Boston Aquarium Tickets: How to Buy, Prices & Hours

There are many things to see and do in Boston, and one of the main attractions is the New England Aquarium. If you are visiting Boston, you cannot miss it. It is an unforgettable experience for children and marine life enthusiasts alike.

The Boston Aquarium is one of the most comprehensive aquariums in the United States. Both its temporary exhibitions throughout the year and its permanent exhibitions are very interesting and suitable for the whole family, especially appealing to children.

Ideal for families

Boston New England Aquarium Tickets

Explore the underwater world at the New England Aquarium

Dive into one of the most innovative aquariums in the world and enjoy hundreds of marine species without queuing.

From €32 at Hellotickets

With these tickets to the New England Aquarium in Boston, you'll get skip-the-line access to one of the city's most visited attractions, perfect for families, ocean enthusiasts and marine science lovers.

During your visit, you can explore the aquarium's different exhibits, including the penguin colony, the marine mammal centre and the impressive Giant Ocean Tank: a 760,000-litre cylinder that recreates a Caribbean coral reef and is home to sharks, rays and tropical fish.

Recommended if... you want to discover marine life without leaving Boston, in an immersive environment designed to be enjoyed with family or children.

Tickets to the New England Aquarium in Boston cost £33 for adults if you buy them online through Hellotickets, a more convenient and direct option than purchasing them at the box office. In addition to priority access, the price is fixed and there are no surprises.

Here is a breakdown of prices according to the age of the visitor:

• Adults (12 years and older): £33
• Children (aged 3 to 11): £25
• Infants (up to 2 years old): free

This price includes access to all the aquarium's permanent exhibitions, such as the marine mammal centre, the penguin colony and the Giant Ocean Tank.

Please note that other additional activities, such as the 3D film or the whale watching tour, are not included in this ticket. If you would like to see the film, the price is around £10 for adults, and if you are interested in whale watching (available only from March to November), the cost is around £65 per person.

Booking in advance online through Hellotickets ensures availability and avoids queues at one of Boston's most popular attractions.

The Boston Aquarium has different types of tickets, from basic tickets to promotional packages that are significantly cheaper. These are called combo tickets, which include general admission to the aquarium plus the film for around £35 per adult.

If you opt for the combo ticket with general admission to the aquarium and whale watching, you will pay around £85 per adult.

There are skip-the-line tickets for visitors who have an aquarium membership. In this case, simply arrive at the door where you will be greeted by staff and you will not have to wait.

There are also skip-the-line tickets for those who purchase their tickets online in advance. Therefore, the best thing to do if you want to avoid queues and make the most of your time is to buy your ticket online and in advance.

Are tickets to the Boston Aquarium included in any city sightseeing passes?

Tickets to the Boston Aquarium are included in the Boston CityPASS and the Go Boston Card. The passes have different prices depending on the number of days you select.

Buying one of these Boston tourist passes is an excellent option for visiting the main attractions while saving a lot of money and time, because some activities have preferential entry that allows you to skip the queues.

They also provide significant discounts at shops, restaurants, transport and other activities.

Some subscriptions offer guided tours. However, in my opinion, the guided tours are not worth it, as the aquarium is very well organised and you can easily visit it without a guide.

In fact, many visitors prefer unguided visits because they find it easier to organise the tour and can spend more time on the aquarium activities they find most interesting, with complete freedom to manage their own time.

In addition, a visit without a guide gives you the opportunity to spend more time interacting with the animals.

Yes, there are discounted tickets for the Boston Aquarium. If you don't have a Boston CityPASS or Go Boston Card, which give you free admission to the aquarium, you can get discounted tickets on site if you are over 60.

There are also discounts for students and members of the armed forces. Admission to the Aquarium is free for wheelchair users and people with visual impairments.

A visit to the aquarium should definitely be on your list of things to do in Boston if you are travelling with children, so it is important to know the ticket prices for them.

Children get significant discounts on tickets to the Boston Aquarium. Those aged between 3 and 11 will only have to pay around £18, while children under 3 go free.

If you decide to buy tickets for the film, the price for children aged 3 to 11 will be approximately £4, and children under 3 will also get in free.

For whale watching, children under 3 will get in free and children aged 3 to 11 will pay only around £3.

There are three main reasons to buy tickets online rather than at the ticket office. The first is that you guarantee availability for your chosen date.

• When you buy your ticket online, it has a date on it, so you can be sure you'll be able to get in on the day you've chosen.
• The second reason is that when you buy tickets online, you can get significant discounts on the ticket price depending on the time of year.
• You should also bear in mind that many of the tickets sold online have the advantage of being priority tickets, so you won't have to queue to enter the aquarium.

The Boston Aquarium is one of the main attractions in the area, so queues are often long despite the efforts of the staff to make entry as smooth as possible.

Opening and closing times vary depending on the time of year. From 27 May to 6 September, the aquarium is open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

During autumn and winter, the hours change, and from 7 September to 26 May, they are as follows: Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The aquarium will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Before you go, it is advisable to check online for any changes to the usual opening hours or if any attractions may be temporarily suspended.

The time needed to visit the aquarium depends on each person, as interests vary from one person to another. As a general rule, for a normal visit, taking in the most interesting parts of the aquarium and without doing any extra activities, you will need at least 2 hours.

I recommend not going with just enough time, because although two hours may be enough, time flies when you are inside enjoying the activities and interacting with the different animals.

If you decide to participate in whale watching activities during the season when this is possible, the visit will require at least 4 more hours, as you must add the transfers and sailing time.

Any time of year is a good time to visit the Boston Aquarium. The activities offered inside the aquarium can be enjoyed in all seasons.

If you want to visit the Boston Aquarium and go whale watching, you should plan your visit for the months between March and November. Although there are many things to see in Boston in winter, this activity is not one of them.

If you are travelling by car from the south, follow these directions to get to the Boston Aquarium: take the I-93 North, then take exit 17 for Government Centre to Quincy Market, turn left onto Surface Road and continue in that direction for three blocks, turn left onto Milk Street and the Aquarium will be in front of you.

You can find other directions on how to get to the aquarium by car if you are travelling from the north, east or west of the city.

For those who prefer to use public transport, you can take the Metro. The nearest metro stop is only 100 metres from the aquarium. Take the MBTA blue line and get off at the Boston Aquarium stop.

We recommend using public transport because the lines are very close to the aquarium and you don't have to worry about parking, which can be difficult to find due to the large crowds in this area.

Another great option is to use one of Boston's tourist buses. Just make sure the one you choose stops near the aquarium, as is the case with the tram tour.

There is so much to see at the Boston Aquarium, although if you are short on time, you may not be able to see everything. What you cannot miss is the Coral Reef, which shows you the enormous biodiversity of this type of ecosystem, considered to be true marine jungles.

See what the Boston Aquarium's Coral Reefs exhibition has in store for you.

Another must-see during your visit to the Boston Aquarium is the penguin colony. This colony is home to more than 60 penguins that you can see in a habitat almost identical to their natural environment. Don't miss the Penguin Colony exhibition.

If you like large marine animals, don't miss a visit to the Marine Mammal Centre, where you can see seals, sea lions and other species interacting with their trainers. You may even be able to interact with them if conditions allow.

Meet these friendly and intelligent animals at the Boston Aquarium's Marine Mammal Centre.

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. As you will be in an environment with a lot of water (some areas may be wet), it is best to wear non-slip footwear and avoid heels or shoes that are not suitable for this type of activity.
• If you are going whale watching, bring a coat, even if you are visiting Boston in summer. The wind at sea is cold no matter what time of year it is.
• Buy your tickets online. This way, you can skip the queue, secure your chosen date and get much cheaper tickets than if you bought them at the aquarium ticket office. Just print them at home or scan them and present them at the entrance.
• If you didn't have time to buy tickets online, purchase them with the Boston CityPASS to save money. They can be free with the Boston CityPASS and the Go Boston Card, depending on the option you choose. Check the conditions when purchasing the cards.
• Try to avoid peak times. The middle of the day is the busiest time, so if you want to enjoy the main activities in peace, it's best to arrive early, around opening time. This way, you'll have less competition when you want to interact with the animals at the aquarium.
• Avoid the stress of driving by using public transport, which is much more practical than driving and will also save you money on parking.
• Remember to bring your camera, but keep in mind that the use of flash is prohibited as it can disturb the animals.
• There are lockers available where you can store your belongings. The larger lockers cost around £5 for the whole day and the smaller ones around £2.
• Prepare a picnic to enjoy with your family. There are picnic tables available in the aquarium square for use at no extra cost.