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Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium

Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium

Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium
4.5
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium is the largest immersive wildlife attraction in the world. Explore a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium adventure showcasing 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles and birds and a wildlife museum offering a tour of the wildest places on earth. The 350,000-square foot experience features more than 1.5 miles of immersive trails and exhibits.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • James B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just WOW
    I'm in here quite frequently. If you live close for sure get the season pass. 1 to 3 times a week I make it. Take your time your going to miss something. I thank Johnny Morris for building such a true Wonder. WOW is is definitely a great descriptive word for the adventure of going through WOW.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 October 2023
  • Leftee2202
    Saint Louis, Missouri69 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worthwhile Experience
    We were amazed at the size of the museum and aquarium. We spent over 3 1/2 hours, and probably could have spent even more, but closing time was approaching. On a first visit, you don't know how much lies ahead, and there is one gallery after another. The topics of hunting and conservation are dealt with in a reasonably balanced way, tilted toward hunting. The displays are impressive and very life-like, and there is a mix of live animals, too. Admission is kind of pricey but there is so much to see. Overall we enjoyed it more than we had anticipated.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 October 2023
  • Rhonda H
    Fort Gibson, Oklahoma59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Money well spent! Job well done, Johnny Morris!!
    We spent 3.5hrs and could’ve spent more time, but we had seen similar things the Heritage museum at Big Cedar/Top of the Rock the day before. So plan plenty of time, especially if you have children. Very cool interactive aquarium & wildlife displays. Money was well spent! Lots of restrooms, snacks, even liquor! Definitely made you feel like you were underwater with the fish. Great experience! The fishing hall of fame, US presidents wall and racing memorabilia was great for a family of fishing & race fans! Kudos to Johnny Morris!!
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 December 2023
  • Susan B
    727 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wow, what a place
    Yes this place is a little pricey, but what a place!! We started backwards to what most people do, as we were more interested in the aquarium part of this unique place. I loved the live coral I think the most. We are divers, we I really appreciate the live coral. The setups of some of the tanks is really unique. The sunken ship is really cool. It is very well done. For the wildlife part, wow, they are well done. The african one is really gives you that wow factor. Also the buffalo coming down the escalator is amazing. We spent 3 hours here, and could have spent more time as there is a lot of reading to do. A must do if you are in the area.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 March 2024
  • Ryan M
    Rolla, Missouri84 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great why to experience both a Natural History Museum and Aquarium in a few hours.
    Spent several hours here today. And it truly lives up to its Best Aquarium in America. The walk is well guided and lets you see everything in the Aquarium in a timely manner. Loved all the themed areas and the artwork for all the back drops. Had lots of live animals and fish. Very kid friendly and had very easy access for strollers and wheelchairs. These are one of the places I will definitely visit again.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 24 March 2024
  • lfrank976
    O'Fallon, Missouri9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    WOW...no kidding!
    OMG...we were traveling through Springfield and after lunch made our way to Bass Pro and the WOW aquarium. The price was steep, but after going through all the exhibits it was totally worth the price of admission. Stepping through each door led to a new adventure, new discoveries, and awesome pictures. Will definitely return.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 March 2024
  • Joy
    Springfield, Missouri15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go For the Penguins, Stay for the Fun!
    Being a local, we’ve been several times & have found something new & interesting each time. The aquarium is my favorite but the museum is worth the visit as well. I adore penguins so the penguin encounter is a must see exhibit IMO!!!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 April 2024
  • Carpe Diem
    669 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing aquarium and unforgettable entertainment
    This was a great place to visit. The design is amazing. The prices were on the higher site but well worth it especially with all the displays. It is also a big maze so make sure that you visit all the exhibits and rooms. Some displays are sculpture types and others are living displays. Great place for kids to play and participate in a creative endeavors.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 May 2024
  • Crystal P
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth Every Penny
    Absolutely worth every penny. Our young kids enjoyed this just as much as we did. It is HUGE and so immersive, just when you think you’re close to being done, there’s another experience. Would definitely recommend to anyone in the area and will return someday.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 June 2024
  • Curiosity07553572669
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Epic!!!
    Absolutely Epic! As a lifetime fisherman and former Florida charter captain I Must say that this is and incredible exhibit. The amount of details that have gone into each area of the aquarium and Museum are top notch. So glad we added this to our trip to the area! Thanks Johnny Morris you are inspirational in your approach to the outdoors.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,378 reviews
Excellent
1,106
Very good
168
Average
54
Poor
24
Terrible
26

spencers1621
Lawrence, KS478 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Do these things before you go:
1. Find out if you live nearby and can buy a ticket for a $20 savings
2. Order tickets ahead of time( on line or by phone) and save $2 per ticket
3. Allow plenty of time (4 hrs min. ) to see both aquarium and museum
4. These are in two separate areas of Bass Pro. The aquarium is at the extreme north end of the store. The wildlife museum access is the escalator that is just to the right of the main east entrance of Bass Pro. You must show your ticket there to enter the museum. There are no signs directing you. We had to ask.
5. Now, GO AND ENJOY!!!
It seems expensive until you have been there!
Written 20 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DannyandCharley... K
Waynesville, MO20 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2020 • Couples
My husband and I are huge into wildlife, and wildlife exhibits. We've gone to several in multiple states, and we were both very excited when we had heard about Wonders of Wildlife (WoW) opening in Springfield.

Our excitement immediately dwindled when we heard what they were charging for admission. I've been to major zoos, privately owned exotic animal rescues, and sanctuaries, and none of them even came close to the cost of admission for WoW. For two people it came to just under $80. It was a bit jarring, but we had heard such wonderful things about the exhibit, so we decided to bite the bullet.

The first portion of the tour begins with the Native American portion, which was okay. And then the tour turns into The Hall of Death. That might sound a bit dramatic, but seriously, nothing but stuffed, dead animals. Dead dear, dead elk, dead antelope, dead lions, dead bears, dead, dead, dead. It was depressing. The operators have said on these threads that the animals come from zoos and sanctuaries, and that they died from natural causes. This is immediately negated by the plaques indicating that the stuffed corpse of some endangered animal were killed by Johnny Morris's son on, what I'm assuming was some guided big game hunt. There were taxidermied Black Rhinos! It was NOT a demonstration of conservation. It was a shrine to big game hunters hiding behind a mask of compassion for wildlife, and calling themselves conservationists.

After making it out of the Museum of The Dead, we entered the Aquarium. On a positive note, the craftsmanship was impressive. It was really cool looking. That is where the positivity ends. There was no information on any animals. The tanks were filled with hundreds of non-descript fish, with a few "exciting species" thrown in for flavor. The only exhibits we enjoyed were the beavers and the otters. End of list.

If it were possible I'd give this a zero. Will not return.
Written 26 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elizabeth J
Lexington, Missouri, United States133 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
Our family, grandparents, son and his family, spent a weekend in Springfield and toured this place on our last day. It was expensive at nearly $40 per adult and $20 for youth. However, it was a wonderful tour. I had no idea it was really more than an aquarium and after touring the wildlife safari with real animals the day before, it was interesting see all the stuffed animal exhibits, the history Johnny Morris fishing exhibits and the historic native American exhibits as well as the wonderful aquarium. The place is nicely laid out with clear signage and clever well-lit covid signs throughout. It took us about 2 hours to 2 ½ hours to tour and, frankly, it could take longer if you wanted to stop and read the signs at each display. The bald eagle sat demurely in front of its display window a fish lying on the ground behind it. No signage. I would have liked signage ... was it unable to fly? Was it doped up? Its cage was so small. My only other complaint was the photo quality. They take your family photo in front of a green screen before you enter. This time I was determined to buy photos (we had not done so at the Kansas City Aquarium the year before). I bought the big package and picked it up. When I looked at the photos, the green screen had been unprofessionally cropped out of the background. Several of us had our hair chopped, my husband had a chunk out of his head. I'm a graphic designer and know how to crop these things out. For $38 we should have gotten a professional job. Plus, the digital photos are not big enough to blow up to print, given to us with a web-ready 72 DPI. Very disappointed. But the backgrounds were adorable.
Written 18 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nikki S
17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Friends
The staff are super friendly, and you can tell they all love being there! As a Biologist myself I love how much awareness this place brings to the education and wonder of conservation. So much to do and so much to see. You would definitely have to make a day out of it! My sister bought us tickets for my Xmas gift to do the Shark dive they offer and it is such an amazing experience at a great cost. Not only do you get to do the cage dive, you also get a shirt, pictures, and a flash drive to have all the pics and videos you could possibly take to go home with you all for about $45 a person. It was an amazing experience! Thank you to all the staff for providing such an amazing and exciting environment!
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian_P_in_KC
Blue Springs, MO294 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This is the best attraction in Springfield. Maybe in all of SW MO. This visit we did the aquarium side only as we were driving home from Branson, but the museum is also well worth your time. If you make annual visits to the are as do we, an annual membership may be worth the added cost.
Prepare to do a lot of walking through immersive exhibits, but there are theaters and other seating opportunities strategically placed throughout, and a very tasty quick service restaurant.
Written 2 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KCBirdLady
Kansas City, MO120 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The museum portion is similar to what you see in any Bass Pro Shop or Cabela's, but with more and larger displays of mounted animals. The intro film is basically an advertisement for Bass Pro Shops, and you are inundated with signs, labels, you name it, urging you to take up hunting and fishing. They seem to be trying to beat the message into your brain that hunters and fishermen have been good at supporting conservation (true), and that they are pretty much responsible for ALL conservation activities (garbage).
The aquarium is OK, but there are now many good aquariums in mid-America and this one is not better than the others. It has some non-aquatic creatures in residence, but again, you can find those elsewhere. For an overall zoo/aquarium experience, Omaha's zoo is much better. We thought the admission cost at WOW was ridiculously high for a 3-hour visit.
Written 22 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vacation538748
United States11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
My fishing, hunting, outdoor loving husband enjoyed it very much!! It was his idea to go. We purchased tickets online for around $68 for the two of us. They asked for you to select a time to come. We stayed for about 4 hours.

The aquarium was my favorite. I liked the live animals and all the detail to each exhibit very much They have a part with sting rays you can touch. The museum was neat they have every element of the wildlife portrayed even the sounds. Every person we come in contact with was very friendly and helpful too!

Only down fall they need an app or a map. It is only one way but I want to know where I'm going. LOL There is a food court sort of at the entrance. Then less than half way thru the aquarium is a snack bar. We purchased a refillable cup and a pretzel w/cheese for $17. Don't get sold on the refill part of the cup because it will be 2 more hours before you can go to the food court if the drink machines are not shut down.
Written 27 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Emily
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
What other reviewers aren't telling you about the $50 admission is that the ticket is good for an entire year. Depending on where you live, it's worth every penny! I live a couple hours away in Columbia, so I visit three-ish times a year. I can spend almost all day there, so an average of $17 a visit isn't bad at all.

Each exhibit (and there are many) has its own themed room, and little hallways connect them. For a small example, for the bat exhibit, you walk into a chilly, realistic cave. The entire attraction is made up of little adventures. If it weren't for the air conditioning, you'd almost forget you were indoors.

One of the best things about the attraction is the care for the animals. I don't want my money supporting any place of business that doesn't care well for their animals, and it's rare you find a place that properly takes care of exotics. It was awesome to see that Wonders of Wildlife gives every animal plenty of space and activities to keep them stimulated. I wish they'd give more room to their mice on display, but other than that, I thought all the enclosures were awesome.

I didn't think they'd be as fun to visit, so I kind of wanted to rush through them at first, but the taxidermy scenes are incredibly neat. The Native American exhibits are also educational and interesting, but not as fun for kids as the rest of the attraction.

Their customer service is also very helpful!
Written 30 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John S
Columbia, MO3,283 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
I have been to several aquariums around the country so am able to compare this one to others. I only visited the aquarium, not the natural history museum. Aquarium was very nice and designed well. This is an excellent aquarium for a city the size of Springfield but is up to par with some of the better museums in the US (e.g. Monterrey, Atlanta, Chattanooga). So you have to keep things in perspective. Good if you are in the area, but not worth a special trip. The aquarium focused more on fresh water fish than other aquariums, probably because it is affiliated with Bass Pro Shop. There was also a few sections dedicated to fishing which was of no interest to me but again due to their connection with Bass Pro. Overall it was a decent aquarium but the price is way too high. Their admission price is similar to the Monterrey aquarium but the quality is very different. I paid around $45 per person and think it was worth about $20-25 per person. Honestly, it should be subsidized by Bass Pro since it is basically an advertisement for them.
Written 9 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maury-Hannick
Washington DC, DC17 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
A unique museum, and not entirely in a good way. There’s no way to see just part of it - you are forced to travel the entire winding length of it. Even IKEA allows shortcuts, but not here. I logged three miles of steps over a period of more than four hours.

The first part is devoted to hunting, fishing, and some history. The Lewis and Clark section has some really nice paintings depicting the expedition. But a lot of the first section will be interesting only to hunters and fishermen. You can’t shortcut around it, and there’s no place for an old man to sit and take a break.

The natural history section has lots of dioramas with lots of stuffed animals. It isn’t clear which are taxidermy and which are created from whole cloth. All of the animals are well put together, but the logic and objective of this section isn’t clear. And again, you can’t shortcut around it, and there’s no place for an old man to sit and take a break.

The aquarium section is also a long, winding path with no shortcuts. There are lots and lots of fish, with multiple looks at all of the large tanks, numbering about five. In addition, they have lots of smaller tanks with interesting sea creatures. But everywhere, especially in this section, the signage is very poor. A majority of the time, they identify at least some of the animals in a diorama or tank, but rarely all of them. And for a lot of the tanks, there’s no sign at all. And, for many animals and sea creatures, the signs don’t say where in the world they come from.

We ate lunch at Fish Tales inside the museum. The food was fine, and not overpriced. I was amused that the menu included no fish.

I was thinking of buying an annual membership for my grandchildren, but now I don’t think repeat visits would be all that valuable.
Written 4 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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JOHNNY MORRIS' WONDERS OF WILDLIFE NATIONAL MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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