SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium sits on the banks of the Yarra River in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, tucked beneath the Flinders Street Viaduct and King Street Bridge. Opened on 17 January 2000, the building was designed by Peddle Thorp to resemble a ship moored to the riverbank, with much of its structure extending seven metres below street level. Since 2012 it has been owned and operated by Merlin Entertainments as part of the global SEA LIFE brand.
The aquarium is home to more than 10,000 animals across 550-plus species, anchored by a 2.2-million-litre oceanarium where grey nurse sharks and sandbar whaler sharks glide over visitors on a four-level self-guided walkway. Beyond the sharks, SEA LIFE Melbourne has built a reputation for breeding success, including the world’s first IVF-conceived shark pup and captive breeding of the notoriously delicate spotted handfish and weedy seadragon.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia
- Opened: 17 January 2000
- Owner: Merlin Entertainments
- Size: Largest tank holds about 2.2 million litres
- Species: Over 550 species, 10,000+ animals
- Annual visitors: Over 1 million
- Opening hours: Open daily, typically 10am-5pm weekdays and 9:30am-5pm weekends/holidays, with last entry around 4pm (hours vary seasonally; online booking recommended)
- Famous for: King penguin colony, including viral chick Pesto
The Exhibits
Visitors move through themed zones including Penguin Playground, Ocean Invaders, Bay of Rays, Discovery Rockpools, Crocodile Lair, Coral Atoll, Shipwreck Explorer, Seahorse Pier, and Rainforest Adventure before reaching the main oceanarium, where sharks and rays circle beneath a walkway. The Penguin Playground recreates a sub-Antarctic environment with real snow and ice for its king and gentoo penguins, added to the aquarium in 2008.
A major expansion reopened in November 2008, expanding the animal collection and exhibit space, and the aquarium underwent an $8 million refresh in 2013 when it was rebranded under the SEA LIFE name.
Breeding and Conservation
SEA LIFE Melbourne has notched several firsts in marine husbandry: staff produced the world’s first in-vitro fertilized shark, a bamboo shark pup born in March 2014, and the aquarium was the first facility anywhere to successfully breed the endangered spotted handfish in captivity. It has also had recurring success breeding weedy seadragons, a species that is notoriously difficult to keep and breed outside the wild.
In 2024, a king penguin chick named Pesto became a global social media sensation after growing far larger than his parents at just nine months old, drawing worldwide attention to the aquarium’s penguin colony.
Explore more: See more zoos and aquariums.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium FAQs
What are SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium’s opening hours?
The aquarium is generally open daily from around 10am to 5pm on weekdays and 9:30am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays, with last entry roughly an hour before closing. Hours can vary seasonally, so it’s best to check the official SEA LIFE Melbourne website and book a timeslot before visiting.
When did SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium open?
It opened on 17 January 2000, after being built between February 1998 and December 1999.
What penguins does SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium have?
It houses king penguins and gentoo penguins in the Penguin Playground exhibit, which mimics a sub-Antarctic habitat with real snow and ice.
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Photo: Shkuru Afshar / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.