Homer the North American river otter is currently off exhibit while we perform routine cleaning on his habitat. We expect to see him back on exhibit later this week. The Virginia Aquarium is pleased to welcome people of all ability levels to visit the Aquarium and enjoy our exhibits and animals. The Aquarium is fully accessible. Parking spaces are available for our guests with disabilities.
Guests are invited to use their personal mobility devices inside both buildings and on the Nature Trail. In addition, manual wheelchairs are available to borrow from Guest Services with a valid photo ID on a first come first served basis. For guests preparing to enjoy a Boat Tour, the boat dock and the Atlantic Explorer are accessible for manual wheelchairs only.
The captain and crew are happy to assist anyone needing to transfer from a motorized or power-driven mobility device to a manual wheelchair for the tour. Per the ADA, "A service animal is a dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to work or perform task s for a person with a disability.
Service animals must always remain under the control of the owner or handler while in Aquarium buildings and on Aquarium grounds. If a service animal is out of control or poses a direct threat to the health or safety of staff, guests, or animals in the Aquarium, we may require the service animal to be removed from the premises. However, in this circumstance, we will work with all guests with disabilities to provide alternative accommodations.
The Aquarium follows the Standards and Guidelines of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and other accrediting agencies, which restricts exposure to permanent resident animals from animals outside of our facility. Therefore, service animals are only allowed in public areas of the Aquarium.
