Let me start by saying, this place has fully gone downhill. We payed Kama’aina prices to get in which is great if there's enough up and running but inside there were a few empty exhibits and outside had literally one exhibit with what appears to be a touch-tank but wasn’t! Instead, they gave us a laminated paper with 8 fish to find in the tank. After reading & looking at everything inside which took 20 minutes tops, we spent about 4-5 min at the “no-touch” tank which the girls working at were sluggish and not interested in getting involved with the kids at all! We went to see the monk seals but found they’ve been gone for years even though the sign at the exhibit says the seals would be gone for a year yet according to a post on here from 5, yes 5 years ago, the seals weren’t there then either.

Super disappointing for my kids.

That means I paid how much for 2 kids and two adults??? Ugh. So I go up to the counter to speak to whoever is in management. A man comes over and tells me that there is a sign posted about the exhibits that are closed. I go look… 👀 it’s not a sign! There were two 9x12 papers taped up, the first in Japanese and the second in English. They are not signs, they are tiny pieces of paper taped on a window. It also says they seals would be gone for a year, yet the man, (pictured), confirmed the seal has been gone since Covid 🤷‍♀️ Then he tells me the price hasn’t changed since 2012. Well sir, good thing because I don’t think it warrants more money at all. In fact I don’t think money being spent there is being utilized properly at least not after seeing for myself. How about telling everyone you haven’t had seals there in over 5 years 🤷‍♀️ how about taking down your faux tiny sign and putting a sandwich board out that says, we haven’t had our seals in over five years… you know why? No one would come!

Then some kooky lady chimes in, “also pictured”, who felt the need to talk down to me and then as I left she talked poorly about me as well. I know because I went back to take a picture of their “signage”. Here I was thinking these folks were educated yet they certainly never learned about manners 🤷‍♀️ I most certainly let her know it was ridiculous.

Before we came my daughter thought she might volunteer there in less than two years while she’s in college. After going, I wouldn’t let her work with anyone there I met.

If I’m being honest, it’s a waste of money and resources and should be shut down.

The two people in the picture are rude and are in major denial thinking that the aquarium is worth it or for thinking that you can treat people like you do and no one will do anything. I could be the head of NASA or another organization, yet the girl was asking her buddies who I thought I was for even coming up and asking why the monk seals are not back yet. She sure has a lot of nerve if you ask me…

As for who I am… I am the person who actually writes reviews and call the university to let them know what a bang up job you are all doing there. Nothing but a hamajang operation. Also don’t bother going in the gift shop. Everything is from Temu and costs 7 times what it does on Temu’s site! All from china and then you get to pay and extra $0.15 for a bag that is cheap with no sign of Waikiki aquarium printed on it 🤷‍♀️ what a rip off! The whole kit and caboodle! To top it off, the kids “hands on coloring table was already colored completely so that stunk too! Worst over $50 I’ve spent yet on Oahu in my life!

I do not recommend at all! The guy in the pic even spoke poorly on the zoo saying they are a lot more expensive… well, first off, with kama’aina it’s $7.00 each and they actually have most exhibits open and you spend a lot more time actually learning. You could spend a whole day there!

If you are picking between the zoo and the aquarium, there really is only one choice if you actually want to see anything at all.