Facility Rentals
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.
Click here to see the Private Event fee schedule.
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 McLeskey 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 McLeskey 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.
Great for a speaking engagement, presentation, or after-hours showing of one of our movies, the Giant Screen Theater seats nearly 260 people.
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.
Birthday Parties
Celebrate your child's birthday with fun activities and a chance to meet our animal ambassadors. Birthday parties are available on Saturdays and Sundays, led by an experienced Aquarium educator, and include two live animals for children to see and touch. Choose from one of the themed parties below, and bring your birthday to life!
Under the Sea (for age 3 to 12)
Play ocean themed games and get up close with some of the ocean's most amazing creatures. See the sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays as you tour the Bay & Ocean Pavilion.
Location: Classroom in the Bay & Ocean Pavilion
Days: Saturdays and Sundays
Times: September through May from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.; June through August from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Marsh Animals (for age 3 to 12)
Make a craft, play games, and meet animals native to Virginia's salt marshes. See venomous snakes, marsh turtles, blue crab, and river otters while you tour the Virginia Aquarium's Marsh Pavilion. Assist with an animal feeding in the salt marsh galleries.
Location: Discovery Room in the Marsh Pavilion
Days: Saturdays and Sundays, September through April
Times: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
NEW! Beginning September 2018:
Birthday Party (for age 3 to 12)
Spend your special day with sharks, rays, and sea turtles. Play ocean-themed games and get up close to touch some of the ocean's most amazing creatures.
Location: Classroom in the Bay & Ocean Pavilion
Days: Saturdays and Sundays
Times: 9 to 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Party Costs
$175 for Aquarium members
$225 for non-members
Cost includes materials and activities for up to 25 attendees. This includes the birthday child, family members, and parents of the party guests.
To reserve a date for a birthday party, or to received additional information, contact the Youth Programs Team at (757) 385-0278 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or contact the Program Coordinator, at (757) 385-0311.
Let the Aquarium Café take care of your refreshment needs, including pizza and other fun foods for your party!
Order here.
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.
