Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium

Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium sits beneath Tamaki Drive on the waterfront at Ōrākei, east of the city centre. It was the idea of Kelly Tarlton, a marine archaeologist and diver, and opened in 1985 inside a set of underground storage tanks that had been out of use since the 1960s. Tarlton died the same year, but his approach of moving visitors through the tanks on a curved acrylic tunnel became the aquarium's defining feature.

That tunnel runs for 110 metres, with some of its acrylic panels weighing over a tonne. The main predator tank holds about 3.8 million litres of water and species including bronze whaler sharks, sevengill sharks, wobbegongs and sand tiger sharks. The former Stingray Bay has become Turtle Bay, home to rescued turtles.

The Antarctic section, opened in 1994, keeps a colony of king and gentoo penguins in a temperature-controlled, snow-filled enclosure, and includes a replica of Captain Scott's Antarctic hut. In total the aquarium holds over 1,500 animals across more than 50 species. It has been run by Merlin Entertainments, the operator of the Sea Life brand, since 2011, and a 2012 upgrade replaced the old snowcat ride through the penguin area with a walk-around exhibit. One curiosity worth knowing as you walk through the tunnel: refraction through the water and acrylic makes the fish look roughly a third smaller than they really are.

Two premium experiences can be added. Penguin Passport gives an on-the-ice encounter with the king and gentoo penguins, and the Shark Snorkel Experience puts you in the water with sharks. Both should be booked ahead.

Opening hours are 9.30am to 5pm on a typical day, with last entry at 4pm, but check the website for the day you plan to visit. Tickets are cheaper online, there are no booking fees, and the aquarium is cashless. Allow around one and a half to two hours for the main route, or longer if you book an experience.

The aquarium is especially good for families with younger children and for rainy days, when outdoor plans fall through. Its position on Tamaki Drive, the waterfront road east of the city centre, means it pairs well with a walk or bike ride along the harbour edge.