ST. LOUIS — The opening date for the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station has finally been announced!
The 120,000-square foot, two-story aquarium will open on Dec. 25, Christmas Day!
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The aquarium will be open on Christmas from noon to 6 p.m. and will be open for extended holiday season hours Dec. 26 to Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
"We are thrilled to be able to invite the public into our new home for the holidays," said Tami Brown, executive director of the St. Louis Aquarium. "This is a great way to start a new family tradition by experiencing the wonders of aquatic life at the aquarium."
The aquarium will have one-of-a-kind exhibits with more than 13,000 aquatic animals from the rivers and oceans of the world including more than 60 sharks and rays in a 250,000-gallon tank.
Fish and other scale-y creatures aren’t the only animals that will call the aquarium home. Otters, sloths, turtles and owls will also have a place there.
Remember Lord Stanley, the blue lobster? He'll be there too and will live in his own hockey-themed habitat.
At the aquarium, there will be a 3D virtual reality train ride that honors the history of Union Station’s railroad past.
The aquarium will be open 365 days a year! Starting Jan. 5, it will be open Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for kids. Annual passes are also available for purchase.
Click here for more information on the St. Louis Aquarium and tickets.
The aquarium is just the latest addition in the $187 million revamp at Union Station. Other additions include the St. Louis Wheel, Soda Fountain, Train Shed, rope courses and more!
St. Louis Wheel
The St. Louis Wheel is 200 feet tall and features 42 gondolas that are climate controlled, so they’re heated in the winter and have air conditioning in the summer.
They can hold up to eight people or six adults comfortably. The VIP gondola has glass floors, leather bucket seats and other amenities.
The wheel also lights up with 1.6 million LED lights.
The rides last about 15 minutes.
Tickets cost $15 for adults (ages 13+) and $10 for children (ages 3 to 12).
The wheel is open 365 days a year from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Click here to buy tickets.
Ropes Courses
The new Sky Trail and Sky Tykes ropes courses are on the east side of the second level of Union Station, right outside of the St. Louis Aquarium.
Sky Trail is for any guest that can fit into the harness and Sky Tykes, a miniature version of the course, is for guests under 48 inches in height or under 13 years of age.
Sky Trail towers are 36 feet tall and the course reaches 50 feet over the lobby floor. It has 28 bridges and can hold 45 guests at a time. The Sky Tykes course is just a few feet off the ground.
General admission for the Sky Trail course is $15 and Sky Tykes is $5. Admission is good for 30 minutes on the course.
The rope courses are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 9 p.m.
Click here to buy tickets.
Carousel, Mini-golf, Mirror Maze
You can re-live your childhood memories and create new ones with a ride on the carousel at Union Station.
The carousel is located under the Union Station trainshed. You can take a ride for just $5.
The carousel is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Mini-golf
The perfect outing for families, pro golfers and beginners is now at Union Station – mini-golf!
The 18-hole course features a variety of interactive elements and is ADA-accessible.
It’s open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and costs $10.
Mirror Maze
A 1904 World’s Fair attraction is reimagined in Union Station’s Fun House.
You can navigate through a maze of mirrors and test your World’s Fair knowledge with interactive experiences.
It costs $8 and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Food at Union Station
Soda Fountain
The Soda Fountain is a retro restaurant occupying the spot where the Hard Rock Café once stood.
It serves up several sweet treats including old-school sodas, sundaes, floats, malts and freak shakes.
The freak shakes come in flavors like ‘cotton candy,’ ‘a very happy un-birthday’ and ‘the key to happiness.’ They are topped with a variety of treats like rock candy, potato chips, cupcakes, pies and pretzels.
In addition to sweets, the restaurant also serves up diner classics like burgers, hot dogs, BLT’s and fried chicken strips.
Soda Fountain is open Monday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Click here for a look at the menu.
Train Shed
The Train Shed opened its doors at Union Station in November.
The space features a large bar, marble-top tables, booths and large ceiling-to-floor windows.
‘Every track leads home to the Train Shed’
The Train Shed is meant to be a place where you can gather with friends for contemporary cuisine, beer and cocktails, according to its website.
The menu has something for everyone whether you want finger food, pizza, burgers, sandwiches and other entrees.
The restaurant is located where Houlihan’s used to be at 201 S. 18th Street.
It’s open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Click here for more information.