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    Downtown Aquarium

    3.2 (1.1k reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Downtown Aquarium Photos

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    Cool Shark Slushie collectible Cup
    Shanna N.

    This was such a fun day with my grandson! Are aquarium is pretty small so adding this additional little fun piece grabbing lunch or dinner here was perfect! I made online reservations. I recommend doing so. The hostess was so sweet and accommodating and made sure we were sat right next to the water for the best experience. I love how fun the atmosphere is with the lighting and hanging fish! My grandson had a lot of fun food choices for his age! The reason I am giving it 4 stars is because the food was just okay...nothing spectacular. Service was good but my waitress was definitely spread thin! We would do it again!

    This was the steak , crab cake and potato's  with green beans . 7.4/10
    Christopher C.

    I went here tonight with the wife . Overall experience with food and aquarium I give it an 8.9/10 . Food was really good here which oddly enough is shocking ! The aquarium portion was fast I mean it took us maybe 25,30 minutes to walk the whole thing could have been longer but the otters weren't really out and the tigers were sleep we think. All in all I love this place and it gave balling ass baller vibes . Thank you Denver we love you like two buttnaked Polar Bears fighting over whale blubba...

    Sarah S.

    Ok, know before you go and set your expectations accordingly. You know admission is expensive because you can see what prices are from website. Is this a place you go multiple times a year? No. Will you see a lot of animals? Yes. Is the restaurant expensive? Yes. The food is decent. My burger was great actually. It's not a 5 star restaurant so if the food isn't exactly as you expected, just calm down. If you don't want to eat there, then don't. Bottom line, I like the aquarium, I would recommend you go at least once in your life. And stop bitching about every little thing.

    Oh look it's a shark!
    Mandy S.

    By far one of the best aquariums we've been to thus far! My 2 year old really enjoyed seeing all of the fishes, shark, turtle, sting rays and tigers! We had so much fun! Towards the end of the aquarium they have a bunch of activities for the kids. You can feed and touch sting rays and there's also a restaurant attached to the aquarium.

    Turtles
    Mark C.

    Really a wonderful aquarium plus some additional animals to view and meet. They also have a great restaurant. Lots of exhibits to entertain both young and old alike. Small aquariums to HUGE! Look at CityPass for discounts.

    Lucky M.

    So cool to go see , The Dolphin show was amazing, staff was really friendly , was able to pet a stingray , all around awesome place to visit.

    Sarah A.

    Our family has had a membership for a number of years. As we are all adults, we normally come in the evening when it is less crowded. They are open until 9pm on Friday and Saturday and 8pm the rest of the week. On this particular day, I had come for a different purpose. My daughter was completing her first two open water dives for scuba certification. I went to the host station at the restaurant, explained why I was there and asked if I could have a reservation for 1 for about 15 minutes before they were to enter the water having the specific times from the instructor. Stephanie was able to put me down for one of the tables on the 1st level which is down some stairs right past the entrance. This was the area where they would be working on their skills. Bri was my server. I ordered a house margarita and the shrimp and crab dip. This dip has crabmeat, shrimp, poblano peppers, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese and comes with garlic bread or tortilla chips. I asked if I could go half and half with the bread and tortilla chips. While I snacked, I watched the dive instructor set up the area for the students. The margarita was pleasant and I sipped slowly as I was going to be there for a bit. I also had a water and a Sprite. Great service! I was able to watch the two dives before checking out and then waiting for my daughter to complete putting away her equipment.

    Broiled Fisherman's Platter
    Chazton S.

    Food was great. No complaints on the food. Service looked little chaotic. In their defense, the aquarium was hosting 2 High School Proms the same night and the restaurant had a lot of the high school students dining in while other large parties were dining as well. So I do get it. High respect to the staff.

    Mariah L.

    Overpriced. While still cool to see, mostly had fish. Didn't really have much else other things. We went when there were tons of adults and people didn't really make room for those with young kids. Hard to have the kids actually see. Not enough bathrooms and the gift shop was small, mostly had things not Denver related

    Long line
    Regan H.

    The aquarium is fine and it's nice that we have the activity during winter in Denver. However, waiting almost an hour in line (with upset toddlers outside in the cold) to "check in" for a bracelet even though we bought online tickets ruined the experience a bit. The line to buy tickets in person was shorter than the line to check in for online tickets. What's the point? To make matters worse, there is a sign out front that says "skip the line and buy online". THEN after you get your bracelet you have to wait in another line to have your bracelet checked. My son had to resort to peeing in a corner outside because we couldn't access the bathrooms. Super frustrating way to begin the experience and it seems like we could simply scan a QR code at the door and call it a day. It's not a high security prison, it's a fish tank.

    Nice choice for a windy Sunday.
    Phillip B.

    We decided to visit the aquarium today. It's kind of pricey but the kids enjoy it especially being in a land locked state they can enjoy the fish up close and personal as they normally would not have a chance to see them otherwise. Also I was surprised that they had times now to go in. Out of the many years I've been we normally just go in. We've never had to wait especially 45 minutes wait. While there we decided to eat at the restaurant. The timeframe we went it was busy and about a 10-15 minute wait. As we were sat Dalilah was our server. She was very short with us initially and wasn't too pleasant. My godson said he even saw her roll her eyes after she walked away to put our order in. If we weren't hungry I would have left. All in all we had a pleasant experience, not one we can do regularly mind you. ***From start to finish they awarded military discounts from buying tickets to the gift shop to the restaurant. That's not normal for entertainment establishments. Normally you only get a discount on tickets only.

    Sarah G.

    Honestly the Downtown Aquarium in Denver was the low point of our Colorado trip this past spring. When planning our trip, we knew we wanted to do dinner at Casa Bonita on the way in and so we thought we'd plan something family friendly to explore in Denver the following day. Knowing that spring can be just about any kind of weather I thought the Aquarium might be a safe bet, and given that Denver is a good size city I figured it would be big enough to entertain us for a few hours and let the kids get their wiggles out so to speak. I reserved us timed tickets for around 10 am and was looking forward to it. Flash forward to the day of, and despite us taking a long time to pack up and get both kids out of the hotel, we were on track to make it just in time for our 10am spot. I don't know why, but on this particular Saturday morning the Aquarium was SO busy that when we got closer the traffic to park at the aquarium was backed up onto the actual highway. By the time we parked it was about 10am on the dot, but we were now faced with a massive line, and not just one line but two massive lines with no signage as to which line was for folks who had already purchased tickets and who needed to purchase tickets. After speaking with others in line everyone was frustrated and confused so while they held the spot for me, I ventured up to the front and saw a sign that suggested that one line was for ticket holders and one for folks that needed a ticket. We followed those rules and waited probably 20-25 minutes to get to the front, which just spit us out at the box office with everyone else - literally no difference for either line and honestly no reason for me to have pre-purchased our tickets and stressed about the timing. I was already annoyed, and then when I chatted with the box office worker she was like oh you'll be in the 11 o clock group and I said, well our tickets are for 10, and she said, 11, and gave me our wrist bands without allowing for any further discussion. It was about 10:30 and I couldn't believe the lack of customer service and inability to manage these lines on an average Saturday morning. We went ahead and walked in and got to the photographer, which is where you start. She very rudely told me we can't go in yet because we have 11am wristbands. I told her we purchased for 10am and she was seriously one of the rudest people I've encountered in some time. She took our photo mid conversation with her and we went to the ticket tearer, who had no problem honoring our ticketed time of 10am. At this point my husband and I were probably at below a 1 star for this place but it did redeem itself with some fun exhibits and entertainment for our 5 year old. The only reason it didn't bump back up to three stars is that it took us about an hour to do the whole thing and when we got to the end we were honestly shocked it was over. We were like where do we go now? Is that all? It's a very small aquarium for the price and for what is advertised. If they get their ticketing and parking figured out AND manage expectations better I think it could be a four star spot, but it's got some work to do.

    Taylor T.

    First visit to the Denver aquarium and we love all the animals! I took my 4 month old and she was so curious about all the things. There was definitely enough stimulation after an hour of walking around. They have some other cool events such as mermaids, tiger shows, educational tours, swimming with sharks, or you can even rent a space for birthday parties or conferences. The aquarium itself is a pretty decent size but the location of things is confusing. The main aquarium is through side doors and after you make your way through it exits you on the other side. There's no straight cut to the store. You have to exit and walk back past the ticket counter, past the main doors, and go into the very last doors under the restaurant. The gift shop was small and tight to get around with a stroller when it's packed. But there are lots of cute options for toys, trinkets, and stuffed animals. The restaurant looks pretty fancy but we couldn't see anyone dining. Parking lot is $8 and across the street. Not bad! Ticket counter: the lady that helped us wasn't too thrilled to be there, which wasn't great customer service. They do offer military discount so don't forget your ID!

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    1 month ago

    It was very satisfying, the host Melissa give me a great service and Grace was very kind this was great service

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    1 month ago

    Amazing Service, Great Food, and Awesome environment. Given multiple refills and checked on by our kind server - Dalilah

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    Page 1 of 28

    Downtown Aquarium Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Downtown Aquarium

    Do you need to purchase tickets prior?

    You can purchase tickets on site.

    How's the aquarium? Visiting Denver for 5 nights and wanted to see if this should be on my must see list?

    The Aquarium is small, and not the best I've visited. It is fun if you have children, but if you will be in Denver for only 5 days, I wouldn't include this on the list. There are so many other great things to explore in Denver that will be more… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Downtown Aquarium

    Our daughter at a year and a half, absolutely loved the mermaid show and wanted nothing more than to see them perform all day.

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    Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

    Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

    4.2
    (349 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Such a wonderful place for children! I love the variety of different exhibits as well as the…read moreavailability of outdoor activities. My 2 year old especially loves the ball area and the food area. The story time was done by a music student who sang the books and had a wonderful voice. It was definitely not your average story time. I would recommend brining or wearing a bathing suit for the water exhibit if your kid gets really into it or for the water area outside. Lots of parking available for free on site. We did the membership for $170 for year for the family which seems like a great deal if you go more than a few times.

    High 3 stars because my son ultimately did have fun & the museum has a lot of clever exhibits in a…read moremodern, pleasing to the eye campus. There are two glaring things though that make me hesitate to ever want to make a second trip. One is the cafe. I'm not expecting the bougie majesty like you get at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but this is in Denver. I'd consider us a pretty cosmopoliton city & this being THE Children's Museum for CO (since it's in our capitol), it should have a proper quick service option. Cold food options, fine, but a microwave for hot options? So disappointing. I noticed a lot of space dedicated to private parties, etc. Can we not junk that in favor of a real sit down spot? The worst thing though was the behavior of the older children that make the museum unusable in certain areas. Seemed to specficially be the kids on field trips. My nearly 2 year old loves a ball so you can imagine his delight in discovering the "Kinetics!" area. Despite there being what seems like a ton of balls, a bunch of unruly older children have managed to hoard them to where even adults can't wrangle one measly ball for their kid to hold. Once my poor son managed to acquire one, he ran off to a quiet corner & refused to let me show him how the exhibit worked with the tubes, etc. because he was too concerned about the ball being taken from him. Well, he was right to be concerned as these selfish older children came over & tried to take the ball from him despite them hoarding the entire room's balls insisting that they need that one too. My husband's head nearly exploded. The Bloom room is really the only safe haven for any kid let alone the young ones but my son will age out soon and then what? He's 99 percentile so even though he's one, he's already the size of a four year old but he still gets run over in rooms that are supposed to be for "all ages." Once my son ages out of the Bloom room there really is no incentive for us to come back here as the experience is way too violent, overstimulating, & a bully's playground. Similar instances happened in the Bubble room & the Market as well with different gangs of field trippers. We came on what felt like a very average day crowd wise (Thurs 9-11:30AM) so I can't imagine how awful it would be on a busier day. Really a shame that poorly parented/chaperoned kids have to ruin the experience of so many other children as I've seen multiple other reviews complain about the same thing. I should have take them more seriously.

    Photos
    The gondola
    The gondola
    Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
    Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

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    Denver Zoo

    Denver Zoo

    4.0
    (916 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    Amazing zoo! Very family oriented to families of all ages…read more I liked the map and ease of navigation around the zoo. Drinks and foods available and staged throughout the zoo in decent distances of each other. Drinks and food were available for all ages of attendees. Really loved the areas you could actually walk inside and be with the animals ( safe animals) like the Wallaby's and Lorikeets. Up close and personal. Could also feed the Lorikeets. Nice presentation by several animals like penguins and elephants ( there were more ). The train ride although short was a big hit with constant lines waiting to get onboard. Great zoo to visit when in Denver!

    The light displays were stunning! I went at 8:30 PM on opening night. Since it was past most kids…read morebedtimes it was incredibly peaceful. It's a great environment to put one headphone in and just take your time. Each section has cute photo-ops with themed frames. Service: The service was excellent! Everyone was helpful and kind. Plus, parking is free! Pricing: Prices vary by day, so definitely check the website before you go. - Value Nights (Mon-Thu): Adults/Seniors: $24.95 | Youth: $17.95 - Weekends (Fri-Sun): Adults/Seniors: $27.95 | Youth: $19.95 Kids 2 and under are always free! Experience: The free silent disco (included with admission) was such a fun surprise with Disney and Pop channels. I also loved seeing the three giraffes out eating at night. It's a totally different perspective. There was also a live show happening, though I was too busy wandering to catch the whole thing! Overall: I highly recommend checking this out. It's a great family activity, but also perfect for a solo me time night if you go later. Special Nights to Look For: - Adult Nights (21+): April 2 & May 7 ($34.95, includes a drink!) - Sensory Friendly Night: April 12 (Reduced crowds & low-volume music) - Scout Nights: March 27 & April 3

    Photos
    Enjoying the day at the Denver Zoo
    Enjoying the day at the Denver Zoo
    The colorful parrots
    The colorful parrots
    Bat info

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    Bat info
    Denver Museum of Nature and Science

    Denver Museum of Nature and Science

    4.2
    (749 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    Our family of seven adults and three young children descended upon the Denver Museum of Nature &…read moreScience. We joined as members, which turned out to be a great value since the membership cost less than purchasing individual tickets and allowed us to return throughout the year. Some of the toddlers were especially excited to see The World's Largest Dinosaurs exhibit (a separate ticket is required), which explores the biology and amazing anatomy of sauropods, the largest land animals ever to walk the Earth. We also enjoyed Discovering Teen Rex, which featured interactive exhibits for the kids. The fossil preparation lab was on display as well, showcasing Triceratops and Edmontosaurus fossils along with the tools used by paleontologists. Both exhibits were listed as temporary. The biggest surprise was the Wildlife Halls on the second and third floors. These 90-plus wildlife and habitat dioramas are beautifully detailed, many featuring enormous and exotic animals within realistic ecosystem settings. Everyone was impressed by how clean and vibrant they looked, especially compared to the classic dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History, which we still greatly enjoy. The Discovery Zone on the second floor was the biggest hit with the children. Designed for kids up to age eight, it offers a variety of hands-on exhibits. From uncovering buried bones in the sand to designing custom bug badges and experimenting with the force of moving water, it was difficult to pull the kids away. Outside the museum, there are additional attractions including animal statues, a playground, and a splash fountain. The museum is located within the expansive Central Park area, providing plenty of room to explore before or after your visit. We found the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to be well worth the visit and highly recommend it for adults and children of all ages.

    Denver has a great museum, so if you come here be sure to check it out. It's a great experience of…read moreColorado history, while also having tons of science and the exhibits that rotate in and out are great too. They have free days every so often. They tend to be packed but it's a great time, the building feels so alive with so many people. Come by and check it out, you will love it.

    Photos
    Protomammal and amphibian
    Protomammal and amphibian
    Brown bear
    Brown bear
    Sulfosalts

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    Sulfosalts
    Denver Art Museum

    Denver Art Museum

    4.2
    (694 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    A large, impressive museum with something for everyone. The main museum is technically two museums…read more(there are a total of three), the Hamilton building and the Martin building. Sections include modern and contemporary African art, arts of Oceania, Western American art, latin American art, indigenous art, alaskan art. They also have textile, fashion, and architecture exhibitions. They also have rotating temporary exhibitions. When I visited, it was European and American art. I had a little fun finding paintings of judgmental looking people and making a "we listen and we judge" instagram post. All the rooms are large and well curated/presented. I visited on a Tuesday and it was free (I still donated). On regular days, admission is 30 dollars, but gets you into all three museums, including the Kirkland (reviewed separately), which is right next door. I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves as far as the variety available at this museum.

    The depth and breadth of the Denver Art Museum's collection is breathtaking. There is so much to…read morelearn and enjoy in the standing exhibits and the rotating exhibits that amaze and delight the senses. The current exhibition on Australian Indigenous Art "The Stars We Do Not See" is a stunning example of how much there is to gain and appreciate from going to see something you know nothing about. I particularly enjoy the tours, ongoing programs and lectures that the Museum offers. In conjunction with with the Aboriginal exhibit, the monthly "Mindful Looking" program offered a deep dive into one painting in that exhibit as a group of maybe 50 patrons listened in rapt attention as the curator of "The Stars We Do Not See" gave us a deep understanding of not only how that piece was made, but also its historical, symbolic and hidden perspectives. This is just a tiny slice of the education, amazement and enjoyment the Denver Art Museum has to offer. It's a treasure.

    Photos
    Part of the Wild Things Exhibit
    Part of the Wild Things Exhibit
    All Stars - American Artists exhibition
    All Stars - American Artists exhibition
    Harsh lighting in some rooms

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    Harsh lighting in some rooms

    Downtown Aquarium - museums - Updated July 2026

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