Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium Ticket

New Orleans’ Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium gives you two very different nature experiences under one roof. You can move from a 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat to a butterfly garden, then watch children react to edible insects. The aquarium is beside the French Quarter, so it fits neatly into a day downtown.

I like the ray and shark touch pool, which gives the visit a hands-on start, and I like the Amazon gallery, with free-flying birds, piranhas, pacus, and an anaconda. The main consideration is size: two to three hours is enough for most people, and some visitors may find the aquarium smaller than major facilities in other cities.

Key points to know before you go

• A two-part visit: Your $42.77 ticket covers both the Audubon Aquarium and the Insectarium in the same building.
• The butterfly garden is a highlight: The warm garden gives you a close look at butterflies and is especially appealing to families.
• Hands-on exhibits add value: Touch sharks and stingrays, try interactive insect displays, and consider the optional $10 virtual reality experience.
• The Gulf habitat is the largest exhibit: Its 450,000-gallon tank gives the aquarium its biggest visual moment.
• Plan for walking: The facility requires a moderate level of physical fitness, and some surfaces may be hard to cross with a wheelchair.
• Check your ticket at entry: Mobile admission is included, but some ticket holders have had trouble getting phone tickets accepted or printed.

What the $42.77 ticket actually includes

The admission price is $42.77 per person, with all fees and taxes included. You receive entry to both the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium, rather than paying for two separate attractions.

That makes the ticket more useful than an aquarium-only admission, especially if you have children or enjoy natural history beyond fish and marine mammals. The Insectarium adds a different kind of variety. You will see insects, butterflies, interactive displays, and activities that make the visit feel less like a single long walk through tanks.

The ticket does not include food or drinks. It also does not include the virtual reality experience, which costs $10 per person. I would treat VR as an optional extra, not part of the basic value calculation.

At two to three hours, this is a practical indoor activity for a half day. You can visit in rain or hot weather, then walk toward the French Quarter, the nearby mall, or the ferry area. The aquarium is close enough to other downtown stops that you do not need to build an entire day around it.

Starting with the Audubon Aquarium

Make your own way to the aquarium, which sits next to the French Quarter. The experience is not a guided tour, so you set your own pace. That works well if you want to linger at the tanks or move quickly through exhibits that interest you less.

The aquarium presents several regions connected to New Orleans and the wider Gulf Coast. You will see habitats linked to the Caribbean, Amazon Rainforest, Mississippi River, and Gulf of Mexico. This regional approach gives the displays a sense of place. It is not only a collection of unrelated fish tanks.

Begin with the Shark Discovery Touch Pool if it is open during your visit. You can touch sharks and stingrays, which is one of the clearest reasons to choose this aquarium over a standard indoor exhibit. The pool is also a natural stop for families, since children can take part instead of only looking through glass.

The Great Maya Reef includes a 30-foot-long tunnel. Walking through it lets you look up and around as marine life moves through the habitat. A tunnel can become crowded, so you may need patience if you want a clear view, but it creates one of the more memorable settings in the aquarium.

The Amazon gallery and its unusual residents

The Amazon Rainforest gallery changes the mood from open water to thick plant life and humid forest atmosphere. You will find free-flying birds, aquatic species such as piranhas and pacus, and an anaconda.

This section gives you more than the usual bright tropical fish display. The birds add movement above your head, while the large snake and freshwater fish make the area feel tied to a real river ecosystem. If you enjoy animals that are less familiar than penguins or sea turtles, this is one of the most interesting parts of the visit.

The Amazon area may require more physical effort than a simple, level gallery. A visitor with limited endurance described it as difficult to manage, so plan your route with care if you use a wheelchair or have trouble walking. The facility has manual wheelchairs, but electric scooters are not available for rental.

The 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat

The aquarium’s largest exhibit is the 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat. This is the place to slow down and watch the scale of the display. A large tank gives marine animals more room to move and provides the strongest sense of looking into a living section of the Gulf.

The Gulf matters here because it is part of New Orleans’ identity, economy, and daily life. Seeing local waters represented gives the aquarium more meaning than a generic collection of exotic animals. You can connect the exhibit to the water outside, even though the attraction itself is indoors.

The aquarium also includes penguins, sea turtles, an albino crocodile, and many other aquatic animals. Your experience will depend partly on timing and animal behavior. Some animals may be active, while others may remain still or face away from the viewing area. If you expect constant movement, a few displays could feel quiet.

Why the Insectarium deserves equal time

Do not treat the Insectarium as a quick add-on. It is in the same building, and several visitors found it more engaging than expected. Interactive games and displays make the subject easier to enjoy, even if you do not normally plan trips around bugs.

The exhibits cover insects in a way that works for different ages. Children can take part in hands-on activities, and some displays explain how insects live and function rather than simply showing them behind glass. One activity allows you to try eating bugs. That will not appeal to everyone, but it gives the visit a memorable New Orleans-style twist.

The Butterfly Garden is the Insectarium’s most widely praised feature. It offers a calm change of pace after the aquarium’s darker tanks and larger habitats. The garden can be beautiful, but it may also feel warm compared with the rest of the building.

If you are visiting with children, allow enough time for this section. The insect displays and butterfly garden are not just filler between aquarium exhibits. They give the ticket a wider range of experiences and help justify the price.

How long you should allow

The stated visit time is about two to three hours. That is a sensible target for a steady visit through both attractions, including time at the touch pool, the major aquarium habitats, the butterfly garden, and the interactive insect displays.

You can finish sooner if you move quickly, especially if you skip optional activities. You may need longer if children want to stop at every game, if you wait for the touch pool, or if you want to watch the larger tanks for a while.

I would not combine this with a tightly timed plan. One family found it was easy to spend much of the day walking and wished for more time for the zoo, though the zoo is a separate Audubon attraction. Give yourself room for pauses, especially if you have young children or limited endurance.

The attraction is also useful as a rainy-day plan. One lower-rated visit found the aquarium worthwhile mainly as shelter from heavy rain, but that still points to a practical strength: the ticket gives you a substantial indoor activity near the French Quarter.

Access, walking, and comfort

The facility is near public transportation and service animals are allowed. You should expect a moderate level of physical fitness because the visit involves walking between exhibits and standing at viewing areas.

Accessibility needs careful planning. Manual wheelchairs are available, but electric scooters are not available for rental. Some natural stone flooring can be hard to roll across, and the Amazon area may be difficult for people with limited endurance or shoulder strength.

If you use a wheelchair or tire easily, consider bringing an aide. Staff have helped visitors reach the Butterfly Garden when they could not manage every section, but you should not assume that every route will feel easy. If possible, contact the attraction before your visit to discuss current access conditions.

Construction has also affected entry at times, with the front entrance unavailable and visitors directed around the water to a rear entrance. Conditions can change, so follow the current signs rather than assuming the main doors are in use.

Mobile tickets and a parking warning

The experience is sold with a mobile ticket, and confirmation is sent at booking. In practice, you should make sure the ticket barcode is easy to open before you arrive.

Some visitors had trouble with phones or ticket scanners and were asked to print tickets. A practical backup is to save the confirmation to your phone, take a screenshot of the barcode, and print it if you can. This is especially sensible because the ticket is nonrefundable within 24 hours of the start time.

If you drive, pay close attention to your parking time. One visitor received a $90 charge after a tire lock was applied because the parking ticket had expired. That warning has nothing to do with the aquarium’s exhibits, but it can turn a reasonably priced outing into an expensive one.

The attraction is near public transportation, so driving is not your only option. If you park, build in extra time for the visit rather than trying to calculate the return down to the minute.

Who will get the most from this visit

Families are the strongest match. Children can touch rays, see large aquatic animals, try interactive insect activities, and enter the Butterfly Garden. The two attractions also reduce the chance that one subject will hold a child’s attention for only half an hour.

Couples and solo visitors can enjoy it too, especially on a wet day or when you want a quiet indoor break from the French Quarter. The aquarium’s regional themes give you something to think about, while the Insectarium provides a lighter and more unusual second half.

Nature lovers should appreciate the variety. You move from marine life to rainforest birds, reptiles, insects, and butterflies without leaving the building. The visit is less suitable if you want a huge aquarium with hundreds of massive tanks or a full-day animal park. Some people found the facility smaller than aquariums in Gatlinburg or Newport, Kentucky.

Cancellation and booking details

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

The cut-off follows local New Orleans time. That matters if you are booking from another time zone or changing plans at the last minute.

Should you buy the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium ticket?

I would buy it if you want a convenient, family-friendly indoor attraction close to the French Quarter, especially when you value variety. The touch pool, Gulf habitat, Amazon gallery, and Butterfly Garden give you several distinct stops, and the combined admission is easier to justify than an aquarium-only ticket.

I would hesitate if your main goal is the biggest aquarium possible. The facility may feel modest beside larger aquariums, and animal activity is never guaranteed. I would also plan carefully if you have mobility limits, since manual wheelchairs are available but electric scooters are not.

For most visitors, the best approach is simple: allow three hours, keep the mobile ticket and a printed backup handy, watch your parking time, and save enough energy for the Insectarium. At $42.77, the ticket offers fair value when you use both attractions rather than rushing through the aquarium alone.

FAQ

How much does the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium ticket cost?

The ticket costs $42.77 per person, including all fees and taxes.

How long does the visit take?

The estimated duration is two to three hours. You may need more time if you stop at the interactive displays, wait at the touch pool, or take a slower pace.

Does the ticket include both the aquarium and the Insectarium?

Yes. The ticket includes admission to the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium, which are in the same building.

Is the virtual reality experience included?

No. The virtual reality experience costs an additional $10 per person.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.

Are wheelchairs or electric scooters available?

Manual wheelchairs are available, but electric scooters are not available for rental. Some flooring and the Amazon area may be difficult for visitors with limited mobility or endurance.