★★★★★ 5.0
Discover
New York Aquarium
266 different sea creatures live here - that's like an entire underwater neighborhood packed into one amazing building! You're standing at America's oldest aquarium that's NEVER closed its doors since 1896, not even when Hurricane Sandy tried to flood it out. This incredible place sailed from Manhattan all the way to Coney Island's famous boardwalk in 1957. As you walk from the salty ocean breeze outside into these cool aquarium halls, hunt for the special underwater viewing windows where California sea lions show off their circus-like swimming tricks - and here's the coolest part: these same talented performers actually travel like ocean superstars between all five Wildlife Conservation Society parks across New York City!
Did You Know?
- The New York Aquarium originally opened in 1896 inside the historic Castle Clinton in Battery Park, a site that had previously served as a military fort, opera house, and the nation’s first official immigrant processing center—making it one of the only aquariums in history to be housed in such a culturally layered landmark.
- During its Coney Island era, the aquarium became famous for the first-ever Beluga whale born in captivity in the United States (1972), and later hosted the first Pacific walrus born at the facility (2007)—milestones that drew international attention and helped advance marine biology research.
- One of the aquarium’s most beloved residents was a harbor seal named ‘Nellie,’ who became famous in the early 1900s for playfully splashing visitors, delighting crowds and becoming a must-see attraction at a time when live animal exhibits were still a novelty in the city.