I bought membership to the Portland Aquarium
before it even opened almost a year ago
because they were having a great sale on memberships
making it cheaper than admission for all of us!
We tried to go back in December
but is was so busy,
and we could NOT find parking,
not to mention the line around the building,
we decided to skip it
Well, life and a new baby happened
so we hadn’t made it up there until this last week.
Luckily,
Membership doesn’t start until your first visit,
so we still have a year’s worth of visits to enjoy
We also chose a day,
this time,
that it was not very busy
This is a small aquarium
built in what I believe was an old steak house restaurant
So no need for a stroller
The exhibits were nice
The kids thought the old boat
made into an exhibit with water and fish was cool
They had many places where the kids could
touch and feel animals
and they had many employees monitoring it
The 2 older ones wanted to touch
but the 3 year old
was too afraid
The Manta or String Rays (not sure which)
were VERY friendly
and really seemed to enjoy the attention
They don’t have the otters
or the puffin exhibits open yet
I will be excited to go back when they do
The kids got to hold Lorikeet’s
in the Lorikeet exhibit
(this does not really thrill me – I had these type of birds as pets, parrots too, when we lived in Latin America)
but the kids think it is fun
They had a play area for the kids
The kids like it
but they annoy me because they don’t ever want to leave it
but at the same time
the 3 year old is too small to climb it well without help,
So he is constantly complaining for someone to help him
(FYI – I am carrying the baby in his moby wrap, no husband on this trip either :P)
I could do without this feature!
So the kids really enjoyed it
As a parent/adult
I couldn’t help but look around at the things they could improve
they need more “finishing” touches
Like where the carpet meets the walls
clean, not scuffed doors,
attractions and exhibits that look complete
and have clean lines and creative ways to hide the “wires”
so to speak
Like the Jelly Fish exhibit
it looked great and complete
but in other places,
It looked like we were walking into someone’s home
looking at a fish tank
Things could just look a bit more professional
and not just something someone threw together
Maybe I am just nit-picky?
But the kids enjoyed it
and we have a membership,
so we will be back
Would I recommend it at full price?
No
but there are often groupon type deals for it
so I would watch for those
and then say,
yes, it is worth a trip!
It only took us about an hour or so
to see everything
and the kids had a fun time.
Otherwise,
I say your money is better spent at the
FABULOUS
Oregon Coast Aquarium
in Newport
(we LOVE that place!!!)
We will be back though
and I will update the blog
if I change my opinion 🙂
