Ripley's Aquarium of Canada - Review

I recently visited Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada for the first time since it’s opening two years ago. Its situated directly next to the CN Tower, so those interested in seeing both (tourists and residents alike) might enjoy making use of the “Sea the Sky” combo pass to minimize costs.

The aquarium is a bit on the pricier end of things to see, and there are no discounts offered to students or post-secondary students (Adult: 37$, Senior & Youth 6-13: 25$, and Children 3-5: 13$). It is a bit cheaper to buy a specific timed slot online (Adult: 32$, Senior & Youth 6-13: 22$, and Children 3-5: 10$). Regardless of the price, the aquarium building itself is very well-designed, and you can tell it’s been recently made. Careful consideration has been put into the lighting and the design of each room, and it really shows. There are also technology based interactions with some of the exhibits, such as a “Find out how much you’d cost as a tuna based on your weight” (cue The Office “Big Tuna” jokes), and tons of TV screens next to each tank elaborating on each fish present.

Canadian Waters

The aquarium begins with Canadian Waters, dedicated to showing the type of fish that grow in our true North Strong & Free oceans and lakes. From cod (what fisherfolk would scoop up droves to eat), to fish with arctic-survival adaptations, and even to a Giant Pacific Octopus, the exhibit offers a glimpse into the arcane depths of the surrounding water.

Rainbow Reef

One of my favourite sections, this small part of the aquarium just has one big tank with tons of rainbow-coloured fish. I sat for about 15 minutes and enjoyed watching all the angel fish, batfish, and unicorn surgeonfish blissfully drift past. It’s interesting to see how they tend to stick in groups! While this particular tank might not be stimulating enough for everyone to spend 15 minutes gazing into its depths, I certainly enjoyed it.

Dangerous Lagoon

Now, we’re on to the big boys (and girls): Sharks & Sting-rays!

This was one of my favourite parts of the aquarium; I really liked the tunnel they built that you pass under. Various sharks, sea turtles, sting rays, and fish grace the tank, and provide visual interest all around and above your head.

Cue “Bad Boys” by Bob Marley

There is also a contest to try and take a “selfie with a shark”. You can tag the aquarium on instagram and get featured if it’s a good shot!

Note: This particular part of the exhibit is very well-lit, so some photos may show up as overexposed if you’re not using a fancy camera. Note the selfie to the left: part of our features have been mysteriously smoothed out…?

Discovery Centre

Next up, time to touch some aquatic friends!

Tanks are open with horseshoe crabs and a miniature shark species for visitors to touch. Attendants guide you through how to do it as to not startle the animals, or disturb their habitats. I suggest wearing some sort of short-sleeve shirt to the aquarium if this is something in which you would like to partake!

Fun fact: The horseshoe crab tank in the Discovery Centre currently has the Guiness World Record for being the biggest of it’s kind globally!

There is a lot of play-areas for kids here, as well as bathrooms, a cafeteria, and seating areas for tired parents.

The Gallery

Now, let’s move on to the gallery. This particular room is smaller, but features tons of animals with specific adaptations for survival - think piranhas, cuttlefish, seahorses, and electric eels. They show weekly “feedings” to visitors at specific times:

Tuesday 3:30 p.m. – Cuttlefish Feed

Wednesday 1:00 p.m. - Piranha Feed

Wednesday 2:30 p.m. – Venomous Fish Feed

Thursday 1:30 p.m. – Cuttlefish Feed

There was also a “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” style exhibit showing different accomplishments during the life of LeRoy Robert Ripley, as well as some other fishy finds: a pitch-black room showcasing some fishes bioluminescence, and the famous fake “Fiji mermaid” that confused spectators in side-shows.

Ray Bay

Now: Ray B̶a̶e̶ Bay!

Enjoy watching large and small sting-rays and manta-rays gliding through their tanks. This particular exhibit has the biggest tank out of all the others. There are a few smaller tanks showcasing different types of ray’s, as well.
I can’t help but see a face every time I see their underside!

Ray Bay also hosts daily interactive diving shows, and there was an attendant there using a microphone to explain some crisp Ray Facts™ while I was there.

Planet Jellies

Oh, wow. This part was spectacular! It was so well-designed, and made such interesting use of lighting and set-up.
There are tons of small tanks showing different types of jellyfish, and an educational portion showing the different life-cycles of jellies.

Then, there’s the blue tank.

This was beautiful! The lightning continuously switched, so as to see the jellyfish go from a pale cherry-blossom colour to a vibrant flamingo pink. The photos do not do it justice. It really is beautiful, and well worth spending some time just watching the jellyfish aimlessly puff and swish through the water.

There is also a silly but fun little area where you can take your photo and have it show up on a cartoon jellyfish in real time on a wall of the exhibit.

Life Support System

Now we’re nearing the end of the aquarium, but there’s still more to see! The filtration and pump system of the entire aquarium is explained and shown to the public in this part of the exhibit. It’s very interesting to see how they temper the water, and re-use all 5.2 million litres of it!

A few moving and poignant art pieces on the dangers of our use of plastic and pollution line the walls/ ceiling of this area.

Shoreline Gallery

The last “exhibit”, this part allows you once again to interact with some aquatic creatures. From shrimp that eat the dead skin off your hands, to touching some slimy but cute manta-rays, this is a nice goodbye to a fun half-day out.

Inside this final big room, you can also see the top of the Dangerous Lagoon exhibit.

Once you’re finished touching some rays and shrimp, there are bathrooms available, and - surprise, surprise - you exit through the gift-shop.

While I did not buy anything, there were some cute (but a bit overpriced) items available.

The “Canada” sign attached to the aquarium

Overall, I had a great time at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.
Although I have heard some people critique it as smaller than they’d presume for the price, I personally thought there was a lot packed into each room. As well, I found myself taking the time out to sit and gaze at the different species, which made it so that I spent a good three hours exploring. If you’re the type to enjoy taking the time to peer into each tank, you’ll very much find your visit worth it. Otherwise, while you most likely will still enjoy it, perhaps book the timed price to save some dollars on your visit. Also, there are of course tons of children inside. If this bothers you, go during the school day (if possible). Otherwise, I didn’t find them to be much of a problem as there were lot’s of play-areas and sitting areas set up for them.