Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium reopen under one roof

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium are one after reopening in the same building on Thursday (June 8).

The aquarium closed last November to undergo a $41 million dollar renovation. The insectarium shut its doors in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locals walked into the newly renovated attraction in awe, seeing insects and sea life in the same setting.

Yolanda Williams was among the first to enter the newly renovated attraction.

Tia Whittington and her family were also among the thrilled visitors.

I particularly like that the insectarium and the aquarium have been put together,” Whittington said. “It’s like a one stop shop so we can spend a long time seeing all the exhibits.”

Audubon Nature Institute President Ron Forman says it’s an enormous comeback for his organization and the city.

“The city of New Orleans and the whole country went through a lot with Covid. We shut down for almost a year. We had to lay off a lot of our employees,” Forman said. “One thing we learned is when you shut down you have to come back stronger. This is an even better aquarium, better insectarium.”

You can buy tickets to visit the aquarium and insectarium. It costs $30 for adults and $25 for kids. Some memberships allow patrons to visit all year long.

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