Audubon Aquarium
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
The Audubon Aquarium offers a unique dual experience with both marine life and an insectarium, highlighted by an interactive sting ray petting area and a consistently praised butterfly section. It stands out for its well-maintained displays and a surprisingly tasty unique snack – chocolate chip cricket cookies. It's particularly appealing for visitors interested in regional fish and an engaging 1.5-4 hour activity.
Key Highlights
- ✓The butterfly section is a consistent family favorite across reviews.
- ✓Interactive opportunity to pet sting rays, particularly enjoyed by children.
- ✓Includes both an aquarium and an insectarium for diverse viewing.
- ✓Well-maintained facilities with pretty and nice displays.
- ✓Lovely music and ambiance contribute to the experience.
- ✓Offers a unique culinary experience with chocolate chip cricket cookies (reviewer notes you can't taste the cricket).
Standout Features
- ⭐The Butterfly Room is a major highlight.
- ⭐Sting ray petting offers a memorable interactive experience.
- ⭐Dual attraction (Aquarium + Insectarium) provides varied entertainment.
- ⭐High standard of maintenance and display quality.
- ⭐Unique snack option: chocolate chip cricket cookies.
- ⭐Pleasant atmosphere with good music and ambiance.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Be prepared for admission: Children 12 and older require an adult-priced ticket ($40).
- →Plan for a visit duration of 1.5 to 2 hours if moving at a steady pace, though deeper engagement can extend it to 3-4 hours.
- →Don't miss the butterfly room and the opportunity to pet sting rays.
- →Consider starting your visit in the insect area, as one reviewer found it a good way to begin.
- →For a unique experience, try the chocolate chip cricket cookies.
- →It's a valuable stop for out-of-town visitors keen on seeing regional fish.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Admission costs for children 12+ are set at adult ticket prices ($40 per person).
- ⚠The visit duration can feel short for the price, with some reviewers noting 1.5-2 hours, while others suggest 3-4 hours are possible.
- ⚠An optional $5 zoo access add-on is mentioned but its entry point or location was unclear to a reviewer, implying potential difficulty in finding or accessing it.
Price & Value
Admission is $40 per person for full access to both the Aquarium and Insectarium. Children 12+ are charged adult prices. An optional $5 add-on for a zoo is mentioned, but its availability or access points are unclear. While some found the 1.5-hour visit short for the price, others spent up to 4 hours, suggesting value depends on individual engagement. It's considered worth it for those traveling from afar to see regional fish.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations are mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •There is a restaurant on-site.
- •Unique food item: chocolate chip cricket cookies (reviewer notes no cricket taste).
🚗Parking Info
- •Ample parking is available around the aquarium.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No specific crowd level information or peak times are mentioned in the reviews.
🛡️Safety Features
- •The facility is compliant with Animal Welfare Regulations, ensuring animal well-being and by extension, visitor safety around the animals.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If your primary expectation is a full-day attraction for the $40 entry fee, as visit times can be as short as 1.5 hours.
- • If you are specifically looking for a zoo experience for the $5 add-on, as its accessibility or visibility within the venue is unclear.
Pricing/Package/Events
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Diane Robertson
2 weeks agoGreat place to visit while in New Orleans. Admission costs for children 12+ is an adults ticket. We didn't eat there, although there is a restaurant. The butterfly section was the families favourite part. Ample parking around the aquarium. Will take you roughly 1 hrs 30mins to walk around.
Akita
3 weeks ago$40 per person for full access to insect and aquarium. $5(?) more for access to a zoo, but I did not observe any entries or anything that specified where that was anyway, I was here for approx 2 hours and had a great time. Music and ambiance are lovely!!! Please check this place out
Angelica James
a week agoVery fun and insightful! You can easily spend at least 3-4 hours here. I even tried their chocolate chip cricket cookies! (Don't worry, you can't taste the cricket😉)
Scott Witkowsky
a month agoWe started our trip here by going to the insect area. It was cool to see these different insects and the high point was the butterfly🦋 room. We then went to the aquarium and enjoyed our time walking around. My son especially enjoyed the chance to pet the sting rays.
Anna
3 weeks agoOverall good place to visit, it is compliant with the Animal Welfare Regulation. The aquarium and insectarium are well maintained and pretty with nice displays but the visit is quite short (~1 hour and a half) for the price (~$40). Can be worth it if you come from far and would like to see fishes from this region!