Aquariums
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
📍 374 Airport Rd, Manteo, NC 27954🌐 www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island
🕐 Hours
| Monday | 9 AM–5 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Sunday | 9 AM–5 PM |
About North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
Live encounters with gators & stingrays. Live animal encounters, feedings, a 285,000-gallon shark tank, interactive exhibits, films & more. The 285,000-gallon shark tank is a major centerpiece exhibit where staff conduct live shark feedings with interactive demonstrations for visitors. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 8,698 visitors.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Aquarium
- Best For
- All ages
- Highlights
- Touch stingrays, river otters, sharks, sea turtles, alligators
- Hours
- Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Special Feature
- Timed entry; reserve online to avoid sellouts
💡 Did You Know?
- The 285,000-gallon shark tank is a major centerpiece exhibit where staff conduct live shark feedings with interactive demonstrations for visitors
- The Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center is a dedicated facility that rescues and rehabilitates injured sea turtles, allowing visitors to observe the rehabilitation process
- The aquarium features the James Melvin Gallery, which documents the history of the all-Black lifesaving station on Pea Island, integrating local maritime history into the aquarium experience
- An outdoor fossil and shark teeth dig area allows visitors to search for and keep shark teeth and fossils they find, creating a paleontological treasure hunt experience
- The aquarium is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, marking a half-century of operation on Roanoke Island
💬 What Visitors Say
- Book tickets online in advance to secure your preferred time slot, as timed-entry sessions sell out quickly. This also allows you to skip the ticket window line and enter faster.
- Visit during off-peak seasons (like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) or on weekdays to experience the aquarium with minimal crowds, allowing you to spend unhurried time at exhibits like the turtle rehabilitation center and shark tank.
- Plan for at least 2-3 hours to fully experience the aquarium. Highlights include the interactive stingray touch tanks, sea turtle rehabilitation center, outdoor wetlands area with alligators and otters, outdoor shark teeth fossil hunting, and the James Melvin Gallery showcasing Pea Island's historical all-Black lifesaving station.
- Take advantage of the many included free daily programs with admission: Creature Feature, Otter Enrichment, Shipwreck Stories, and shark tank feeding demonstrations where staff interact with visitors and engage with children.
- Bring cash if you want to use the hurricane simulator. Kids can also keep any shark teeth and fossils they find during the outdoor fossil hunting activity, making it a memorable keepsake.
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