Bournemouth Oceanarium review – Dorset day out with kids

My daughter has been a huge fan of aquariums since she was little, but with so other many things to do in Dorset with kids, I didn’t expect to be writing this Bournemouth Oceanarium review as I planned our trip.

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It was only when torrential rain scuppered our plans to visit Brownsea Island that I seized the opportunity and booked tickets to explore one of the biggest aquariums in Dorset.

And while I’ve promised my daughter that we’ll go back to try to spot those red squirrels on Brownsea Island another time (a promise I finally kept 2 years later), there’s so much to see at the Bournemouth Oceanarium with kids that it’s well worth keeping on your wishlist – and not just if you’re visiting Bournemouth in the rain.

Although with the waves crashing onto the beach and over the pier, I can’t think of many better places for rainy days in Bournemouth with kids than heading virtually under the waves at the Oceanarium.

If you do need more ideas, check out my top things to do in Dorset in the rain with kids

There are 10 separate environments, home to everything from short-clawed otters and penguins to sharks and turtles, not to mention fish galore (and a basking green iguana named Ziggy), just for starters.

The kids’ play area was closed during our visit, and like most zoos and aquariums at the time, talks were not taking place and there was no notification about feeding times to avoid crowds – obviously the inhabitants still get fed, but it’s a matter of luck as to whether you catch them. If you visit today, there’s a full programme of talks to enjoy.

We struck lucky with the otters, getting to see them scamper around to find the food scattered around their area, then crunch and gnaw their way through their lunch.

There are inevitably some queues, especially at the approach to the underwater tunnel at the end, but didn’t feel like there was too much hanging around when we visited,.

It’s well worth getting an early slot – most people spend around 90 minutes exploring (as we did), but there’s no time limit so you’ll find numbers grow as the day goes on.

And while it’s not as big as some aquariums around the UK, such as Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium in next door Devon, it’s got a great balance of having plenty to entertain younger kids without becoming overwhelming.

You can measure yourself against penguins, there are quirky creatures and facts to look out for (plus children’s trails) and some clever design features, like bubble domes within tanks to let kids get as close to the fish as possible.

With over 150 different species of fish, there are plenty to catch the eye as well – a brightly swirled Picasso triggerfish, weirdly wonderful suckermouth catfish, pufferfish, sharks galore, eels, stingrays, piranhas to name just a few.

And that’s just the vertebrates – we also saw a gigantic nautilus (at which point, I realised I’d never seen a nautilus with anything to show its scale before, and had assumed they were a lot smaller), as well as a mesmerising display of moon jellyfish.

For more ideas of the best things to do in Bournemouth with kids, check out my top picks

Along the way, there are dwarf crocodiles, water dragons and turtles small and large – most memorably the pig-nosed turtle, which gets it name because of its longer snout, which acts as a kind of snorkel.

Even better, Bournemouth’s pig-nosed turtle goes by the name of Bob…

And when your kids have finished measuring themselves against penguins (my daughter is approximately Emperor penguin status), there’s the Oceanarium’s own colony to see – 10 of the smaller Humboldt penguins.

As well as a viewing ramp above their pool (you’ll want your coat back on for this bit, if it’s a chilly day outdoors although you stay mostly undercover), you can also see them zooming past underwater.

Along the way, there’s also some information about conservation and threats to marine life around the world, although this is probably best as a starting introduction for younger kids than anything in-depth for those already learning about plastic pollution and environmental impact at school.

The highlight for us had to be the tunnel past Shark Wreck Reef, taking you underwater and designed to give some great views of the inhabitants, including various sharks, rays, a loggerhead turtle and a fantastic guitarfish, who lounged nonchalantly over the tunnel itself.

With 350,000 litres of salt water, it’s home to around 75 different creatures, including stingrays, a moray eel and a zebra shark as well.

While it’s not the biggest or newest aquarium we’ve visited in the UK, it’s a fun way to while away an hour or two, as well as introducing us to a few marine creatures we’d not seen elsewhere.

And if you’re luckier with the weather than we are, the beach is right on the doorstep for afterwards too.

If you’re visiting the other side of Dorset and looking for a day out at an aquarium with kids, there’s also Weymouth SeaLife Adventure Park with some outdoor attractions and Pirate Adventure Mini Golf on the site as well.

For more ideas of things to do in Dorset with kids, check out my pick of the best.

NEED TO KNOW: BOURNEMOUTH OCEANARIUM WITH KIDS

Tickets to the Bournemouth Oceanarium cost from £14.49 for adults, £9.99 for kids (if you prebook online), with family tickets also available. Children aged under three are free.

You can also use Tesco clubcard vouchers, although prices are based on standard entry, without the discount of booking online in advance.

The Oceanarium is open daily from 10am throughout the year, except Christmas Day.

There are several pay and display car parks within a few minutes’ walk of the Oceanarium, although the further away you park, the cheaper it will be. You can pay using the PayByPhone app.

There is a cafe at the Bournemouth Oceanarium: you can’t take food or drink into the aquarium, and must eat anything you buy at a table in the cafe. Only card payments are accepted.

Looking for somewhere to stay in Bournemouth with kids? Check out my review of Shell House luxury self-catering

PIN FOR LATER: BOURNEMOUTH OCEANARIUM REVIEW

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. I paid for my own entry to write this Bournemouth Oceanarium review.

Images copyright MummyTravels

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