We love hiring the aquarium right when it opens and leave after lunch! It's less busy ( which is nice when you have toddlers)! Rain or shine there is tons to see! They have recently done some renovations and there are lots of new tanks and the Amazon area now has birds! My boys (3.5 and 18mo) love it! We usually spend about 2 hours and roam at our own pace! Longer if we stop and watch the shows! Parking is busy!
1966beachbum
We go to the Vancouver Aquarium almost every time we go to Vancouver. There have been significant changes over the years due to public disdain for keeping marine mammals in captivity for entertainment purposes, but we still like to go for the sense of peace and happiness we get just from being in the presence of the Belugas, dolphins, and other aquatic animals. I was, however, disappointed that the focus of the "shows" has become a lengthy lecture about environmental protection and pollution.
LenoraH
This is a wonderful display of sea creatures dissected & preserved with plastination, which preserves them by removing water & fat & refilling with plastic. This process was originally developed by Gunther von Hagens for his Body World's Exhibit of human cadavers which visited Vancouver several years ago.A Thresher Shark still has its last undigested squid dinner in its stomach.Ocean Sunfish are the heaviest bone fish in the world & can weigh up to 2,300 kgs. Three unborn pups were plasticized within the Silky Shark.Humboldt squid, amongst the largest squid, reaching a mantle length of 1.9m (6.2ft) & weighing up to 50 kg (100lbs) have migrated from the Humboldt Current off the coast of South America up to British Columbia. During feeding time they have attacked humans & can change colour rapidly from red to white. A huge pink Humboldt Squid is displayed as well as a rare 2 tusk Narwhal. Most only have one prominent tusk and a very small one.Don't miss the new Sea Monsters 4 D film reinventing prehistoric beings of the sea.