St. Louis is always a good choice for a day trip, but you will need an entire weekend to take in all of the new attractions at Union Station. The last time I visited, there were just a couple of stores open, and a yummy fudge shop. Many changes have happened since then, and the newest attraction, a 120,000-square-foot-2 story aquarium, opens on Christmas Day! There will be special hours for the opening day 12:00 P.M - 6:00 P.M. (Central Time)

Timed admission tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. today (12/4) at www.stlouisaquarium.com.

General admission tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children ages 3 to 13. Children under the age of three are free. Tickets will allow access to all of the Aquarium’s galleries, exhibits and interactive experiences. The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station will offer timed ticketing that will allow guests to avoid waiting in line. A limited number of same-day passes also will be available for purchase every day on site.

The Aquarium will be open for extended holiday season hours from December 26, 2019 through January 4, 2020 from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily. Beginning January 5, the Aquarium will be open regular hours from 10 a.m until 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

St. Louis Aquarium Confluence Exhibit Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
St. Louis Aquarium Confluence Exhibit Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
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"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 at Union Station. "This is a great way to start a new family tradition by experiencing the wonders of aquatic life at the aquarium."

It will include one-of-a-kind exhibits featuring more than 13,000 aquatic animals from fresh water and marine environments around the world. It will bring together state-of-the-art technology, animal care, education and conservation with the excitement of aquatic creatures.

St. Louis Aquarium Grand Lobby Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
St. Louis Aquarium Grand Lobby Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
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The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is the centerpiece of a $187 million family entertainment complex in downtown St. Louis. The Aquarium and other attractions -- including the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel observation wheel -- are housed at the 500,000-square-foot National Historic Landmark train shed at Union Station, which originally opened in 1894 as the biggest and busiest train terminal in the nation.

Lord Stanley, the rare blue lobster named for the NHL's Stanley Cup and St. Louis Blues' championship, will live in his own habitat with a hockey theme.

More than 1 million visitors are expected to visit annually. You will enter the Aquarium via a 3-D virtual reality train ride that honors the history of St. Louis Union Station’s railroad past. The multimedia train delivers guests to an area that explores the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Then you'll learn about the fish that inhabit the great rivers of America and explore the Global Rivers area to see fresh water species from around the world. Playful otters -- named Sawyer, Finn and Thatcher -- piranhas and doctor fish are just some of the highlights.

The Shark Canyon exhibit will offer views of 60 sharks and rays in a 250,000-gallon environment with acrylic J-walls that arch high over the heads of visitors. Divers will interact with guests from inside the exhibit. The Deep section will take visitors on a journey through the depths of the world’s oceans to meet the animals that live there, including Jellyfish and a Giant Pacific Octopus.

St. Louis Aquarium Shark Canyon Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
St. Louis Aquarium Shark Canyon Photo: St. Louis Aquarium PR
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The second floor also will include a variety of interactive exhibits and touch tanks to create a hands-on and hands-wet experience.

"Visitors will leave the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station with wet hands and a greater understanding of the planet's rivers, oceans and aquatic life," said Brown. "They will be able to feed turtles and stingrays and interact with invertebrate animals in our touch tanks. Our staff also will have a variety of other animals such as sloths and birds to explore with the guests."

More information about Annual Passes and Combo Tickets that include admission to Union Station's other attractions -- the St. Louis Wheel, Carousel, Mini-Golf, Ropes Course and A-Maze-Ing Discoveries Mirror Maze -- is available online at https://www.stlouisaquarium.com/tickets. St. Louis Union Station gift cards also can be purchased and loaded with any amount at the Aquarium's retail store. Gift cards can be used for admission to any of the attractions at Union Station or in any retail location.

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Opening along with the Aquarium is the St, Louis Aquarium Foundation's Conservation and Education Center (CEC). The Foundation is the Aquarium's non-profit partner, working to provide access to the Aquarium to underserved students and communities and to offer educational programs and field trip opportunities. The Foundation is also an advocate for water stewardship.The CEC is filled with hands-on exhibits and an art installation created from recycled plastic water bottles.

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