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Mississippi Aquarium, Gulfport, MS

Photo: Woodlot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Mississippi Aquarium

2100 E Beach Blvd · Gulfport, MS

Why you should go…

The Mississippi Aquarium spreads its habitats across 5.8 acres on East Beach Boulevard in Gulfport, holding more than a million gallons of salt and fresh water. You can watch bottlenose dolphins, river otters, American alligators, sharks and rays, walk through an aviary, and visit the touch pool. A 360-degree acrylic tunnel puts you underwater with the fish. It opened in 2020, replacing the Marine Life Oceanarium destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

  • #aquarium
  • #dolphins
  • #touch pool
  • #gulf coast
  • #family activity

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Mississippi Aquarium, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Nightlife
    Date Night

    Island View Casino Resort

    Free

    A beachfront casino resort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a hotel, golf course, and dozens of dining options.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Nightlife

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Beauvoir

    Under $25

    Tour Jefferson Davis's restored 1852 beachfront home, his presidential library and a Confederate cemetery on Gulf Coast grounds.

    7.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Biloxi Lighthouse

    Under $25

    See an 1848 cast-iron lighthouse standing in the median of Beach Boulevard, with guided tours offered each morning.

    11 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Stay
    Date Night

    Beau Rivage

    Free

    Stay, dine and play at a waterfront casino resort on the Biloxi beachfront, the tallest building in Mississippi.

    12 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art

    Under $25

    View George Ohr's pottery and changing art exhibitions on a Frank Gehry-designed campus set among live oaks.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Gulf Islands National Seashore

    Free

    Hike bayou trails, fish from the pier and camp at Davis Bayou, the mainland gateway to Mississippi's barrier islands.

    18 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor