To celebrate the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ enormous 3.0 update, Nintendo is reviving its real-life aquarium tour, which will return to the same U.S. aquariums that previously hosted the event, along with several new additions, starting on Feb. 13. “When visiting participating aquariums, attendees can expect Animal Crossing: New Horizons-themed activities and also experience the variety of aquatic life featured at each aquarium,” Nintendo shared via a news release on its website.
As for what fans can expect from the event, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour will feature various photo ops in front of aquatic backgrounds featuring characters from the game (plus a new standee of Kapp’n, who is making his Aquarium Tour debut). Signage throughout the host aquariums will feature exhibit descriptions from everyone’s favorite overly verbose museum curator, Blathers, and kiosks will be set up where attendees with a Nintendo account can check in to earn 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points. Additionally, QR codes around the aquariums can be scanned to receive Animal Crossing-themed mobile device backgrounds, and on select days, visitors will be able to earn special Animal Crossing patches featuring characters from the game.
But the most exciting aspects of the Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour might be the merch and meet and greets. Each museum will have New Horizons merch available for purchase (no word yet on what kind of merch will be available), and on select days at select locations, visitors can meet and greet everyone’s favorite canine musician, K.K. Slider, or the adorable Resident Services assistant, Isabelle.
Participating aquariums are listed below:
- Feb. 13 – April 30: SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium in Orange County, Florida
- Feb. 16 – March 26: Birch Aquarium in San Diego, California
- Feb. 21 – May 25: SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium in Grapevine, Texas
- April 2 – June 21: SEA LIFE New Jersey Aquarium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
- May 7 – July 23: SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills, Michigan
- June 11 – Aug. 23: SEA LIFE at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota
- July 30 – Oct. 10: SEA LIFE San Antonio Aquarium in San Antonio, Texas
- Sept. 3 – Nov. 15: SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium in Tempe, Arizona
- Sep. 24 – Dec. 6: SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord in Concord, North Carolina
- Oct. 22 – Jan. 3: SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium in Kansas City, Missouri
Perhaps the best aspect of the 2026 aquarium tour is the fact that the cost of the event is included in general admission tickets, meaning visitors won’t have to shell out any extra bells — er, cash — to check out the Animal Crossing event. Tickets can be purchased from each aquarium directly, with links to each aquarium available via Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour schedule.
