SeaSpace’s Blue Reef Aquarium Newquay is a marine attraction on Towan Promenade, beside Towan Beach in Cornwall. Its displays include Cornish coastal and tropical species, as well as an underwater tunnel, and the aquarium estimates an average visit of around an hour.
- Location: Towan Promenade, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1DU.
- Usual opening pattern: Open every day from 10am except Christmas Day; daily hours can change.
- Last entry: One hour before the advertised closing time.
- Tickets: Adult admission is £16.15; junior admission is £13.00, with free entry for children under 3.
Where is Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay?
Blue Reef Aquarium stands on Towan Promenade beside Towan Beach, in the centre of Newquay’s seafront. Its address is Towan Promenade, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1DU. For a town-based trip, the aquarium can fit into a day in Newquay; this hotel in Newquay is one place to base your plans.
Newquay Bus Station is about a 5-minute walk from the aquarium, and services 21, 25A, 85 and 87 stop there. Newquay railway station is about a 10-minute walk away. Trains to Newquay run every two hours via Par Station.
Tickets and opening details to verify
Blue Reef Aquarium is open every day from 10am except Christmas Day, but its opening and closing times may change from day to day.
The published hours are 10am–5pm, with last entry at 4pm; admission ends one hour before the advertised closing time. Check the official site before you go, especially if your visit depends on a particular day’s hours.
Standard admission for visitors aged 13 and over is £16.15. Junior admission for children aged 3–12 is £13.00, while children under 3 enter free. Concession admission is £15.15 for visitors aged 65 and over, students, and additional carers.
A family ticket for two standard and two junior visitors costs £56.30. The Friends Pack, for four standard visitors, is £63.60. A disabled visitor pays the usual admission rate; one official carer accompanying a paying disabled visitor enters free, with proof of carer status required.
From Easter through September, you must buy a dated day pass to guarantee entry on your chosen date. The aquarium does not offer timed entry, and queues on busy days may last an hour or more. E-tickets do not provide fast-track entry.
Online e-tickets are non-refundable and valid for one single-day visit within six months of purchase; you can show the confirmation email on your phone or as a printout. Tickets are valid for the full day, so you may leave and return later that day.
Access and planning a family visit
Blue Reef Aquarium has ramps throughout and a lift to the first floor, gift shop and café. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can access the aquarium, and an accessible toilet is on the first floor. The nursery tanks are currently inaccessible. The venue does not provide wheelchair hire, left-luggage storage or secure lockers.
Pushchairs are allowed throughout or can be left in the foyer. Registered, accredited assistance dogs are permitted, but other animals are not allowed inside; scooters, bikes and skates are also prohibited.
If you are arriving by car, note that the aquarium has no on-site car park. Nearby options include St Georges Road Car Park (TR7 1JS), Manor Road Car Park (TR7 1RA) and Tregunnel Car Park (TR7 1GE).
The aquarium’s daily programme features Tropical Rivers Talk & Feed at 11:30am, Cuttlefish Talk & Feed at 1:30pm, Shark Talk & Feed at 2:30pm and Ocean Talk & Feed at 3:30pm. Check the day’s details when planning around a talk or feed.
What can you pair with the aquarium?
Towan Beach is right beside the aquarium, so you can combine a visit with time on the seafront. For a broader look at the coast, compare the options in this guide to beaches in Newquay.
The aquarium’s displays cover Cornish coastal species and tropical species, with an underwater tunnel in the ocean display. That gives you a clear way to shape the visit: allow about an hour for the aquarium, then plan any time at the beach separately.
If you are arranging a town day on foot, a one-day Newquay itinerary can help you think through other stops.
FAQs
How long does a visit to Blue Reef Aquarium take?
The aquarium estimates an average visit of around 1 hour. You can leave and return later the same day with a valid ticket.
Can you buy a timed-entry ticket?
No. The aquarium does not offer timed entry, and e-tickets do not provide fast-track entry. Queues on busy days may last an hour or more.
Is Blue Reef Aquarium accessible by wheelchair?
Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can access the aquarium, which has ramps throughout and a lift to the first floor, gift shop and café. The nursery tanks are inaccessible, and wheelchair hire is not available.
Can you bring a pushchair?
Yes. Pushchairs are allowed throughout the aquarium or can be left in the foyer.