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Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach, in North Carolina's Coast, is closed for renovation and expansion, which its official site describes as a 30-month project. Hours and admission are not published while it is closed, and the site gives no reopening date. A separate mini aquarium, Discovery Bay, is open in a Wilmington mall (details below). Facts read from the official site on October 27, 2026.

  • HoursNot publishedofficial hours below
  • AdmissionNot published
  • WhereKure BeachNew Hanover County, Coast
  • DogsNot published
Good to know (read October 27, 2026): Closed for renovation and expansion. A separate mini aquarium, Discovery Bay, is open at Independence Mall in Wilmington (details below).

About North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

The Fort Fisher aquarium is closed for a 30-month renovation and expansion that will add the largest shark habitat in North Carolina; a mini aquarium called Discovery Bay is open in a Wilmington mall meanwhile.

  • Closed for construction: 30-month transformative renovation and expansion
  • Will feature the largest shark habitat in the state
  • Discovery Bay at Independence Mall in Wilmington opened July 8: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday noon-6 p.m. (JC Penney wing, across from the arcade)
  • Discovery Bay has ambassador animal encounters, marine habitats and a gift shop

Plan It in Three Lines

  1. Getting In

    Admission: not published.

    Not published

  2. Make It a Day

    Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is about 1 mile away (straight line).

    4 places within 30 miles

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher Hours

  • Hours are not published on the official site; check before you go.

Hours source: official site, read October 27, 2026.

Admission and Parking

  • Admission is not published on the official site; check before you go.

Directions and Contact

Dogs and Accessibility

  • Dogs: Not published on the official site.
  • Accessibility: not published on the pages we read.

Near North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Around North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher within 30 miles
10 mi20 mi30 miNSEW1234
  1. 1Fort Fisher State Recreation AreaState Recreation Areaunder 1 mi
  2. 2Fort Fisher State Historic SiteCivil War State Historic Siteunder 1 mi
  3. 3Carolina Beach State ParkState Parkabout 6 mi
  4. 4Battleship North CarolinaMuseum Ship and Memorialabout 19 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Coming Up in Kure Beach

None of the events on our checked calendar name Kure Beach right now. The venue's own site lists every show. See every North Carolina event we have checked.

Also see Coast events.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher cost?

Not published. The official site does not publish admission.

What are the hours at North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher?

Hours are not published on the official site..

Can I bring a dog to North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher?

The official site does not say.

What We Could Not Verify

  • No reopening date was stated on the home page.
  • No hours, admission, parking, dog or accessibility info is applicable while closed.
  • Discovery Bay admission price and parking not read.
  • Hours and prices change; check the official site the day you go.

Sources

  1. North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher: hours (read 2026-10-27)
  2. OpenStreetMap (map point)

Last checked October 27, 2026 by the It’s North Carolina editor. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher”, itsnorthcarolina.com/places-to-go-in-north-carolina/nc-aquarium-fort-fisher/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.