's biggest species of stingray swimming above you at our curved tunnel. Experience over 30 live animal exhibits and see over 80 different species in the 13 themed zones.
Tour Options
Itinerary
At SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium there is over 30 exhibits and more than 80 different species. Featuring 13 themed zones, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium boasts unique attractions including world’s largest Sub-Antarctic penguin colony display, world’s only display of Spiny Sea Dragons and the world’s biggest species of stingray. The Antarctic Encounter is a walk-through penguin encounter which allows visitors to get closer than ever before to the majestic King and playful Gentoo penguins. Kelly Tarlton’s famous Shark Tunnel (The brainchild of renowned marine archaeologist and diver Kelly Tarlton), is home to New Zealand’s largest collection of sharks with Maori Pacifica themed. The Rockpool Experience allows visitors to touch a starfish and, with Amazing Creation and Turtle Rescue interactive zones this truly is a great day out.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Photography is allowed, however use of flashbulbs around the animals is prohibited
- Opens Thursday to Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Open from 9:30am to 5:00pm (last entry at 4.00pm)
- Child 15 years and under must enter with an adult over 16 years of age
- We politely request that you refrain from visiting our aquarium should you start displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Reviews(274)
We planned this trip for weeks and were all very excited on the way to Auckland, driving 3 hours from Rotorua specifically to visit Sea Life. This long journey made the actual experience even more disappointing for our family of four (two adults, an 8-year old and a 2-year old). Unfortunately, we did not like the visit overall. Right from the start, the photos taken when entering the facility were very unsatisfying, as my head was half cut off in the final prints. The biggest disappointment for the kids was the Antarctic exhibition. Even though interesting for us adults, we failed to see the connection to Sea Life. Our 2-year old loved the penguins but we adults felt the enclosure way too small for that many penguins. The play area kept the children entertained for about 15 minutes before they lost interest. On a more positive note, the jellyfish aquariums were a major highlight for the children. They showed the jellyfish close up like you never usually see them. The fluorescent aquatic life was another hit among the kids. The aquarium in the rest and catering area also provided a good sight of the various fish species. However, we noticed issues with the main exhibits. The shallow underwater tunnel was crowded with fish, seemingly forcing them to be visible at all times, and worryingly, several fish showed serious bite marks. The catering was not convincing either. The coffee was served way too hot and tasted burned, while the muffins were extremely sweet. Given the high ticket prices and our extensive travel time, the experience severely lacked quality and value. We would not recommend it.
When we booked we were charged in US$ rather than NZ $ which cost us double the price - no idea why this happened. Kelly Tarltons advised this often happened but could do nothing about it. Very disappointing - out of picket c $40
A fantastic experience. The underwater tunnel is impressive, the penguins are adorable, and the exhibits are well‑curated. Everything is clean, well‑organised, and easy to navigate. Staff are welcoming and happy to answer questions. Great for families and visitors who want a relaxing, educational outing.
It was really good, make sure to stand for a minute on the snow bridge at the beginning of the tour as it will start to spin and move, lots of fun. Go in every corner to not miss anything. There were no Turtles but it had heaps of Penguins which was cool. Admission fee is quicker to book online, and staff were fast at the counter. We were there about a 1.5 hours and didn't stop for food, you could spend less or more time. It was a public holiday and wasn't to busy as most people were eating lunch at the Cafe inside which made 1pm a great time to go to get good pictures and not feel hurried with sea life. Go early as parking can take some time and you can be earlier for admission than your booking time. Really enjoyed the penguins.
Great place to go a must see in Auckland
Really good experience , good price and easy access
This places definitely needs a face lift but it was fine for a morning out.
Great experience for the family
Small aquarium but had some interesting sea life. The shark tunnel and penguins were the best part! There were too many penguins in the enclosure.
I’m disappointed in not knowing you guys are USD and I basically paid triple to go to this trip! I need one of you to contact me to we can talk about this please! Thanks!!
