Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium — Attraction in Kenmare Municipal District

Oceanworld aquarium is located shorefront in downtown Dingle. Walking distance to everything. I'm always a fan of visiting a local zoo or aquarium. I love the animals and seeing how each city/country highlights different aspects of their own wildlife. My husband and I really liked the Oceanworld aquarium and felt that we got our money's worth (if nothing else, we felt like we contributed to their conservation efforts).

As you would expect, the aquarium had lots of fish both small as large and fresh water or salt water. They also had an otter exhibit (quite big actually) and since it was still morning, they were swimming and out and about. So cute!! Our favorites were both of the penguins exhibits. They were swimming and playing and interacting with us. Their names were posted and they had little beaded bracelets to identify each one. The king penguins would launch out of the water to jump onto to rocks and would torpedo through the water (using their poop to propel them). 🤣

We met Molly the sea turtle who was rescued in one of the local bays. She was also very interactive but almost trance-like, so that was kind of sad too. They had 2 large sharks in her exhibit and beautiful large mantra rays (which I absolutely adore their faces that usually are on the ocean floor, but they would climb up the glass and show off for us.

Another unique exhibit was the butterfly room and we learned that if you wear a bright color like hot pink, they might actually land on you! The aquarium was breeding the butterflies in a case too, so it was cool to see how they invest in their little habitat. As we left the aquarium, we walked through their large gift shop (great for kids) and stopped at the dolphin, Fungi's statue,...

The aquarium was incredible. I have also been to the aquarium in Bray which pales in comparison. It is definitely worth recommending. It isn't getting 5 stars for two reasons. The first isn't really their issue but it has to do with parking availability nearby, it was just an absolute nightmare. The second reason is the gift shop. Yes it had a lot on offer, unfortunately a lot of it are plastics, made in China and often of the type that break or are binned after a few uses.

I would have loved to see more locally sourced products available and more sustainable too, even if it was a bit pricier. At least you would be buying a memento that might last. That being said I did like the promotion of fluffy stuffed animals made from recycled plastic, they are of pretty good quality. Considering the relevance of oceanic plastic waste to the aquarium I enjoyed the ocean trash display, including the sarcasm. However, to have a real affect, the display needed to big bigger.

I read many of the informative displays while walking around, some were good, others changed screens too fast, and I am generally a fast reader. There was information on ocean pollution, however considering the increasing relevance of it and climate change there definitely could have been more.

Overall, it's great for kids, informative and well laid out with Covid in mind. I just believe they could do a bit better regarding encouraging sustainability and discouraging...

Our visit to the Dingel Aquarium left us with mixed feelings. The butterflies and otters were definitely the highlights – lively, engaging, and enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, the rest of the exhibits didn’t live up to expectations. There was too little information at the tanks, and the digital displays changed far too quickly to actually read or understand anything. The tank design itself was disappointing as well: they felt overcrowded and offered very little in terms of natural elements. Even if this setup complies with EU regulations, it simply doesn’t look or feel right.

It’s a bit like animal farming: legally, up to nine chickens are allowed per square meter in floor housing – but no one would call that animal-friendly. The same goes for horses. Imagine keeping a horse in a room the size of a typical children’s bedroom, which in Germany averages around 14 square meters. Technically possible, perhaps even “allowed,” but far from good or humane. Aquariums designed this way give off the very same impression – legal, but not pleasant to witness.

Compared to places like SEA LIFE, the entrance fee of €21 per person at Dingel Aquarium is far too high. While there were a few bright moments with the butterflies and otters, overall the experience simply didn’t justify the price. The value for money just...