In addition to its galleries and exhibits, the Vancouver Aquarium is one of the institutions in the world that contributes the most to the preservation of marine species.
I invite you to know what you can see in this fantastic tourist attraction in Stanley Park, in Vancouver, Canada.
What is the Vancouver Aquarium?
The Vancouver Aquarium is a center for entertainment, research on marine life, animal rehabilitation and the protection and conservation of vulnerable species on the Canadian Pacific coast, with more than 50 thousand animals.
It is the first institution of its kind to incorporate full-time life science specialists, charged with investigating the behavior of animals and adapting their spaces to provide them with the best possible habitats.
When Did The Vancouver Aquarium Open Its Doors?
The Vancouver Aquarium was opened in 1956, since then it has been the largest in Canada and one of the most complete in North America.
The project was an initiative of a group of professors of oceanography and marine sciences at the University of British Columbia, which had financial support from the lumber magnate, Harvey Reginald MacMillan, and other entrepreneurs in the region.
How Many People Visit the Vancouver Aquarium Annually?
The Vancouver Aquarium welcomes more than a million people a year, in addition to the more than 60,000 children in the city's basic education network, who attend regularly to learn about life and conservation sciences. of biodiversity.
Where Is The Vancouver Aquarium Located?
The aquarium is at Avison Way 845, in the middle of Stanley Park which is in the northern half of the peninsula where downtown Vancouver developed.
Stanley Park is the largest in Canada with an area of 405 hectares. It has more than 500 thousand coniferous trees, more than 200 km of roads and trails and 2 lakes.
One of its borders is coastal with trails for walking, running, skating and cycling facing the ocean. It also has gardens, beaches, theaters, sports fields and monuments to admire.
How to get to the Vancouver Aquarium?
You can get to the aquarium on foot or by bike, depending on your location. Downtown Vancouver is a 20-minute walk away. Just follow the green signs to the north side of Georgia Street or along the boardwalk.
Near its main entrance and on Avison Way there are bicycle parking lots that are in addition to the 4 that Stanley Park has.
The bus, the skytrain and the Canada Line and Seabus, are other ways to get there.
1. Bus: Take Route 19 to Stanley Park on West Pender Street. The destination stop is a 5 minute walk from the entrance of the aquarium.
2. Skytrain: Get off at Burrard Station and take bus 19 at Burrard Street.
3. Canada Line and Seabus: Get to Waterfront and take bus 19 at West Pender Street.
People who go by car have a paid parking lot next to the aquarium. Its hours are from 6 am to 11 pm and its rate is 1.9 USD per hour from October to March and 2.7 from April to September. Accepts cash and Visa and MasterCard cards.
How Much Does Admission To The Vancouver Aquarium Cost?
The general adult rate is 38 Canadian dollars (CAD), equivalent to 29.3 USD, approximately. Children under 3 years old are free.
Preferential prices will depend on age and condition:
1. Children from 4 to 12 years old: USD 16.2.
2. Children and young people from 13 to 18 years old, students and people over 65: 23.1 USD.
3. People with disabilities or special needs: 50% discount, if requested.
4. Students include university students of any age with a document that proves it.
5. Tourist groups with a minimum of 10 people have a discount if they register beforehand through a tour operator.
What is the Vancouver Aquarium Hours?
The aquarium is open 365 days a year between 10 am and 5 pm. Visitors must leave the venue at 4:40 pm. Extended hours are for special dates like Thanksgiving. They are usually from 9:30 am to 6 pm.
Where To Buy Vancouver Aquarium Entrance Tickets?
The aquarium administration recommends buying tickets online to avoid long lines at the ticket offices, especially on weekends and holidays.
What Are The Main Exhibits At The Vancouver Aquarium?
The aquarium has for its one million annual visitors a dozen exhibits and galleries, such as Steller's Bay, Arctic Canada, Tropical Zone, Graham Amazonia, Penguin Point, Treasures of the Coast of British Columbia, The Wild Coast, Pacific Pavilion Canada and Frogs Forever.
Another area of the aquarium is the Research Outpost, where specialists study animals to learn about new features that favor the life of their wild equivalents.
The Clownfish Cove room is an area to encourage children's interaction with the natural environment, through games and explorations. There are special demonstrations featuring walruses, sea lions and northern fur seals.
What's In The Steller Bay Gallery?
This exhibition simulates the habitat of a fishing village on the western coast of Canada, with its sea lions soaking up the sun.
80% of the population of these wild animals has mysteriously disappeared in Steller. Experts from the museum and the University of British Columbia are trying to establish why, in order to preserve the species in the bay.
What Is The Interest Of The Arctic Gallery Of Canada?
The Arctic is an area of 16.5 million km2 around the North Pole, shared by 8 countries, including Canada.
Although it seems desolate, it is full of life and is a crucial region for the biological, physical and chemical balance of the planet. The Arctic is the great thermometer of global warming.
One of the creatures that lives there and that you can admire at the Vancouver Aquarium is the Beluga, a species of odontocete cetacean very popular for its white and frontal melon colors.
One of the purposes of this gallery is to raise awareness about the urgency of preserving the diversity of life in the Arctic.
What is shown in the tropical zone?
In the Tropical Zone you will see how a green turtle swims quietly among sharks. It is a gallery that brings together aquatic animals from Central America, the Caribbean and the tropical seas of Africa and Asia, with a multimedia exhibition.
You will see a gigantic Indo-Pacific reef, beautiful corals seized from smugglers trying to introduce them to Canada, precious cardinal fish, Asian turtles, seahorses and many other species, several of them in a vulnerable situation or at risk of extinction.
What Is Exhibited At Graham Amazonia?
This gallery of the Vancouver Aquarium is a masterful recreation of the Amazon, a place where the highest concentration of biodiversity on Earth is found, with more than 3,000 types of fish.
This biological wealth is the main plant lung of the planet, with its 7 million km tropical forest2 covering 9 South American countries, mainly Brazil and Peru.
How is Point Penguins?
The Vancouver Aquarium has an area inspired by Boulders Beach, one of the main concentration points for the African penguin or Cape penguin, an endangered species.
The 180-degree views of the ponds offer a wide panoramic view of the aquatic activity of these playful animals, whose exhibition talks about the 17 species of penguins existing on the planet and the main similarities and differences between these birds that cannot fly.
The world population of the African penguin decreased by 90% in the 20th century. If extreme measures are not taken to protect it, it could disappear in the wild before 2030.
Click here for 30 things you must do in Vancouver, Canada
What's In The Treasures Of The British Columbia Coast Gallery?
Aquarium gallery with interesting inhabitants such as the purple hagfish, an intimidating species that is a living fossil; rockfish, a giant Pacific octopus; voracious starfish and colorful corals.
The Vancouver Aquarium is participating in an international research on the habitat and behavior of British Columbia salmon, whose populations are threatened by overfishing and deteriorating waters.
What is exhibited in La Costa Salvaje Gallery?
In this gallery you will find Helen, a white dolphin rescued in the Pacific after being trapped and injured in a fishing net. You will also see harbor seals, sea lions and sea otters, equally rescued from the ocean.
The Wild Coast gallery is comprised of open-air viewing walkways and includes tide pools, tactile ponds, underwater viewing areas, and the ability to make contact with non-spiny species off the coast of British Columbia.
The Vancouver Aquarium investigates how the dolphin uses its sonar to locate objects in the water, in the hope that one day they may evade deadly fishing gear.
What Does The Canada Pacific Pavilion House?
A diver-animated exhibit on marine life in the Strait of Georgia, Vancouver's maritime “front yard”.
In this space of 260 thousand liters of water you will be able to observe black fletans, bocaccios, crabs and other species from the Pacific, living among sandbanks and seaweed.
What is Frogs Forever?
Gallery dedicated to 22 species of frogs, toads and salamanders, animals threatened by the deterioration of their habitats, the loss of food sources and deadly diseases. If this is not stopped, it is believed that these calamities could end the lives of half of the amphibian species in the next 50 years.
The exhibits feature sound passages and are designed to fully capture the behavioral traits of these animals, which are characterized by their shyness.
The Vancouver Aquarium participates in the international project, Amphibian Ark (AArk), which has set out to save the 500 most threatened amphibian species in the world from extinction.
What Other Facilities Are At The Vancouver Aquarium?
The aquarium is equipped with all the services for a comfortable and relaxed visit; between these:
1. Food and beverage outlets served in biodegradable utensils.
2. Shop for souvenirs including clothing, books, toys, ornaments, gift cards, jewelry, and Inuit art.
3. Rental of wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and lockers.
4. Map of the facilities.
What Is The Best Time And Time To Go To The Vancouver Aquarium?
For a better experience outside the hours with more visitors, it is best that you enter the aquarium at 10 am, the time it opens its doors.
How much time should I allocate to travel it?
You should set aside at least 3 hours of your time to at least enter the most interesting and popular rooms of the aquarium.
What Happens If I Can't Go On My Scheduled Day?
General admission tickets can be used any day. They expire one year after the date of purchase. Those that are for specific events must be used on the appointed day.
Can I Exit The Aquarium And Re-enter?
Yes. There is a receipt or a hand stamp for this.
Do you accept US dollars?
Yes. Although the entrance fees to the aquarium are charged in Canadian dollars, they accept the North American currency at the exchange of the day. Any change will be delivered in Canadian currency.
What Languages Are The Vancouver Aquarium Visitor Maps In?
The maps are in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese.
Can You Breastfeed In The Aquarium?
Yes. The Vancouver Aquarium allows breastfeeding anywhere on its premises. If mothers want to do it in private, they can do it in an infirmary.
How Many People Work At The Vancouver Aquarium?
The aquarium has about 500 permanent employees and more than 1000 volunteers.
Conclusion
Visit this aquarium show aimed at connecting its visitors with marine life and its importance. It is an educational and very entertaining place for adults and children. Learn more on its official website here.
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