Adventure Aquarium

About

Adventure Aquarium sits on the Camden waterfront on the Delaware River, directly across from Philadelphia. The building opened in 1992 as the New Jersey State Aquarium and reopened under its current name in 2005 after a major renovation. It holds roughly 8,000 animals in more than 2 million gallons of water, spread across 200,000 square feet of public space and 11 major exhibits.

The Ocean Tank, a 760,000-gallon habitat, holds sand tiger sharks and other Atlantic species. Shark Bridge, a rope bridge over the tank, puts visitors inches above roughly 30 sharks; it's not required for viewing the shark exhibits from ground level. KidZone gives younger children touch tanks and hands-on stations, and the 154-seat Adventure Theatre runs 4-D films with added effects. Piranha Falls is a tropical waterfall tank surrounded by plants, and the aquarium's African penguin colony has bred dozens of chicks since joining a species survival program in 1998. The aquarium also keeps hippos and has raised money for hippo conservation work in Africa.

Parking is in the Hippo and Penguin lots across from the entrance. As of 2026, general admission and Silver-tier members pay $10 to park, Gold members pay $5, and Platinum members park free. Adventure Aquarium does not publish an average visit length on its site, so plan your afternoon around how many exhibits you want to cover.

The aquarium is a short walk from the RiverLine light rail's Aquarium stop and the PATCO Speedline's City Hall stop, and a quick trip across the Delaware from Center City Philadelphia. The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial is docked on the same waterfront within walking distance.

Accessibility

Adventure Aquarium is wheelchair accessible. The aquarium's own accessibility page describes the facility as fully accessible for guests using wheelchairs or electric convenience vehicles (ECVs) and for anyone who finds steps difficult, with the caveat that Shark Bridge is an able-bodied experience only reachable on foot.

Parking is in the Hippo and Penguin lots across from the entrance, with a designated accessible drop-off and pickup area on the Aquarium Loop Drive next to the Box Office. Accessible parking spaces are limited and first-come, first-served, so arrive early if you need one. Signage from the lot leads to the Main Entrance and Box Office.

Once inside, manual wheelchairs and ECVs can be rented daily at the Information Desk in the Main Lobby. A manual wheelchair costs $8 with a fully refundable $10 deposit; the aquarium does not publish an ECV rental price. Cash and major credit cards are accepted. Restrooms with accessible stalls are in the Main Lobby, Zone B near Stingray Beach Club, and Zone C near Imagination Sand Station and Quantum Space. There's no dedicated family restroom; ask a team member to point you to a private one in a non-exhibit area if you need it.

For sensory needs, the aquarium partners with KultureCity and trains staff to assist. Sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones and fidget tools, plus a weighted lap pad, can be checked out at no cost from the Information Desk. A Sensory Pod in Kaleidoscope Cove (Zone C) and the Nursing/Family Rooms in Zones B and D work as quiet retreat spaces, and staff can take you to a private, behind-the-scenes area if you need more room.

Service animals are welcome. The site defines them as dogs or miniature horses trained to perform tasks, and they must stay leashed or harnessed unless that interferes with their work. They aren't permitted on Shark Bridge or Behind-the-Scenes Tours, and the aquarium doesn't have an on-site relief area, so plan around that if you'll be stepping out and back in. Paid personal care attendants get in at no extra cost; call ahead to arrange a companion ticket if you're buying in advance.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in New Jersey

• Battleship New Jersey (Camden)
• Atlantic City Boardwalk (Atlantic City)
• Princeton University Art Museum (Princeton)
• Liberty Science Center (Jersey City)
• New Jersey State Museum (Trenton)
• Grounds For Sculpture (Hamilton)

Photo credits

• Adventure Aquarium's waterfront building with large ADVENTURE AQUARIUM lettering and a rounded dome on the roof.: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0 (source)
• Adventure Aquarium building seen across the Delaware River with its dome and tower rising above the waterfront.: Jim.henderson, CC BY 4.0 (source)
• Visitors at a paved railing overlook Penguin Island exhibit at Adventure Aquarium.: Al the Minotaur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)