The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center opened on June 14, 1986, as the Virginia Marine Science Museum, growing from a modest 100,000-gallon facility into one of the mid-Atlantic’s premier aquariums. Sitting on a 235-acre property just south of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the aquarium blends indoor exhibit halls with an outdoor nature trail along Owls Creek Salt Marsh.
Today the aquarium is home to roughly 12,000 animals representing more than 700 species, housed across displays holding about 840,000 gallons of fresh and saltwater. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, it draws over 600,000 visitors a year and remains a cornerstone of Virginia Beach’s tourism and marine conservation efforts.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Opened: June 14, 1986
- Size: 235-acre property
- Water volume: About 840,000 gallons
- Species/animals: Over 700 species, about 12,000 animals
- Annual visitors: Over 600,000
- Famous for: Restless Planet exhibit with Komodo dragons and the outdoor Adventure Park zipline course
What to See
Exhibits span the Chesapeake Bay Aquarium with its hands-on touch pool, the shark-filled Norfolk Canyon Aquarium, and the Chesapeake Light Tower Aquarium, a roughly 70,000-gallon habitat for sea turtles. The 2009 Restless Planet expansion, a $25 million addition, doubled the number of species on display and introduced Komodo dragons, cuttlefish, and other exotic animals alongside the aquarium’s marine collection.
Beyond the tanks, the outdoor Adventure Park offers a rope course with more than 30 ziplines through the surrounding marshland, and the one-third-mile nature trail lets visitors walk alongside Owls Creek Salt Marsh to spot native wildlife in a more open setting.
Conservation and Research
The aquarium has run a Stranding Response Program since 1991 that has documented thousands of marine mammal and sea turtle strandings along the Virginia coast, and it has conducted sea turtle rehabilitation work since 1994. It also participates in Species Survival Plans for animals including spotted eagle rays and Komodo dragons, tying its public exhibits directly to broader conservation programs run through the AZA.
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums.
Cheap insurance for splash zones, water rides and surprise showers.
Rubber-armored for small hands, so kids can find the snow leopard before the adults do.
A field guide that keeps the animal spotting going on the drive home and at home.
Virginia Aquarium FAQs
When did the Virginia Aquarium open?
It opened on June 14, 1986, originally under the name Virginia Marine Science Museum.
How many animals live at the Virginia Aquarium?
The aquarium is home to about 12,000 animals representing more than 700 species.
How many visitors does the Virginia Aquarium get each year?
It draws over 600,000 visitors annually, making it one of Virginia Beach’s most popular attractions.
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Photo: Rlevse / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.