Stopped by this massive, totally awesome aquarium during our trip to Utah. We weren't expecting it…read moreto be this big and we spent close to 2 hours here getting our steps in and learning about new things we've never knew about. I think the last aquarium I visited before this one was the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California back in 2015. We arrived here a little after noontime on a Friday. I believe it was the last day of school for kids in Utah the same day we were here, so the parking lot was packed. But despite this, we were easily able to find a parking space close to the entrance. You purchase your ticket and then they scan it around the corner, prompting access to the aquarium. We saw so many animals here, including non-aquatic animals, such as various birds and reptiles. It kinda felt like that this was an aquarium/zoo hybrid. The first thing we saw were jellyfishes and how our visions differ from other animals' visions. It's important to remember not to use flash photography when taking pictures of all the animals, as this can spook them. The shark exhibit here, which was wild, was very similar to the one at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where we live. Two separate touch tank are inside, featuring starfish, sea urchins, and stingrays. They have a South America exhibit and being inside felt like I was exactly in the middle of the jungle in South America with its' humidity in full effect. Inside this exhibit was a massive yellow anaconda, I believe it was about 48" long. I don't like snakes at all, and I'm not going to talk about this any further, so I didn't look at it too much. Other animals found in this exhibit were the red macaw parrot, a toucan, and some poisonous frogs. The frogs were trying to hide from us but weren't trying hard enough. Upon leaving, we almost missed out on seeing the Ford Expedition Asia exhibit (sponsored by the Ford Motor Company?), which can be found on the opposite side of the aquarium. It's a good thing we looked at the directory before we left, because we didn't see it when we first entered. This exhibit is definitely good for kids because they have a playground inside. Before leaving, we stopped at the gift shop and picked up some souvenirs to take back with us. I got myself a snow globe, a sticker to put on my water bottle, and a magnet for one of my friends who enjoys collecting magnets. They have a lot of stuff to choose from, but the snow globe, the sticker and the magnet were some of my favorites that caught my eye. This was definitely worth visiting! I highly recommend if you're ever in Utah.

Amazing place. So wonderful to visit. That was a very fast four hours…read more We arrived at opening and there was already quite a crowd. When we left, the parking lot was overflowing and cars circling around trying to find a parking space. Still, with the influx of larger crowds to parking lot capacity, it didn't feel crowded inside. This is a wonderful place to visit. A wonderful place to bring family and friends..There are animals and species that I've never seen anywhere else, and I've been to the Tucson Sonoran Desert Museum, the San Diego Safari Park, Sea World, Scripps Oceanography, and various zoos. This was a treat. And almost all were active and were seen. Such variety. There is no wasted space in this museum. Walls are adorned, such as a long wall with the ascending walkway going to the penguin exhibit made to look like a South Pole research center. Even every access door for employees are adorned. See my photos. Nice vegetation areas in otherwise unused space. They put a nice climbing gym in what would have been an unused corner, great for parents who need a break and kids to dissipate energy. There are thoughtful benches placed here and there for a sit down rest. There is a very nice small cafe and snack bar to get a yummy huge pretzel, or hamburger and other sandwiches and salads. Looking at the prices, they are very reasonable for a museum/theme park. You are getting a great value for the buck. Whether you are buying for just the day or a membership, I think that you are getting your money's worth. We spent four hours there and didn't see everything, read everything, tried everything. The four hours went by fast. This is a very popular place for good reason--a jewel in the valley. 5* = A top favorite. Mind-blowing good. I will definitely return and I will go out of my way to go here. Worth every dime of my money. 4* = Outstanding. Top-tier. Some elements not quite as good as it gets, but it still is worthy of my regular business. 3* = Good experience. I might do repeat business if it is convenient, the only option, the only one in its category, or on a whim, but would not be among the first thing to come to mind. Would definitely recommend you trying it to get your own take on it. 2* = Not so good. Would not recommend at all. Waste of money. 1* = How are they still in business? Stay away at all costs!