Union Station, the historic train depot in downtown St. Louis that was once one of the busiest train stations in the country, had been mostly vacant for several years after the mall inside closed. Thankfully, investors decided to place an aquarium in the space, and the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station made its much-anticipated opening on Christmas Day of 2019. Although you can expect long lines and crowds for the foreseeable future, we found the aquarium to be a fun-filled place for the whole family.

The atrium of the aquarium is bright and colorful, with lots of other activities aside from the aquarium scattered around, such as restaurants, a ropes course, and a hall of mirrors. Once visitors enter the aquarium, they are greeted by a dimly-lit hall. The focal point is a large clock set on top of a fish tank, symbolic of the train schedule that used to be the focal point of Union Station. Above, a screen plays a video that makes it look as though sharks, turtles, and other aquatic creatures are swimming over visitors’ heads.

Visitors then enter a room that looks like a train car to watch a film to introduce the aquarium. As the narrator speaks about the history of St. Louis and the elements of the aquarium, visitors are shown the St. Louis streets and skyline throughout the last one hundred years “outside” the train windows before plunging into the Mississippi River to see the different animals there. Then, the train speeds into the ocean and, eventually, the deep sea before coming back to St. Louis. The experience is well-done, but is especially mesmerizing for those who love St. Louis.

Having completed the film, visitors enter the first part of the aquarium. This area focuses on freshwater rivers, especially the Mississippi River. Exhibits feature different fish and amphibians that inhabit the region, along with interactive video screens that allow visitors to learn about the various species. There are also other interactive areas, including touch tanks and an otter on a screen who answers any questions you might have about otters. The video is strategically located next to the bottom of the otter exhibit, so visitors are able to catch the otters torpedoing through the water.

After exploring the river section, visitors can take an escalator or an elevator upstairs, where you can catch the top portion of the otter exhibit, which includes a water-filled slide for the aquarium’s three otters to play in. The rest of this area is interactive. Children and adults can build locks and dams on a large river exhibit, feed turtles, see a rare blue lobster named Lord Stanley, and pet horseshoe crabs, starfish, and sting rays.

Visitors can then move into the next section of the aquarium, which focuses on the ocean. Visitors are able to peer into large tanks and spot a number of sea creatures, including several types of shark. Finally, visitors can look at several exhibits highlighting the deep sea, catching a glimpse of different types of jelly fish or an octopus.

The St. Louis Aquarium is a modest size, big enough to house a large number of exhibits but small enough that you can see everything in a couple hours (or less if you hurry). A visit is an entire sensory experience. For example, leaf-shaped cutouts hang above you in the river area, along with a couple fish tanks, giving the impression that you are yourself in a river. Or, the interactive exhibits allow you to touch a sting ray as it glides by or feel the rough surface of a starfish. Overall, the aquarium’s hands-on approach and exhibits allow visitors to do more than just stare at a few fish; they allow visitors to experience the aquarium. Furthermore, the aquarium has helped revitalize the Union Station area, making a visit to the old train station worth it even if you don’t go to the aquarium. We highly recommend visiting the aquarium.

Side Note: If you visit the aquarium and park in the Union Station parking lots, you can visit the gift shop, show them a valid aquarium ticket, and pay only $5 for parking.