Celebrating Accessibility
Discover the accessible facilities at the Vancouver Aquarium enjoy additional services in celebration of accessibility and our oceans.
Overview
Join us on Saturday, December 7, 2019 as we celebrate accessibility at the Vancouver Aquarium
We will open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., you may explore our galleries during the sensory friendly times 9-10 a.m.
Our goal at the Ocean Wise is to share the wonders of aquatic life with all of our visitors. Discover the accessible facilities at the Vancouver Aquarium enjoy additional services in celebration of accessibility and our oceans.
Services & Amenities
Accessibility Services & Amenities
As part of our commitment to accessibility, guests with disabilities can take advantage of the following services and amenities everyday:
- Our accessibility rate is 50% off the general admission rate or a free attendant when paying full admission price. Guests 3 years old with an attendant can receive 50% off their cost of admission. (Our general admission prices excluding taxes are $38 for adults, $30 for seniors, youth and students, and $21, for children 4-12 years old. Children under 3 years old and under come in free.)
- Accredited Service dogs are welcomed in our galleries (Please note: For the health and safety of the dogs as well as our animals, guide dogs are not allowed in our Amazon free flight Gallery.)
- Wheelchairs, walkers and noise reducing headphones, autism comfort kits are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis with a piece of ID or credit card from the Guest Services desk.
- Adult change table located in the underwater Arctic washroom.
- Nursing and quiet rooms available.
Programs
Additional Programs
We will celebrate accessibility by offering these additional programs:
- Guided Tours offered for the Wet Lab experience at 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm, so visitors can experience our aquatic world through touch. Don't forget to register for this tour at the Guest Services desk upon arrival as space is limited. Each tour is approximately 30 minutes in duration.
- Extra volunteers will be onsite to interact with guests and showcase a variety of tactile props in the galleries.
- Canuck Autism Network, hosting an interactive display that is engaging and fun for all ages.
- Meet the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) team who breeds, raises and trains fully certified dogs. You may see a puppy in training!
- American Sign Language interpreters from Douglas College will be in galleries and at selected shows.
- In time for the holidays with a visit with Scuba Claus. Watch the jolly old man in the red suit (and black flippers) swim in the Wild Coast and with the fish in the Strait of Georgia exhibit.
- Our 4D Theatre offers a magical experience; it means you will not only watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. You will feel the snow against your face and a rumble in your chair as the scenes come to life. (4D-Theatre includes wheelchair spaces, closed-captioning and assistive listening devices.)
Getting Here
Getting to the Vancouver Aquarium
Taxi drop off – The Vancouver Aquarium taxi drop off is located right at our main admissions plaza, in front of the Bill Reid statue and water fountain. Accessibility Volunteers will be posted at our admission plaza to assist visitors as needed.
Vehicle/Handydart drop off – There are two designated 10-minute drop off parking spots as well as handicap paid parking spots next to our admissions. Volunteers will be posted at our admission plaza to assist visitors as needed.
Public Transportation – For your convenience, the #19 Bus to Stanley Park will bring you within a fiveminute
distance to the Vancouver Aquarium. The most common routes are:
- Take the #19 Bus to Stanley Park, which runs along West Pender Street.
- Take the Skytrain to Burrard Station and connect to the #19 bus on West Pender at Burrard Street.
- Take the Canada Line or the Seabus to Waterfront and connect to the #19 bus on West Pender.
The Vancouver Aquarium bus stop is located close to the terminus stop of the #19-Stanley Park route. Volunteers will be posted at the bus loop ready to assist visitors as needed.
If you would like more information about Access Day at the Vancouver Aquarium, please contact us by phone at 604-659-3400 or by email at visitorexperience@ocean.org We look forward to your visit.
The Vancouver Aquarium will be temporarily closed to the public starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020 and all programming will be cancelled as a preventative measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19 through our community. Learn more.