Dongtan indoor zoo birthday outing with stamp tour: Artis Theme Park

Hi, this is Aung's family. Last weekend we took a day trip to Dongtan for Boreum's dol (first birthday) party. Since it also happened to be Aung's birthday that day, we visited Artis Theme Park, an indoor zoo in Dongtan, and all three generations had a great time together.

Is parking in Dongtan a problem at Artis Theme Park?

Artis Theme Park had plenty of open spots in the building's basement parking lot, and it's also within walking distance of Dongtan Station. Since parking time is supported, we didn't pay a single won for parking.

Dongtan is a somewhat difficult area to park in, and parking fees can be no joke, which makes you hesitant. But the building's basement parking is really well set up, and with the parking time support, we didn't pay a cent even after taking our time looking around. From there it's straight up the elevator to the 9th floor, so it's a great indoor date spot with kids regardless of rain or weather.

How does entry and ticketing work?

At Artis Theme Park, you pay for your ticket upon arrival and enter following the KakaoTalk notification guide. Buying tickets through an online social commerce site gets you a discount, so it's worth checking that first.

I visited on a Saturday afternoon, and there was already a line forming. It seemed like the number of teams allowed in at once was limited for smooth viewing, but we still got in quickly.

They hand out a wristband ticket and a name sticker, and kids feel special from this moment alone — Aung asked to be called "princess" from then on.

What makes the feeding experience at this Dongtan indoor zoo different?

The feeding experience at Artis Theme Park was really appealing. It starts with listening to an explanation and putting snacks into a feeding tray.

We joined the feeding experience to make it more fun. After listening to the explanation, we filled the feeding tray with snacks. In that moment, Aung felt like a real zookeeper.

Right after entering, there were animals you could touch directly. Petting a larva that becomes a rhinoceros beetle made me a little sad that city kids today can't experience the kind of textures rural kids used to feel growing up. We also touched a handleable lizard, which got us seriously considering whether to get into the current lizard-keeping trend.

The touchable animals all had labels attached, which was nice for connecting with them while petting. Being able to look this closely at animals you'd usually only see in photos or behind glass made Artis Theme Park stand out among Dongtan indoor zoos for how well-managed and educational it felt.

Watching how the animals ate as we fed them was one part I found genuinely interesting to observe. The rabbits were clever, telling apart who was holding the food and moving right up to them.

Remember filling that feeding tray earlier? Being able to bond with the animals while feeding them like this is one of the reasons I'd recommend this place.

We also tried the ray feeding experience, which fit well with our timing and route. We fed loaches, the freshwater ray's food, directly, watching how they eat and where their mouths actually are. It's great for kids, but with all the documentaries these days about learning about animals, it was a genuinely worthwhile experience for me as an adult too.

What is Artis Theme Park like inside?

Artis Theme Park had a well-structured layout that I found satisfying. From entrance to exit, everything was thoughtfully arranged.

Past the photo zone, it's not quite a vivarium with a mini ecosystem, but you pass through a moss and small-fish zone before the theme park section begins. If you've only ever done indoor play at a Dongtan kids' café, this place lets you directly experience things a kids' café usually only offers indoors — once you're in, you get completely absorbed.

Staff members offering explanations were stationed throughout, which helped us pick up more useful information. Rather than just walking through and looking, we got a lot of helpful info and tips directly, which made the time more enjoyable.

It wasn't a closed-off atmosphere at all — you could really look closely, so even at eye level with small animals, kids who are usually scared of them seemed to enjoy it here.

With a different charm from the big zoos, Artis Theme Park, this Dongtan indoor zoo, was really great for both kids and adults to look closely and spend time.

Instead of a closed-off feel, the open atmosphere meant animals you could actually touch were practically everywhere (haha), which gave it a lot of edge compared to other places.

There were animals you don't normally get to see, but more than anything, the care (?) here was really well done. A lot of people say one reason they avoid zoos is that seeing poorly cared-for animals breaks their heart every time. Overall, I felt like no animals were being neglected — they were living in a clean environment. It's also getting attention as a Dongtan aquarium, where you can closely observe marine ecosystems.

A lot of people apparently avoid indoor animal facilities because of the smell that builds up when animals are gathered indoors. But the air quality here was fresh and odor-free, so even adults could look around without getting a headache. With animals this cute, you end up just waiting for them to perform (haha) right in front of you.

Are the photo zones good for young children?

At Artis Theme Park, each zone had great photo opportunities with its main animals — the photo zones were well set up.

Instead of just flat photos in front of animals, there were plenty of photo zones designed to capture kids' excitement at its peak. Even now that time has passed since our visit, Aung may not remember the name Artis Theme Park, but she vividly describes memories of connecting with the animals she saw there.

Where can kids take a break between the animals?

Kids lose interest if it's just animal after animal, but Artis Theme Park had plenty of rest elements too. There was sand play, drawing, and stamp badge exchanges — lots to enjoy.

There were plenty of rest spots throughout, but also plenty to do. You could do light sand play, draw pictures, and collect stamps at each zone to exchange for badges.

The last zone had a rest area with an indoor playground for kids, which was great. Sipping the provided drink and lingering there for a bit was so pleasant that I plan to come back whenever we're in Dongtan.

What drinks are on the café menu?

Artis Theme Park gives adults one free drink each, plus one more if you participate in the review event.

Even if you don't buy a drink, adults still get one served. It's not limited to Americano or iced tea — there's a wide range to choose from, which is great for drinking with your kid too. If you join the review event, you get one more drink, which your child can have, so I'd definitely recommend participating.

Is there a nursing room for visits with a baby?

The nursing room at Artis Theme Park was better equipped than I expected, with thoughtful little touches — Huggies diapers are stocked by size.

At first glance it looks like a typical nursing room, but if you're ever in a super-urgent diaper crisis — the kind where your brain just shuts down — having Huggies diapers stocked by size can be a real lifesaver for anyone who needs them.

Can you buy animals to keep at home?

Artis Theme Park sells full starter kits for creatures you can raise at home, so we bought one without much hesitation.

The day we visited happened to be Aung's birthday, and when she saw this, she said she wanted to raise shrimp. The whole package was already well put together, but being able to take home shrimp on top of it — we're still raising them to this day.

Artis Theme Park: hours, address and visitor info

• Name: Artis Theme Park
• Address: 9F, 10 Dongtan-daero 19-gil, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do (next to Dongtan-gu Office)
• Hours: Weekdays 13:00–19:00 / Weekends & holidays 11:00–18:00
• Closed: Every Tuesday
• Other: Play room, animal experiences, feeding, ticket discounts