Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium reopens after five-month renovation

The Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium is back open after a five-month renovation that reopened the main entrance, the upper level and the North American river otter habitat, while replacing a ticket setup that had been shifted near Shark Reef Café during construction. The biggest changes are practical: a new central ticket booth now handles admissions for both the Aquarium and the Botanic Garden, and the city says the combined Aquarium-Garden ticket price did not change.

For Bernalillo County families weighing a visit this week, the improvement is easiest to see in how the site is laid out. City officials said the Aquarium’s educational signage had not been updated since 1996, and the renovation added new graphics and signs throughout the building to make it easier to move from exhibit to exhibit. Allyson Zahm, the BioPark’s guest experience manager, said the changes are meant to help families find their way and enjoy the Aquarium and Botanic Garden as one connected experience.

The work started Jan. 26, when the Aquarium’s main entrance and upper level closed as part of a gross receipts tax-funded maintenance project expected to last about five months. Some animals were relocated during the project, and the temporary entrance near Shark Reef Café kept visitors moving while crews worked inside. The reopening in early June restored the full route through the Aquarium and brought back the upper level for the first time since the closure began.

Families with younger children also have a summer add-on right outside the café. Tadpole Springs, the splash pad outside Shark Reef Café, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Sept. 7 and is included with regular admission. The city has described the water play area as part of a multi-phase project, and local coverage put the first phase at $1.2 million. New shade umbrellas were added as part of the visitor upgrades.

The broader renovation fits into a larger modernization push across the ABQ BioPark, which also includes the Botanic Garden, Zoo and Tingley Beach. For a family deciding whether the aquarium is worth the trip now, the answer is yes if the goal is a smoother visit, clearer wayfinding and a reopened upper level tied directly to the Botanic Garden.