Downtown Aquarium3515

The aquarium itself is great, somewhat expensive and a little ridiculous that you have to pay for parking but DO NOT have a birthday party there!!! We were supposed to be in the restaurant for the party but they didn't have the room so we were put in Sharky's fun room. It's a very good room for kids, they loved it!! The hostess brought the kids their drinks and it was carbonated water (not her fault), she grabbed them all not keeping track of where the cups were, brought back the drinks and didn't change the cups, lids or straws DISGUSTING!!! She then denied that they were the same ones but replaced them anyway. She brought pizza and cake and no napkins after we asked about 20 times. If you have kids you understand the importance of napkins, and there were 12 kids. She then kicked us out of the room when my son was in the middle of opening presents because another party was coming in. We complained to the manager who took off the gratuity but then we talked to the manager of the fun room and she was very rude and defensive to us and blamed us for all that had happened. The customer service was horrible!!

We had my daughter's birthday party here and I would not do it again. To begin with we were rushed through our meal. Our hostess wasn't very knowledgeable on the exhibits, although she did a good job trying to explain everything. The group picture we were suppose to receive was going to be mailed, a month and 3 calls later I was told there were "computer problems" and our picture was lost. To componsate, we were going to receive 1 free admission to the aquarium, not exactly compensation for a one time event. Or for the amount of money we paid for the birthday party. To boot we never received the free admission! Thanks but no thanks!

I don't get Frankw's disgruntled review. I was just there on New Year's eve with my husband and our 2 teenagers. We had a wonderful dinner, great service and a fabulous, slow paced tour of the very relaxing aquarium. We have also been to this place several times, and we don't at all notice that the exhibits or facility have gone through any type of decline. I thought it would be packed on New Year's eve, but it was just perfect. There was a kid's buffet going on in a special events room. The aquarium itself was nearly empty by 7 p.m. or so when we entered after eating. We took our time and really enjoyed seeing all kinds of nature that we don't typically get to experience. If you take your time and sit on the benches by the large tanks that are filled with diverse creatures such as sea turtles, eels, sharks...you see something new emerge every minute or so. It is absolutely wonderful! We had never gone through in the evening - the lighting was lower at night due to lack of sun coming in from the overhead atrium windows..but it was a nice, calm atmosphere. I do agree that it is pricey...but if you are looking for something unusual to do in Denver, I highly recommend the restaurant and the exhibit that is filled with so many delighful creatures...do not hurry through this place! We had a fabulous, relaxing New Year's eve - Thanks to the Downtown Aquarium! Keep up the great work...
[Submitted by LoriColorado1/02/10 at 1:11 AM]

Great experience at the aquarium. $13.75 for adults and $8.25 for kids, well worth it. There are metered parking and even a few free parking spots within less than 100 yards from the building. Yes, the spaces inside are a bit tight sometimes, so avoid going on those popular dates. The restaurant is awesome FOR FAMILIES, although the foods are overpriced, but that's how the business survives. Please note this is a family oriented restaurant. Would I go there by myself for the food? No. Would I take my family and kids to eat there? Absolutely!! We had a great time and we're even thinking to purchase a family annual pass.

Ok, yes it's too expensive or we'd go more often. Especially since my son and I LOVE the restaurant and have to eat there when we go. We are just in love with the idea of a meal right by the giant fish tank. And the food is good. The Aquarium itself is really beautiful and has lots of interesting and some hands-on exhibits. We are NEVER disappointed, though we try to avoid going on free days or days when school is out because I can see that a crowd in that place would be uncomfortable.

We are from California and went to this Aquarium with our 1 year old on a weekday and there was barely anyone there, as far as being expensive that person is crazy our aquarium in CA is 20.95 per adult the denver aquarium is only 12 something. also we ate at the restaurant which was expensive but great atmosphere, service and food! we finished the aquarium pretty quick but my son was RUNNING through it and we couldnt read all about the fish but overall it was definitely worth 25 dollars for all 3 of us to have a day of great memories and pictures .

Crowded, overpriced and unimpressive. Hard to navigate through the tight spaces and the entire exhibit feels claustrophobic. I really wish Denver would invest in a new aquarium.

It was crowded. The set up was poor. The food was bad. And there really isn't any Breakfast *with* Santa, that's a misnomer. It was horrible *and* expensive and there's no discount on going to the aquarium afterwards. Just pay to go to the aquarium and steer clear of the restaurant. I will never go again.

my daughter looovvvved it!

Its been renovated in the last few years and its great! Lots of big tanks with huge fish. Nice displays with waterfalls and fountains. Even a simulated desert flood which is really cool. I think its one of the best aquariums around.

kids love the exhibits. my son is three and absolutely loves this place. it would be nice if the additional hands on activities were included in the admission price. we will definetly go again.

For the cost of admittance and the time it actually takes to go thru it, very unimpressive.

I live in Salt Lake City and recently made my 3rd visit to the Denver Aquarium with my wife and 2 kids and was sorely disappointed. As a result, I would strongly discourage parents from taking their kids to the Denver aquarium. The aquarium used to be called Ocean Journey, but fanancial problems resulted in its purchase by the Landry's restaurant. My kids are 6 and 10. We visted the aquarium 2 times before, when they were probably 3 to 4 years younger. The aquarium is still set up as the "journey" of water from the land to the sea, traversing all sorts of geographic/climatologic zones. In addition, they seem to have other stuff thrown in like tigers and Amazonian fish exhibits. This is all pretty much the same as it was before, and although I never fully understood some aspects of the exhibit that seemed a bit off-course for a transit of water from the Rocky Mountains to the Sea of Cortez, the exhibit seemed to work before and it still pretty much does. The exhibit is showing its age a bit, but is still attractive. This exhibit now represents the entire aquarium exhibit, whereas before, this exhibit (ocean journey) filled perhaps 60% of the entire aquarium exhibition space, the remainder being educational exhibits in the massive foyer of the building and a giant otter tank with feeding schedules. We have visited other aquariums including Baltimore and Moneterey, and although the "old" Denver aquarium was not quite on that scale, it was a fine site to visit and a good environment for the kids. We were sort of expecting a similar experience on our recent visit, so we were sadly surprised by the changes that have been made by Landry's. It is obvious from the moment that you walk in the "new" aquarium that the operation has been taken over by a money-grubbing restaurant corporation. They have removed all educational exhibits and the huge otter tank from the public space in the building and added a hodge- podge of temporary walls that facilitate a sort of cattle-herding method of getting people through the building. Add to this a jumble of fake beachfront shack-and-thatch kind of trinket and junk shops and you feel like you are in the worst beach tourist trap that you have ever seen. The primary goal of the operation is clearly directed at getting you into the sports bar and restaurant and to keep you feeling harried the entire time. It is really insulting to take kids to a place liek this, since even my 6 year old is smart enough to know when she's been ripped-off. The goal of the entire operation is to seaparate you from your money and offer as little in return as is possible. I recall that the docents in the aquarium used to enjoy participating in the exhibits, but now they seem disinterested. This is either because they are paid employees and unsatisifed or perhaps they are volunteers fighting a losing battle against blatant commercialism. This is an example of how a commercial enterprise has devalued the educational value of an exhibit and slaughtered the architectural value in a building for some sort of short-term gain, I suppose. Curiously, we were on the Kemah, Texas boardwalk 5 days after our visit to the Denver aquarium. The boardwalk in Kemah, Texas is also a Landry's mega- enterprise and the seedy, money-grubbing atmosphere of the mid-way at a traveling fair pervades both. I will not return to the Denver aquarium and my kids don't want to. Denver would have benefitted greatly if the public or private funds had been available to keep the aquarium running in its former state.

We had a good time at the Aquarium. For the price, it would have been nice if it was a little larger or if the things to do at the end were included in the price of admission instead of having to pay $5 extra for a balloon animal. It was very enjoyable.

The Downtown Aquarium is a great experience for kids of any age. It is not too large, so the children aren't completely worn down by the time the reach the end, but it is large enough to keep kids and their parents (or nannies, in this case) entertained for a couple of hours.