SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium
4
Nature & Wildlife Areas • Aquariums
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9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium is New Zealand’s most famous aquarium! It is home to New Zealand's only sub-Antarctic penguins and offers a myriad of opportunities to get up close and personal with incredible marine life from the Pacific and Southern oceans. For a truly incredible experience, take the plunge on an Animal Adventure jump into the shark Cage and go snorkeling with massive sharks or jump on the ice and get up close and personal with the King and Gentoo penguins!
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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  • Suzanne W
    3 contributions
    OK aquarium - photo issue
    I went to the aquarium last Saturday with my partner. We thought it was good, lots of interesting things to see etc... The reason for my average review is that when we arrived we were asked, (very firmly) to stand and pose for some photos. This was fine, we did it and then went and looked at the penguins. We were given a card with a code on it so we could look up the photos when we got home and decide if we wanted to buy them, both of us thought that was a good system. However as we were leaving the gift shop there was a lot of staff waiting for us and we were grabbed and told to show our photo card, we did this and the lady put it into a machine so we could view the photos. So far so good. The photos weren’t actually that great and had gimmicky filters on so we decided against buying them. However, (and this is what really irritated me) one of the ladies then printed out a few photos and handed them to me, saying “feel free to look through”. So I passed them back to her as I didn’t want them and she got a bit huffy. I never asked her to print them, it felt like an unashamed grab for cash, really guilt tripping us into spending money on something we didn’t want, had never even asked for in fact. It would be one thing if the photos were a couple dollars but they weren’t. I can’t recall the price but it seemed extortionate for a handful of photos with a penguin filter on them. For a business that teaches about reducing waste, looking after the environment and recycling it just seems a bit ridiculous that they print out photos for everyone just to bin a lot of them when people decide they don’t want them. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. The admission prices aren’t exactly cheap but I’d say it was worth it, if they really need the money perhaps raise it by 5 dollars and then don’t charge people for the photos, just throw them in for free.
    Kia ora Suzanne - thank you so much for coming to visit us and also for taking the time to leave a detailed review. It is great to know that you enjoyed your time within the aquarium, however it is a shame that your experience regarding the photography had a negative influence on your time here. Please rest assured that I will pass on your feedback to the photography company that operates that department on-site. Photos are pre-printed to provide efficiency for guests that do wish to purchase them, and those that are not purchased are 100% recyclable. Having said that, we would never want our guests to feel pressured or guilty for not making a purchase and so for that I sincerely apologize. We are always looking for ways to improve what we do, and your feedback really is appreciated. I hope that you will come back for another visit soon. Kind regards, Emma - SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
    Written January 18, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 7, 2020
  • Scotsgirl7911
    Auckland, New Zealand114 contributions
    Great for kids. Pack your own lunch.
    What we liked: Penguin enclosure shark and fish aquarium Kids play area Colouring area We do feel compared to the zoo that the price is far to high for families. The cost of the cafe food is also very high and disappointing quality. Our recommendation is to pack your own lunch
    Kia ora and thank you for your review. It is great to see that you enjoyed our displays, as well as the children's areas. We rely on proceeds from both ticket sales and on-site purchases made in our cafe and gift shop to maintain these attractions, as unlike other Auckland attractions - such as the Zoo - we are not government owned and therefore do not receive external funding. We sincerely thank every guest that comes to visit us, as they allow us to maintain our displays and of course care for the animals that live here. I certainly hope that you will come back and visit us again soon. Kind regards - Emma, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
    Written February 3, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written February 1, 2020
  • Wade
    Kawakawa, New Zealand13 contributions
    Awesome fun
    We enjoyed our morning at Kelly Tarltons. Reasonably priced for a family day out. Enjoyed the turtles and sea horses. Store prices were ok. Digital photos are offered for $43 but if you get them online they are only $25. Can't wait to go back again.
    Kia or and thank you for coming to visit us! Also for taking the time to leave us your feedback - it's greatly appreciated. It's lovely to know that you had such a good time here and we certainly do hope to see you again soon. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's
    Written March 7, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written February 23, 2020
  • TOM A
    Chesapeake, Virginia728 contributions
    Great acquarium
    Located about a 15-20 ride from downtown right across from the harbor it is worth the trip. Real life Antarctica penguins and a host of other marine life including sharks and sting rays. Take the kids!
    Kia ora and thank you for coming to visit us! It is great to know that you enjoyed your time here and I will be sure to pass it along to the on-site team. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's
    Written March 7, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 21, 2020
  • Lori C
    Toronto, Canada246 contributions
    Went to see the Penguins
    They didn’t disappoint, but the admission fee is very steep and the rest of the aquarium was similar to most aquariums we have been to. The aquarium in our home city of Toronto is more interesting. The penguins were abundant and fun to watch, different than the ones you typically get to see in their natural habitat.
    Kia ora Lori - thank you for coming to visit us! It is great to know that you enjoyed seeing the penguins, they are often a highlight for our guests. I hope that you also enjoyed the rest of the attraction - did you know that we are the only turtle hospital in New Zealand? Also that the tunnel you saw was the first of it's kind in the world? Kelly Tarlton built it himself and the design has since been replicated throughout the world. We do not receive any external funding and so the admission fee paid goes directly to maintaining the displays and caring for our animals - so we sincerely thank you for your support. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
    Written March 6, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 26, 2020
  • Bill S
    Eugene, Oregon223 contributions
    Disappointing
    We like aquaria but this one is poorly managed. They need to greatly improve the information about exhibits, including putting the information where it is relevant. Perhaps the managers should visit the aquaria in La Jolla and Singapore to see opportunities for improvement.
    Kia ora - thank you for coming to visit us and also for taking the time to leave us your feedback. Although there is signage and information at each of our displays, there is always room for improvement and so I am happy to pass on your comments to the operations team. Kind regards and we hope to see you again.
    Written March 6, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 13, 2020
  • timhartland
    Mandurah, Australia1,006 contributions
    Really great venue and experience
    Visited as part of a day trip off a cruise, purchased combined with a hop on hop off in Auckland. Was second visit, first 4 years earlier. Now kids have grown somewhat was a new level of wonderment and a highlight were the penguins, just priceless. Great coffee and loved gift shop. Amazing IT and graphics for kids too. Could be a better rockpool and tank staff a bit young and abrupt/ aloof. Visited Perths recently and staff seemed to work hard to engage and value visitors. Cafe staff friendly. 20 mins out of Auckland central and a great view across harbour.
    Kia ora - thank you for coming to visit us, and also for taking the time to leave us a review! It is great to know that you had such a good time here, I will be sure to pass on your feedback to the on-site team as well. We hope that you will be able to come back and visit again soon. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
    Written January 18, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2019
    Traveled with family
    Written January 9, 2020
  • OCkids
    Orange County, California19 contributions
    Very good for kids
    The setting of the aquarium is quite unusual. It is set in an old tunnel, and the use of space is very clever. The aquarium has a variety of sea creatures, and it also has multiple areas for kids to play and explore. I would give it 5 stars if it was not for an unpleasant smell due to the tunnel past.
    Hi There, Thanks for visiting so glad you enjoyed your visit. Hopefully we see you again soon. Thanks Team at sea life Kelly Tarltons.
    Written February 13, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 12, 2020
  • Aussie_2012
    Melbourne, Australia764 contributions
    One of the best you’ll see
    This place is an institution of Auckland so really wanted to visit and it did not disappoint. Price was a little on the steep side ($41 adults) but we did get to see some amazing animals in very good enclosures such as the king penguins in the ice habitat and the sharks and rays in the huge underwater experience which we went around 3 times it was so much fun. I didn’t find out about the encounter experiences but we did see some people having a close encounter with the penguins which would’ve been most memorable. There is so much educational information as well as a historical section dedicated to Kelly Tarlton himself. There’s a cafe and gift shop as well as an extremely educational and well done exhibit on Scott’s but in Antarctica. Arrive early as the place was packed and even a queue 15 minutes before opening. The car park too is a bit of a nightmare so more reason to get there early to secure a spot. Well worth it.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 7, 2023
  • melissasO2213BS
    Rotorua, New Zealand68 contributions
    Loved the penguins
    A great afternoon visit to Kelly Tarlton’s. We loved the penguins, turtles and sharks especially. The exhibits are well laid out and include heaps of interesting information. Cafe has some tasty items - I had a delicious blueberry muffin. Parking onsite. Staff are friendly.
    Kia ora and thank you for your lovely review! I will be sure to pass your kind words onto the on-site team who will be so pleased to hear them. It sounds like you made the most of your time with us, and we certainly hope to see you back again soon. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
    Written February 1, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2021
    Traveled with family
    Written January 19, 2021
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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3,052 reviews
Excellent
1,232
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545
Poor
150
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75

TOM A
Chesapeake, VA728 contributions
Feb 2020
Located about a 15-20 ride from downtown right across from the harbor it is worth the trip. Real life Antarctica penguins and a host of other marine life including sharks and sting rays. Take the kids!
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora and thank you for coming to visit us! It is great to know that you enjoyed your time here and I will be sure to pass it along to the on-site team. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's
Written March 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lori C
Toronto, Canada246 contributions
Feb 2020
They didn’t disappoint, but the admission fee is very steep and the rest of the aquarium was similar to most aquariums we have been to. The aquarium in our home city of Toronto is more interesting. The penguins were abundant and fun to watch, different than the ones you typically get to see in their natural habitat.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora Lori - thank you for coming to visit us! It is great to know that you enjoyed seeing the penguins, they are often a highlight for our guests. I hope that you also enjoyed the rest of the attraction - did you know that we are the only turtle hospital in New Zealand? Also that the tunnel you saw was the first of it's kind in the world? Kelly Tarlton built it himself and the design has since been replicated throughout the world. We do not receive any external funding and so the admission fee paid goes directly to maintaining the displays and caring for our animals - so we sincerely thank you for your support. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
Written March 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bill S
Eugene, OR223 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We like aquaria but this one is poorly managed. They need to greatly improve the information about exhibits, including putting the information where it is relevant.
Perhaps the managers should visit the aquaria in La Jolla and Singapore to see opportunities for improvement.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora - thank you for coming to visit us and also for taking the time to leave us your feedback. Although there is signage and information at each of our displays, there is always room for improvement and so I am happy to pass on your comments to the operations team. Kind regards and we hope to see you again.
Written March 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

timhartland
Mandurah, Australia1,006 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
Visited as part of a day trip off a cruise, purchased combined with a hop on hop off in Auckland. Was second visit, first 4 years earlier. Now kids have grown somewhat was a new level of wonderment and a highlight were the penguins, just priceless. Great coffee and loved gift shop. Amazing IT and graphics for kids too. Could be a better rockpool and tank staff a bit young and abrupt/ aloof. Visited Perths recently and staff seemed to work hard to engage and value visitors. Cafe staff friendly. 20 mins out of Auckland central and a great view across harbour.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora - thank you for coming to visit us, and also for taking the time to leave us a review! It is great to know that you had such a good time here, I will be sure to pass on your feedback to the on-site team as well. We hope that you will be able to come back and visit again soon. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
Written January 18, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

OCkids
Orange County, CA19 contributions
Feb 2020
The setting of the aquarium is quite unusual. It is set in an old tunnel, and the use of space is very clever. The aquarium has a variety of sea creatures, and it also has multiple areas for kids to play and explore. I would give it 5 stars if it was not for an unpleasant smell due to the tunnel past.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi There, Thanks for visiting so glad you enjoyed your visit. Hopefully we see you again soon. Thanks Team at sea life Kelly Tarltons.
Written February 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Aussie_2012
Melbourne, Australia764 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
This place is an institution of Auckland so really wanted to visit and it did not disappoint. Price was a little on the steep side ($41 adults) but we did get to see some amazing animals in very good enclosures such as the king penguins in the ice habitat and the sharks and rays in the huge underwater experience which we went around 3 times it was so much fun. I didn’t find out about the encounter experiences but we did see some people having a close encounter with the penguins which would’ve been most memorable. There is so much educational information as well as a historical section dedicated to Kelly Tarlton himself. There’s a cafe and gift shop as well as an extremely educational and well done exhibit on Scott’s but in Antarctica. Arrive early as the place was packed and even a queue 15 minutes before opening. The car park too is a bit of a nightmare so more reason to get there early to secure a spot. Well worth it.
Written January 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

melissasO2213BS
Rotorua, New Zealand68 contributions
Jan 2021 • Family
A great afternoon visit to Kelly Tarlton’s. We loved the penguins, turtles and sharks especially. The exhibits are well laid out and include heaps of interesting information. Cafe has some tasty items - I had a delicious blueberry muffin. Parking onsite. Staff are friendly.
Written January 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora and thank you for your lovely review! I will be sure to pass your kind words onto the on-site team who will be so pleased to hear them. It sounds like you made the most of your time with us, and we certainly hope to see you back again soon. Kind regards, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's.
Written February 1, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jacqueline S
35 contributions
Dec 2022 • Friends
I suggest you take a packed lunch with you. The cafe here is not fit for purpose, I think you guys are missing a trick, you have a captive audience and they all have to literally walk through the cafe to get to the exit. We visited the cafe at1pm and there was nothing left other than the last1/2 wrap. There was a queue and only one guy serving so even the ice,olly that we picked out of the freezer was all melting!
Written December 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

slusignan
Montreal, Canada107 contributions
Mar 2023
This is a great place to see live penguins and the walk-through aquarium is wonderful; full of large fish, stingrays, sharks. It was not crowded when we went so we could appreciate it better. We found it a bit pricey as it's not a very large Aquarium and would only take you less than an hour to tour.
Written March 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora. Thank you for leaving us a review about your visit with us. We are sorry to hear that you found us too expensive. As we are home to thousands of animals, our running costs are very high and we try our best to limit how much of this is passed onto our guests. Unlike other Auckland attractions, we do not receive any Government funding and so we rely on the proceeds from our ticket sales to cover the running costs. Due to the entire attraction being underground, we do not have the space to expand our aquarium much more. I hope you were able to enjoy all of the different zones we have inside the attraction, including the largest colony of sub-Antarctica penguins as well as New Zealand’s one and only Turtle Hospital! A great way to add time and value to your visit is to listen to one of our education talks that we do almost hourly throughout the day. We hope to SEA you again soon! Ngā mihi SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's :)
Written April 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

09Bear
Greystanes, Australia105 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Wow, wow, wow, if you ever get the chance, find a way to book in and do the penguin passport experience. The aquarium itself is well worth a visit, but to be able to go into the penguin exhibit and walk amongst the penguins with two of the keepers to guide you is seriously worth every cent.
They only do one tour a day with a maximum group of 4 participants, so it can be hard to get into, but certainly worth it.
Written March 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium (Auckland Central) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium is open:
  • Thu - Mon 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium Information

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