Shreveport Aquarium
4.4(3.9K)google
4.3(60)yelp
FamilyIndoor
Overview
The Shreveport Aquarium is an aquarium located in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. The aquarium is adjacent to the Red River, near the Texas Street Bridge. It holds seven galleries that hold the 3,000 animals in its care, such as sharks, stingrays, eels, seahorses, alligators, paddlefish, snapping turtles and more.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration2-3 hours
Best TimePerfect year-round, ideally during weekday mornings (9:30 AM - 11:30 AM), Tuesday through Thursday. Arriving at opening bypasses the bustling family groups that arrive later in the day, allowing a quiet experience at the touch tanks. Morning sun reflects beautifully off the Red River riverbanks right outside the glass panels.
Getting TherePerched along the Red River downtown at 601 Clyde Fant Parkway. Driving is highly accessible: exit I-20 at Exit 19A (Spring St) and merge onto Clyde Fant Parkway directly to the aquarium gate, which features a large pay-to-park surface lot. For transit, it is a 7-minute walk from the central SporTran Downtown Transit Center Hub.
Travel Tips
- The adjacent Red River front meters are fully automated; parking in adjacent casino VIP reservation slots triggers immediate, high-cost vehicle impoundment.
- The stingray touch tanks enforce strict bio-security; hands must be thoroughly rinsed, and skin with recent sunscreens or lotions is banned from the water.
- The outdoor riverfront boardwalk closes instantly during Red River crest warnings; check localized high-water staging updates before travel.
Reviews
Positive
- Though compact, the aquarium heavily focuses on hands-on exploration; kids can touch stingrays, sea stars, and tiny crabs for exceptional interaction and fun.
- The exhibits carry rich local flair, integrating Mississippi River and bayou ecosystem models, showcasing rare freshwater gators and iconic paddlefish up close.
- Amenities are modern and clean; level accessible paths cover the layout and strong A/C makes it a heavenly indoor refuge to escape intense summer heat with young toddlers.
- Prime location right on the Red River riverfront; transit and parking are seamless, backed by warm staff and clear intercom announcements for good value.
Heads up
- To be blunt, compared to mega-aquariums in New Orleans or Dallas, the physical footprint here is very small; a casual walk takes under 40 minutes, leaving it short.
- Admission is a bit pricey for a boutique venue of this scale, and a few digital interactive touchscreens are sluggish, lacking timely tech maintenance and hardware updates.
- Weekend peak hours bring overwhelming crowd density waves; the tiny touch tanks get jam-packed with shouting toddlers, making the space too loud and noisy to enjoy animals.
- The gift shop and snack counter carry steep price markups; a standard water bottle or plastic turtle toy costs notably more than standard city retail prices.