Hwaseong indoor animal park with feeding: Artis Theme Park

While deciding where to take Mango for the weekend, we visited Artis Theme Park, where we could see animals and enjoy hands-on activities too.

Artis Theme Park in Dongtan: location and what to prepare

It is on the ninth floor of the building across from Dongtan-gu Office Green Parking Park, 414 m from Exit 2 of Dongtan Station. It is open Monday and Wednesday through Friday from 13:00 to 19:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 19:00; it is closed every Tuesday. Use the underground parking entrance beside BBQ Chicken for free parking on levels B1 through B3.

Artis Theme Park is an experiential theme park where you can not only see animals up close, but also feed and interact with them yourself, so it was great to visit with a child.

At the ticket counter before entering, they gave us wristbands and name tags. Once we had the wristbands on and name tags attached, it really felt like we were properly starting the experience, haha.

They told us there were no restrooms inside, so we changed Mango's diaper in the nursing room and got ourselves sorted out too. On the way to the restroom, there was also a stroller storage area, lockers, and a little waiting space. When you visit with a child, the conveniences matter too, right? It was nice to get everything we needed organized in advance and begin the activities feeling light and ready.

Six kinds of feed and the stamp tour book

After entering, we received instructions and watched a short video together first.

We prepared for the animal-feeding experiences available at Artis, and there were no fewer than six kinds of food for the animals. Each kind was put into its own small container so we could carry it around during the activities.

It felt more systematically run than I expected. Once you collect all the stamps in this stamp tour book, you can exchange it for a badge on your way out. Challenge accepted~ With name tags too, it really felt official, haha. We took a proof photo at the front and set off~!

At Artis, we could meet all sorts of creatures in one place, from land animals and fish to reptiles and insects. It felt like enjoying a zoo and aquarium, which you would normally have to visit separately, in one space, so there was more to see than I expected.

As we went farther inside, there were staff members throughout. They did not just let us look at the animals; they also took some out so we could touch them ourselves. Staff were present in each activity area, so we could follow their guidance as we looked around.

Hamster and stingray feeding experiences

Seeing turtles in an open enclosure rather than behind a glass-fronted one made me realize this place was quite different from others. Being able to feed the animals ourselves, watch their movements up close, and interact with them seemed like it would be a more memorable experience for a child than simply looking at them.

You can easily find stamp stations like this all around. It was fun to spot them one by one and stamp the book as we passed.

Feeding hamsters

Nom nom—watching them take the food so neatly in their tiny paws was so cute that we stood there watching for ages.

Stingray feeding experience

When we handed over the feeding-experience ticket, a staff member immediately prepared the food. Before feeding them, they also gave us a brief explanation about stingrays, so it was nice that we could learn about them rather than just feed them. We fed the birds too. Were they cockatiels? So cute that I had to take a photo, haha.

Collecting shrimp, hermit crabs, and blue crabs—and wrapping up

The basket we received at the start contained four collecting-experience tickets. By showing a ticket, we could catch shrimp, hermit crabs, or blue crabs ourselves in the relevant area.

They said we could take the creatures we caught home, but we had another stop afterward, so we only tried catching them and did not bring any home.

A must-do for our family wherever we go: writing down our wish, lol.

Near the exit, there was a basket return station, a playroom, and a simple café. Each adult gets one free café drink, so parents can recharge a little while the children play in the playroom. There is a souvenir shop too. Mango found a toy car she wanted and got one ⋆｡˚✩ She still plays with it well, so Mom is happy, haha.

Once you collect all the stamps, you can exchange them for a badge at the ticket counter. Mango chose the cute golden hamster one, haha.

Artis itself was easy to move around with a child, and time passed more quickly than I expected as we looked at the animals one by one. Mango happily played by wandering here and there, taking another look at animals that interested her, and trying the activities herself.

When you are wondering where to go with a child, Artis Theme Park seems like a really good option if you are looking for a different kind of indoor experience 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ It was a place where we could have an animal experience that was a little different from usual, and I think it was a wonderful experience for Mango too :)