FAQs

All tickets must be purchased, and Member reservation tickets, must be made online in advance. Do not come to the park if you do not have a timed ticket for entry. If you have difficulty completing your online reservation, please email us at onlinetickets@wcs.org. Due to high message volume, you may experience longer than usual wait times, and we greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

We are sorry for the difficulty. Please first check to confirm that the purchase was completed on your credit card. If the charge is in “Pending” status, that might mean that the transaction was not completed and there is no order made.

If the charge was fully processed, and you do not receive the order email, then check your junk/spam folder. If you do not find it, you can contact us to resend your tickets. Please reach out to the Reservation Center to ask for the tickets to be resent: Phone: 800-433-4149 or email (if visit is more than 7 days away): onlinetickets@wcs.org. Be sure to include the name, email and phone number associated with your purchase.

We strongly recommend getting the tickets resent prior to your visit to ensure that your order was processed. If you do arrive on site without the ticket PDF it is a risk that you may not have an order reservation, and if we are sold out you will not be permitted entry. An order can be looked up by order number, or purchaser name, or email, or phone number.

Use our online web form for assistance from the reservation center. If you have an unused "open" ticket – such as an AnyDay or Value ticket that expired during our closure - you will need to apply that to a timed ticket before arriving to the aquarium. You must have your ticket order number, and the name, email and phone number associated with that order. We are experiencing a high volume of correspondence – PLEASE plan at least 2 weeks in advance of your requested visit date to allow for ticket requests to be processed.

All ticket sales are final. There are no refunds, cancellations or rescheduling. Due to capacity restrictions we must adhere to the ticketing policies which were stated prior to purchase. This includes the terms and conditions acknowledgment that all sales are final and there are no revisions for credit, refund, rescheduling, exchange or cancellation. If you purchased non-Member tickets and cannot make your scheduled time, we recommend sharing your tickets with a friend or family member to use.

All tickets are final sale. Due to capacity limits, we cannot provide refunds, cancellations or rain checks due to weather conditions or animal visibility. We understand weather may affect that day’s experience; however, all exhibits and experiences are always subject to unforeseen conditions and not guaranteed. Please plan ahead for the weather, and enjoy your day.

To help us manage visit demand and prepare for your visit, all guests, including WCS Members, must have a date-specific ticket for entry. Reservations for free daytime member tickets must be made online in advance. Use the Member portal for your reservation.

Admission is free after 3:00pm on Wednesdays at the Aquarium. ADVANCE TIMED TICKETS ARE REQUIRED. The Wednesday Afternoon Ticket Store will open on Monday at 3:00pm for that Wednesday’s reservations. DO NOT come to the aquarium without a reserved ticket.

ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED for all schools or camps, and for all groups of 10 or more people. No walk-up tickets. Contact the Group Sales Department at (800) 433-4149 or wcsgroupsales@wcs.org.

Yes! Active US Military and Veterans are eligible to receive a complementary New York Aquarium Admission ticket or Limited Admission ticket for themselves and 50% off tickets for up to 3 guests. Advance ticket reservation required. Please use promotional code MILITARYNYA for active personnel and VETERANNYA for Veterans during checkout. Military member must be present with valid ID on entry. Group must stay together on arrival.

In the absence of a military member, spouses or other family members are only eligible to redeem the 50% discount when an ‘Active Dependent Card’ is presented on entry. Please use promotional code MILITARYNYADEP for active personnel and VETERANNYADEP for Veterans during checkout.

Discount code must be entered at the time of checkout. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Not applicable towards prior purchases.

WCS does not honor reciprocal memberships from other zoos and aquariums. However, by becoming a WCS member, you can enjoy free admission to all four of our New York Zoos in addition to the Aquarium. Find out more about the benefits of membership!

Yes. Rates are based on duration of stay. Parking lot is open from 10:00am – 4:00pm daily. All vehicles must exit by 5pm.

Yes! Museum Council Passholders are eligible for two complimentary admission tickets. Advance ticket reservation required. Please use promo code MUSEUM during checkout. Must present valid Museum Council pass card on entry along with ticket(s).

Discount code must be entered at the time of checkout. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Not applicable towards prior purchases.

We are located near numerous subway and bus stops. You can take the F or Q train to the West 8th Street station in Coney Island, the B36 to Surf Ave. and West 8th St., or the B68 to Neptune Ave. and West 8th St. Visit our directions page for further information and driving instructions.

ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED for all schools, camps and groups of 10 or more people. Contact the Group Sales Department at (800) 433-4149. No walk-up tickets.

Adult supervision is required. All guests age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult chaperone age 18 or over.

Park hours vary by season. To see the current and upcoming seasons, go to nyaquarium.com/hours

You will be prompted to select an entry time window during the ticketing process. This designates when you are able to arrive at the park. Once you’re here, you are welcome to stay as long as you would like. Based on the available exhibits and amenities, we expect the average visit to be 2-2.5 hours.

Yes, the 4-D theater is open. One (1) 4-D admission included with NY Aquarium ticket and Aquarium-specific Membership levels. All seats will be assigned prior to entry. Not included in Wednesday Donation Admission (3pm-Closing), additional fees required.

4-D Theater and 3-D glasses are cleaned and sanitized prior to every show.

While personal strollers are permitted, we recommend leaving them at home for your visit. The aquarium is not a large space, and most guests will not need a stroller during the visit. Strollers must be parked in a designated stroller area when visiting the Aquatheater and indoor exhibits. Always take your belongings with you, as stroller and contents are left at your own risk.

No. PLEASE leave scooters and skateboards at home! This is a significant safety problem and we need all guests to comply with our rules that prohibit scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, and bicycles from the park.

No. Due to capacity limitations, all tickets are single entry.

A limited number of free wheelchairs are available for loan on a first come, first served basis.

No.

The aquarium is open 365 days a year, and the animals are on exhibit all year round. Aquatheater shows are weather-dependent.

We are committed to providing inclusive experiences for all audiences. Our Accessibility webpage has information to help guests with disabilities enjoy their visit, including support and accommodations relating to mobility, visual and auditory assistance, sensory sensitivities, service dogs, and Personal Care Assistants.

The Accessibility webpage provides information and identifies the accommodations we are broadly able to provide. For additional questions, or assistance with visit planning, please contact Guest Relations at guestrelations@wcs.org or 718-220-5103. Due to high volume of correspondence, we recommend reaching out at least 7 days prior to a planned visit.

Yes, for Service Dogs; No, for therapy dogs.

We only allow working Service Animals, in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the ADA, "a service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to work or perform tasks for assisting a person with a disability." Service dogs are working animals, not pets. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. Pets, comfort animals, emotional support or therapy animals are not permitted at the aquarium.

Upon arrival at the park, please check in with Admissions so a supervisor can review some logistical items with you and issue a Service Dog Admission pass*. Thank you for your cooperation to ensure a safe and successful visit for yourself, your service dog, the animals cared for at the aquarium, and other park guests.

Full service dog policy

*As stipulated by the ADA, Aquarium staff may request that a service dog experiencing difficulty or demonstrating problematic behaviors, such as barking or lunging, be removed from the Aquarium immediately. We ask that you promptly comply with any such request for the safety and welfare of all.

All commercial and news media visits must be approved and pre-arranged by WCS. For more information contact Mary Dixon at 347-840-1242.

Every year, the New York Aquarium receives many inquiries from people who would like to donate wild animals or exotic pets; however, we are not able to accept them. If you have an animal in need of a new home, please contact local and regional rescue organizations that specialize in caring for unwanted pets, such as the ASPCA. Plans for a pet should always include care for its entire lifespan. Remember that exotic animals almost never make good pets.

While we do not currently have tours behind the scenes, we do have some great up-close animal experiences this Summer! Check out our Wild Encounters for sea lion and penguin programs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. You can also participate in learning experiences through our Education Department – with programs for children, families, schools and other audiences.

The sea lion shows at our Aquatheater are year-round, but weather permitting. Show schedule varies seasonally. Shows are spread throughout the day, with generally 2-3 shows per day in Winter, and 3-4 shows per day in Spring/Summer/Fall. For day-of show times, use the mobile site or check the posting in the Lobby when arriving at the park.

If you missed seeing a show when you visit, you can always check out a session on IGTV.