Updated for September 2026
The Best Aquariums in New York
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every aquarium in New York that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Animal encounterBehind-the-scenes tourParking
Aquarium of Niagara
Aquarium in Niagara Falls
It started as a private company of researchers and chemists trialling a new artificial seawater formula, and opened on 12 June 1965 as the first inland aquarium anywhere to rely solely on that method.
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Animal encounter
Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center
Aquarium in Riverhead
The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation was given space inside the building.
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Keeper talk or showIndoor spacesAccessible toilets
New York Aquarium
Aquarium in Brooklyn
The aquarium started in 1896 at Castle Garden in Battery Park, Manhattan, and shifted to Coney Island in 1957. It is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, within a group of four zoos and one aquarium that includes the Bronx Zoo. The society's mission covers saving wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action and education.
Aquariums nearby
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 3 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.