Bonus Experiences Combine Fun & Learning
Everyone knows the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is a great place to get an up-close look at the creatures that inhabit our local marine environment. The Aquarium’s year-round bonus experiences (free with admission) add a new and unexpected dimension to your visit.
- Curiosity Carts are stationed inside both Aquarium buildings year-round. Aquarium educators and volunteers will introduce you and your child to unusual artifacts and engaging hands-on activities that are sure to spark your curiosity. Curiosity Cart topics include Beach Finds; Sharks; Skins, Scales and Skeletons; Teeth: Who Lost Them?; and Meet an Animal Ambassador.
- Nature Trail Activities provide opportunities to see blue crabs and other creek creatures up close, observe tadpoles from the freshwater pond, and learn how to identify animal tracks with an Aquarium volunteer. Mid-June to Labor Day; trail activities are weather-dependent, and activities may vary from day to day.
- Feeding Times mean time to eat! Watch Aquarium animals, like the harbor seals, fish, sea turtles, birds and rays, being fed throughout the Aquarium and throughout the day. An Aquarium educator or volunteer will be available to answer your questions. Check with the admissions staff for specific feeding times.
- Diver Down! lets you observe the Aquarium’s volunteer divers as they perform maintenance in our largest aquariums. An Aquarium educator or volunteer will be available to answer your questions. All locations are in the Bay & Ocean Pavilion:
| 11 a.m.daily/3:30 p.m. weekends |
Chesapeake Bay Aquarium |
| 4 p.m. Mondays |
Sea Turtle Aquarium |
| 4 p.m. Wednesdays |
Norfolk Canyon Aquarium |
| 6 p.m. Thursdays |
Harbor Seal Pool |
- Toddler Tuesdays are perfect for preschoolers. Every Tuesday at 11 a.m., enjoy an age-appropriate program that includes stories, songs, and an adventure in the Aquarium. On the third Tuesday of the month, a puppet show features a cast of “see-worthy” characters. These 30-minute programs are held in the Marsh Pavilion.
- Shark Sense sheds light on these denizens of the deep. Learn more about the amazing adaptations that have helped sharks survive in the ocean for millions of years. Every day at 2 p.m. in the Norfolk Canyon Aquarium seating area.
For more information about these programs, call (757) 385-FISH.