Things To Do At Newport Aquarium
Newport Aquarium showcases thousands of animals from around the world in a million gallons of water. You'll be amazed by all there is to see and do, including fun activities like touching a shark or meeting a penguin.
Activities
There are a lot of fun things to do today! Touch sharks and stingrays or dare to cross the world's first Shark Bridge.
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Exhibits
Whether it's a new exhibit Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels, or the incredible seamless tunnels of Surrounded by Sharks, you'll find an experience to remember.
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Animals
Newport Aquarium features thousands of creatures from all around the world. Discover new animals!
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Shopping
Take home a souvenir, special gift or collector's item from our Gift Shop to remember your Aquarium visit.
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Sea, Touch And Explore
Ring of Fire: World of the Octopus
Between towering volcanoes and deep ocean trenches, strange sea creatures thrive. Meet the Giant Pacific Octopus exploring its GIANT home and a rotating collection of octopuses like the Wunderpus! Discover strange sea creatures thriving on towering structures that form where lava meets near-freezing sea water, and more!
Shark Tank Overlook – Home of Shark Bridge
Dare to cross Shark Bridge the world’s first suspended rope bridge where guests can walk just inches above sharks, shark rays and other aquatic animals.
Surrounded By Sharks
Shark Tank Overlook
Be immersed in an underwater world as you explore 85-feet of seamless tunnels that wind through the heart of this large ocean ecosystem.
Shark Ray Bay Theater
Shark Ray Bay Theater provides an awe-inspiring window into the underwater world of the Surrounded By Sharks exhibit.
Shark Central
Experience the excitement of touching a shark for a thrill you’ll never forget!
HATCHLING HARBOR
Set your course for Hatchling Harbor and be immersed in a bustling 25-foot-long habitat filled with hundreds of colorful and curious animals! Explore this busy corner of the Caribbean that lies between the shore and the reef where young fish find food, shelter and safety among the flowing seagrasses and waving sea fans.
New Animals
From wiggly weird to cute and touchable – these are just some of the amazing new animals recently added to Newport Aquarium!
Shark Rays
See the Shark Rays on display in Newport Aquarium’s Surrounded By Sharks Exhibit! Extremely rare Shark Rays Scooter and Shan will win you over with their human-like eyes, and breathtaking grace.
Sharks
Sharks: The ultimate blend of power, efficiency, and predation that have been refined over time. No other group of fish in the oceans is more feared or misunderstood.
Alligators
Gator Alley
Compared to crocodiles, alligators have a rounder and wider U shaped snout. Also, when the alligator's jaw is closed, the fourth bottom tooth cannot be seen.
Amphibians
Many land animals often venture into water, but only one group of land animals must spend part of their lives in the water in order to survive.
Crabs & Arthropods
Arthropods are invertebrates with an exoskeleton, a hard and protective outer shell made of chitin. They also have appendages that are jointed and their bodies are segmented.
Echinoderms
The term "echinoderm" means spiny skinned; and is a very appropriate name for invertebrates in this group. Sand dollars, sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins are all echinoderms.
Fish
There are more than 32,000 species of fish known in the world today. What defines an animal as a fish? Although fish share many general characteristics, some species are exceptions.
Freshwater Fish
Although freshwater only covers three percent of the planet, some scientists believe there are more freshwater fish species than there are saltwater fish species.
Frogs
Frogs have large legs and webbed back feet. They jump to move across the ground, and swim through the water.
Invertebrates
Ninety-seven percent of all animals on our planet lack a backbone and are called invertebrates. They are all considered ectotherms, or cold-blooded because they cannot regulate their body temperature.
Jellyfish & Cnidarians
Cnidarians are invertebrates with stinging cells called nematocysts. Included in the cnidarian group are anemones, corals, and jellyfish.
Octopus & Mollusks
There are an estimated 50,000 species that belong to the invertebrate group known as Mollusca. Members of this diverse group have soft bodies which are composed of a head region and a foot region.
Penguins
Discover King, Gentoo, Macaroni and Chinstrap cold weather penguins in Penguin Palooza or enjoy an optional Penguin Encounter with our warm climate penguins.
Rays
Rays, skates, and sting rays are closely related to sharks, but unlike sharks, the bodies of these fish tend to be flat and disc-like.
Reptiles
Covered in scales, reptiles are ectotherms (cold-blooded vertebrates) that are found on every continent except Antarctica and in every ocean except the Arctic and Southern oceans.
Salamanders & Newts
Newts and salamanders have four similarly sized legs as well as a distinct tail. They are the only vertebrates that have the ability to regenerate body parts, such as legs and tails.
Saltwater Fish
There is no doubt that the most colorful fishes live in saltwater. Almost every color of the spectrum can be found on various marine fish.
Seahorses
With a head like a horse, snout like an aardvark and belly pouch like a kangaroo, seahorses are anything but ordinary.
Snakes
Snakes can be found on all continents except Antarctica and do not occur on certain island nations such as New Zealand and Ireland.
Toads
Toads have stocky legs and non-webbed feet. They walk to move across the ground and are typically found in drier areas.
Turtles
Turtles, tortoises and terrapins are all members of the order Testudines. These reptiles all have a protective shell that has developed from their ribs.
Shark Bridge
Shark Tank Overlook
For thrill-seekers that dare to cross, Shark Bridge is the world’s first suspended rope bridge where guests can walk just inches above a variety of sharks, rays and more than 300 fish.
Virtual Reality Experience
Explore the wonder of an underwater world and get closer than ever before to incredible ocean animals. Additional ticket required.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Step beyond the glass and take an adventure behind the scenes to discover all that it takes to care for a million gallons of water and thousands of animals every day!
Additional Ticket Required.
Tide Pool Touch
Shore Gallery
Meet the animals living in an ocean tide pool and touch anemones, sea stars, sea urchins, rays & more! Available Every Day: Open to Close
Shark Viewing
Shark Ray Bay Theater
Sit and enjoy watching sharks, rays & more as you gaze through one of the largest viewing windows in the Aquarium! Available Every Day: Open to Close
Penguin Viewing
Penguin Palooza
Watch penguins as they hop, play and swim in the frigid water of this Antarctic exhibit. Available Every Day: Times Vary by Season
Draw Alive!
Splash & Bubbles Reeftown Adventure
Color your own fishy friends and bring them to life in the animated world of Splash and Bubbles! Available Every Day: Open to Close
Seahorse Creation Station
Seahorses: Unbridled Fun
Discover your inner-artist at the Seahorse Creation Station and create a digital seahorse you can share with friends and family.
Splash & Bubbles Play Climber
Splash & Bubbles Reeftown Adventure
Climb and play your way through Coral Cove! Available Every Day: Open to Close
Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels
Discover the ruins of a long-ago sunken ship scattered across the sea floor, now home to hundreds of animals including mysterious eels, brightly colored fish and curious creatures as they thrive in this accidental reef.
Stingray Hideaway: Enter Their World
Escape into a sun soaked tropical paradise and meet the colorful fish, iguanas and the playful stingrays that call it home.
Penguin Palooza
Penguin Palooza is home to one of the most diverse collections of cold-weather penguins in the country.
Amazon Tunnel
Be transported to the bottom the rainforest floor flooded by the Amazon River during its rainy season as you journey through a 32-foot long seamless acrylic tunnel bisecting a 117,000 gallon freshwater environment.
Coral Reef Tunnel
Dive into the completely refreshed Coral Reef Tunnel! Be surrounded by a sixty thousand gallon thriving underwater community filled with colorful corals and schools of tropical fish.
Freshwater Falls
In Freshwater Falls, take a peek at what lies below the rippling surface of cascading streams and waterfalls around the world.
Frog Bog
You’ve never seen frogs like this before! Shrink down to the size of a frog amid tall grass and blooming flowers as you explore the habitats of exotic and unusual amphibians from around the world.
Gator Alley
Gator Alley transports you to the marshy wetland of a southern bayou as it showcases a variety of reptiles including newts, snakes, lizards, turtles and geckos.
Seahorses: Unbridled Fun
Seahorses: Unbridled Fun invites you to explore the fascinating underwater world of seahorses, sea dragons and pipefish. Get eye-to-eye with each little one, see their zany behaviors and experience these unique creatures like never before.
Shore Gallery
Shore Gallery offers a unique view of the animals living in a coastal environment hiding among rocky reefs and thriving in tide pools.
Jim Henson’s Splash & Bubbles Reeftown Adventure
Catch a current to Jim Henson’s Splash and Bubbles Reeftown Adventure.