Horrible & not worth the cost. Took our 3 year old on 19/11/2024 at 10am opening time. Building entrance not clearly marked , entire outside graffiti, grimy and most windows smashed.
The entrance was a mess of people trying to ither collect online tickets, buy tickets or gain entry. Entry was 2 lines with no staff, hot without air-conditioning waiting for a picture , but no advice of what was happening up ahead. Frustration of the crowd set in.
Once through the pictures the mass of people (not staggered entry) is at first pool were a man states well that's it next time at 11o'cock we can explain what's in the pool?
The first crowd of the day was well before the 4 school buses entered the aquarium.
The Aquarium is a maze with poor signage and often placed on the wrong side of were it should be, example wash station and signage for kids to wash hands before playing with interactive area. ? Once you play with sea life you see "wash your hands before."
No markings on floor or walls to show you which way to go. Even if you possess Coman sense you are baffled by crowds and which way are we going. Some people found hand out maps, but only if you bought tickets at door. Online well guess your way cause Google maps wont help , lol.
The displays are grotty, tired and poorly maintained outside. The SeaLife is awesome and the inside of the tanks are well maintained. Its the public areas that are sad , grotty and tired. Thankfully the animals are well kept.
The crowds and little to no air-conditioning make for irritable parents and kids. The vibe makes you uncomfortable.
If it was a busy day than what I experienced I would have left via a emergency exit.
The glass , Perspex and tinting on enclosures and viewing stations was worn, scratched and filthy. It looked more like a worn down graffitied public toilet or bus stop.
It was $151.00 AUD for 2 adults & 3 year old. Compared to Werribee Zoo or Sydney Aquarium it fails to compare for value.
As usual the key aspects of the Aquarium are "upselling" merchandise, personal photos and a large public area that rapidly shrinks in size and rooms get smaller herding you to the gift shop that you must walk through a snaking procession of over priced kids toys (impulse buys) from screaming kids & guilt.
The promised FREE memories of digital photographs that you stood for 30 minutes in abject heat and crowds to secure with a scanning code business card are not explained nor do staff want to speak to you if you are not buying large personal photo books from them , well the card code on card nor the QR card are accepted online, "not found" the digital photos of the hell you endured to show you kids a great Melbourne experience are not available as they formed part of the excessive unreasonable cost of you Melbourne Aquarium experience.
Go to YouTube & watch "Finding Nemo" or watch a sea life documentary rather than suffering this day out & $151 AUD it is not justified in its current condition.
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