Great Lakes Aquarium Review

A really informative place to take the kids and family. Appeal to our little kids seemed 95% in the interactive water toys and play areas.

My son loves this place. It's a great place to take kids.

One of Duluth's many attractions. We spent about two hours. The facility is well kept and staff is very acknowledged and efficient.

Admission is a bit pricey but we truly enjoyed our visit, especially the touch tanks. We actually petted jellyfish. . .so cool! Insider tip: There's a beautiful second floor patio on the museum. Great views!

Looking for something to do with a toddler? Toddler Tuesday! My biggest complaint is that Toddler Tuesday is also open to the schools for field trips. The older kids reign over the toddlers and it was difficult to get in to the "petting" areas without being overrun. I had to hold the little one back a few times to escape the onslaught. Not a knock on the aquarium, but I was really surprised that teachers and chaperones didn't ask the older kids to give the little one some room rather than run her over. We just took our time and waited it out several times. The staff is great and they take time with the little ones. My granddaughter was a little scared of some of the creepier animals (horseshoe crabs and sharks), but the aquarium has stuffed animal versions of the animals in the tank and that was SO smart and helpful!!! There are strollers available and a few snacks and tables, but bring your own lunch if you hit the noon hour, there aren't meals available.

Fun place for all ages. Educational for children. Like it alot

I feel that it was overpriced for the amount of species that was display $19 per adult

Was an amazing place to visit with a large family!!

I got to watch my friend feed fish. He's a volunteer diver at the aquarium!!

Had a wonderful afternoon at the aquarium. We got to feed the trout and salmon and we caught the otter enrichment which was adorable. Lots of great information about the local environment with knowledgeable and courteous staff. Plenty to see, great for kids and adults. I'd go back.

Had a wonderful time here. Great place to bring kids, lots of interactive exhibits, and a must-visit if you're in Duluth.

Great place for kids. A lot of stuff in what looks like a small building

A little pricey for the size- not very big at all.Also it's geared more towards families with small children.

Wasn t impressed as a whole. I have been to a few aquariums and this would rank at the bottom

On the lake with a great view. Lots of local displays as well as salt water. Parking is tight.

Well, I'm from Miami, so anything short of the Atlantic ocean is going to be unimpressive to me. That said, the Great Lakes Aquarium does do its best to explain the importance of the Great Lakes. I wish it had gone more into the glaciers that formed them, though, and less into the commerce they support.

Informative and beautiful displays. The animals all appear healthy and well cared for, which is of the utmost importance. Employees and volunteers we're helpful and knowledgeable. I recommend this place.

Kids had a great time and so did We!! No otters today tho... :(

Its a little over priced considering u must also pay $5 for parking.. looks so cool outside but there wasnt even a area to pet the fish like most aquariums have. There was only one fish u could touch and it was sleeping so u couldn't touch.. idk maybe i expected too much because my local aquarium is the sea life one inside mall of America so iv seen way better.

It had a lot of cool touch tanks. The jellyfish were the best part.

My kids love coming here. The touch tank is a highlight.

I think this place is great. It was obviously better the first time I went (years ago) because you could touch things and even feed the fish. but covid is not the aquariums choice or fault. A lot of the reviews that are 3 stars or less seem to be blaming the aquarium for covid

Really cool place. The only fresh water aquarium in the US. Very interactive. You get to pet the live Sturgeon. Highly recommended for the whole family!

Great little spot. A good price for the attractions. And, you get to pet jellyfish!

Great place to spend time with the kids. The touch tanks are awesome

This is a really great attraction for anyone with an interest in the animal life of the north shore, and the Great Lakes. I could definitely recommend it to anyone one, no matter the age group as there is plenty to see and do for anyone. Seeing the different aquatic species, raptors, and informative exhibits was well worth the entry fee.

Great diversity of exhibits and animal habitats. Beautiful views, family feel with friendly staff and as first time visitors, we will definitely be coming back the next time we're in Duluth!

Beautiful place. You can learn so much! I touched a jellyfish!! The divers were fun to watch too!

Brought my son who is almost 3 and we had a great time!

Awesome place to bring the kids! And I even enjoy it too :)

Nice place geared towards 3-11 year olds my 6 year old loved it and all the interactive exhibits. The only thing is that its SUPER EXPENSIVE! I couldn't believe it $50 for my husband and i and our daughter. We took our time and read/looked at everything and still we only were their for 2-2.5 hours. I guess we were expecting something different for the cost. It will have to be a once ina blue moon thing that monthly.

Lots of interactive learning and very cool fish and wildlife exhibits.

Wide variety of educational displays, hands on activities, and presentations. Kind of spendy, but something to do at least once. I want a treehouse like they have for our yard.

Great set up, accommodations for kids with special needs. Water area is extremely fun, make sure you wear that smock.

What an amazing place! I looked at a bunch of the reviews before we went here with our four-year-old granddaughter and now that I've been there I do not understand how people are giving this place any kind of a negative review. A 50 by 30 foot wall of water, otters, you were able to touch jellyfish and starfish and sturgeon and a shark.There was a whole bunch of other interactive stuff. Two floors, a treehouse with a slide. There was a 20 x 20 ft model of the great lakes with water and functioning locks. Kids could take plastic boats and, work the locks and learn how the locks worked and there was a current in the great lakes. Absolutely amazing place!

Not everything was available or open during our stop in October. Thumbs up that they are a rescue Aquarium.

Large and lots to learn! Touch pools were amazing and staff are very knowledgeable

Love it! Have been here a few times now with my son and each time we have so much fun.

It was really funny especially getting to touch the sturgeon at the end

It was ok. Geared more towards kids than adults. Not worth the cost. Sure it's cool to touch a sturgeon but not $18 cool. Smaller than I expected but it was a solid 3 stars.

The Great Lakes Aquarium is a truly magical visit for all ages. I recently revisited the aquarium for the first time since childhood with several first-time Duluth visitors, and noone left the visit without having learned something and without a smile on their face.

We loved the interactive exhibits, from the sea life to the sturgeon, and really enjoyed the opportunity to be that much closer to some of the more ancient and amazing aquatic critters that inhabit this beautiful planet.

The giant electric eel was fascinating as well, adorable in it's playful ways and antics as it rubbed against the floor and the walls for stimulation.

The only downside is the cost, as parking and admission are both a bit steep, but the visit is definitely memorable and staff are friendly, making it worth the price in my opinion.

Truly enjoyed the different types of exhibits they have.

Very environmentally and wildlife friendly. Explains where most animals came from.

Very nice place to visit.
Even with a service dog.

Perfect place to take kids of all ages! Lots to see and do for the money! Many interactive activities!

Great place to visit if you like fish and like to learn. Staff is very friendly and informative. Admission price is high for some but really is standard when compared to any other museums, zoo, or aquarium. Bonus is a great view of the harbor and lift bridge.

Such an excellent experience! I went with a group of a few adults, and we all enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot! The giant turtle and the otters were the best part. I was also blown away by the giant map of Lake Superior. It's so cool to see our local water systems celebrated like this! You don't have to go to an ocean to get cool fish. I thought the price was worth it, but I was only paying for myself.

A gem of a science museum in the Canal Park-Minnesota Slip area; kid friendly, but enough to interest adults too. The focus is on fresh water species of the Great Lakes region. Check the feeding times where divers enter the tanks.

Awesome environment, very informative covering topics from the beginning of time until current

Nice place. Clean. It would be nice if they have more live fish.

Not that interesting. Good views of the harbor. Good place to park for other activities.

It was okay. You see these fishes when you go fishing and boat riding.

They had good directions of following Covid. However, there were kids running ahead and we felt rushed to move on. There were also people standing at an area for almost a good 15 mintues before we decided to move on.

Overall, the experience is more for family with children, it is a tiny place with only a few selections. If you're a couple, it is good to take pictures, but theres not a log of selection. It's more of your everyday zoo and outdoor things you see. There's no wow-ing in it besides the sharks and the sinked ships.

My review is rated 1 because there is no option for 0. Unfriendly and unprofessional Management.

We have a family membership and this is one of the kids favorite places to go especially on a cold or rainy day!

It's amazing how many exhibits are in this place! All well thought out and staffed with friendly and knowledgeable people.

If you are from twin cities then it is just waste of time. #MallofAmerica #aquarium is way better than this #aquarium. Each adult ticket costs $17

Really cool to go and check out! Might be an aquarium but we got to meet a skunk :3 also learnt about lake superior and how it was formed, staff were friendly and entertaining when doing talks... can recommend...

Way more fun than I expected an aquarium in Duluth to be. I think my favorite part was petting the sturgeon. Nice variety of local and tropical water creatures. I even got to touch a jellyfish. Who would have thought?!? My kids had a ton of fun, too, and I would go back.

First time there.
Cool exhibits, kids loved touching fish

Great for small kids. Cool exhibits and several tanks where kids can touch different animals.

It is a neat aquarium, but there really isn't anything all that special about it. I have been to several aquariums before and this is probably my least favorite. Small children may enjoy it but it isn't probably a great place to go for older kids or adults.

We took our youngest, who was just over 13 months old at the time. He loved running around looking at all of the fish. We all had a good time.

Older building regardless the variety of fish was spectular.

Interesting in a thoughtfully educationally perspective. Calm and peaceful exhibits, especially the large grouping of Lake Superior fish.

A great place to take your kids on the many cold or rainy days in Duluth. Lots of interactive exhibits, and shows throughout the day. It's much more than you would expect from a freshwater aquarium!

For such a small space, they fit a ton of information and entertainment. Wide variety of freshwater fish was interactive and exciting!

I thought it offered a lot of learning and exploring opportunities for families.

Fun Duluth aquarium. Love Minnesota fish. I find the locks simulator on the great lakes to be the most fun

Always enjoyed going to aquariums. This place is really nice thou.

Great family friendly aquarium. Lots of areas to explore and learn. Staff was super friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. Not overstimulating and areas were open and not claustrophobic. Restrooms were clean and well stocked. Cute otter show that my daughter adored and learned about otters at.