SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's General Admission
Overview
1 hour
Mobile ticket
Dive under Auckland's waterfront and you'll discover spectacular secrets of the Southern Ocean and see the magic of an Antarctic fantasyland, complete with penguins strutting in fresh snow and ice! You'll get up close to the majestic King and playful Gentoo penguins, see jellyfish displays, find out how we look after our rescued turtles and check out the world's biggest species of stingray swimming above you at our curved tunnel. Experience over 30 live animal exhibits and see over 80 different species in the 13 themed zones.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photography is allowed, however use of flashbulbs around the animals is prohibited
Opens Thursday to Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Open from 9:30am to 5:00pm (last entry at 4.00pm)
Child 15 years and under must enter with an adult over 16 years of age
We politely request that you refrain from visiting our aquarium should you start displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
General Admission Ticket
Hotel pickup and drop off
Food and drinks (available to purchase on-site)
Souvenir Photos (available to purchase on-site)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
End points
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
What To Expect
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium
At SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium there is over 30 exhibits and more than 80 different species. Featuring 13 themed zones, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium boasts unique attractions including world’s largest Sub-Antarctic penguin colony display, world’s only display of Spiny Sea Dragons and the world’s biggest species of stingray. The Antarctic Encounter is a walk-through penguin encounter which allows visitors to get closer than ever before to the majestic King and playful Gentoo penguins. Kelly Tarlton’s famous Shark Tunnel (The brainchild of renowned marine archaeologist and diver Kelly Tarlton), is home to New Zealand’s largest collection of sharks with Maori Pacifica themed. The Rockpool Experience allows visitors to touch a starfish and, with Amazing Creation and Turtle Rescue interactive zones this truly is a great day out.
Options
General Admission Peak
Peak
General Admission off Peak
Off Peak
Reviews
215 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Very Entertaining
robjer79,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00WOW 🙃. Took us a bit to figure how to get there by bus but was definitely worth the effort! It was amazing to walk through and my Uncle who is 84, was thoroughly entertained. We all enjoyed ourselves.
Very well presented. ...
shorton635,
Oct 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very well presented. Impressive displays. Penguins, sharks, beautiful seahorses, jellyfish and more. Definitely worth your time!
What a fantastic experience!! Brilliantly set out
BernieK175,
Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great experience while visiting Auckland. Educational and inspirational. Easy to get close up and personal with all species. Loved it!!
A wonderful little place...
Hollie N,
Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A wonderful little place to visit and get up close with penguins and turtles. Beautiful little interactive experiences for the kids and educational facts. Not too big so great place to go after days of long trekking
A Quirky Aquarium Worth a Visit
janetwW1151DW,
Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is for families with young children or marine-life enthusiasts, especially those who haven’t seen penguins or shark tunnels, it still holds real appeal. The penguin zone and interactive areas are likely to be favorites.
Fun Aquarium
donaldhL7644AX,
Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Visited Kelly Tarlton’s on a day out with family, and it was a solid experience—especially for kids and penguin lovers. The marine displays (sharks, rays, jellyfish) are well put together, and the penguin exhibit is a definite highlight—you can get really close behind the glass.
Fun, But Could Be Better
K2377YWdavidh,
Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It’s worthwhile, especially if you’re visiting with children or enjoy marine life up close. If you go in expecting a smaller facility rather than a grand modern aquarium, and plan your visit for a quieter time, you’ll probably leave pleased. But if you’re after something very polished, expansive, or cutting-edge, it might fall a bit short.
Poor creatures need more space
AliciaNemes,
Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Pretty sad seeing the penguins in such a tiny space - if they’d had the pool fixed for them it’d be a bit better but to be honest keeping penguins where they can never see the sky and in a cramped space for the pleasure of human to view was heartbreaking. The place was altogether depressing.
Highly recommend
JoFlowerday,
Sep 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great time at Kelly Tarltons, my favourites were the Turtles & stingrays, a great way to spend a few hours in Auckland
We had lots of fun as it...
sajida k,
Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had lots of fun as it was my birthday and my daughters birthday my partner also enjoyed it there we would love to go back one day
From NZ$36.00
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