*Currently we are not accepting private event bookings. Please check back later for more details, availability and options for your special event.*
Facility Rentals for Private Events & Weddings
Bring your private event to life! The Virginia Aquarium is the perfect place for a unique and memorable private event.
Call Cecelia Campbell, Private Events Coordinator, at (757) 385-0306 or email her at
CSCampbe@virginiaaquarium.com for more information. Site visits are by appointment only.
We offer a selection of rooms for evening events. Mix and match rooms to fit your needs, or rent the entire Bay & Ocean Pavilion, and amaze up to 1,200 guests!
The Promenade Room features floor to ceiling windows overlooking Owls Creek, perfect for a wedding, family gathering, or business reception. At 1,560 square feet, the Promenade Room accommodates up to 120 guests seated around a dancing area, with additional guests accommodated for a standing reception.
For a truly unique experience, enjoy dinner with the sharks, stroll by the sea turtles, or spend some private time with our octopus and jellies. The Sharks & Sea Turtles Gallery, located adjacent to the Promenade Room, accommodates up to 50 guests for dinner or 300 for a standing reception.
Include this spectacular exhibit in your event. Komodo dragons, rare crocodiles, hedgehogs, and the walkthrough Red Sea Tunnel will delight up to 350 guests.
Approximately halfway along the Nature Trail, this lovely outdoor area can be tented or left open-air for an early evening wedding ceremony, reception, garden party, or musical recital for up to 150 guests.
Our 65-foot catamaran, the Atlantic Explorer, is a great venue for casual office parties, family reunions, birthdays, receptions, and more. Up to 120 guests can relax and mingle while enjoying the sights of Owls Creek, Lake Rudee, Rudee Inlet, and the Atlantic Ocean. To book, please contact Private Events Coordinator Cecelia Campbell
at (757) 385-0306 or email her at CSCampbe@virginiaaquarium.com .
Birthday Parties
**Birthday parties are not currently being scheduled. Please watch for updates.**
Host your child's next birthday party at the Virginia Aquarium! Choose one of the two themes offered during the summer months (June-August) or Under the Sea, offered year round!
Under the Sea
Celebrate your child's birthday with fun experiences and a chance to meet our animal ambassadors! Enjoy ocean-themed activities and get up close to touch some amazing creatures. Birthday parties are led by an experienced Aquarium educator and include a live animal for children to see and touch.
Age: 3-12
Location: Classroom in the Main Building
Days: Saturdays and Sundays
Times: September through May: 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Marsh Adventures
Give your child the gift of outdoor adventure for his or her birthday! Hike the trail with an Aquarium educator in search of birds, bugs, reptiles and amphibians. Explore the water’s edge for fish and crabs and sing Happy Birthday to a periwinkle snail. After your adventure, celebrate your child’s party on your own private deck space. A special visit from one of the Aquarium’s Fairies is also available as an add-on; call for more information!
Age: 5-12
Location: Wildflower Deck
*Not currently available
Party Details
$199 for Aquarium members
$249 for non-members
Parties can accommodate up to 25 attendees, which includes the birthday child, family members, and parents of the guests.
To reserve a date for a birthday party, or to receive additional information, contact the Youth Programs Team at (757) 385-0278 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Add an Aquarium goodie bag for your birthday child and guests for only $1 each! Call the Aquarium Store at (757) 385-0321 for more information.
Photography Policy at the Aquarium
Paying guests are welcome to take pictures of their visit to the Virginia Aquarium.
We are currently not offering private photography or videography shoots.
More details to come regarding commercial or broadcast photography, videography, and recording, and scheduling a private photography/videography session at the Aquarium.
