With the exception of the Yehliu facility, whose main selling point is cetacean (whale and dolphin) shows, most of the older aquariums, in comparison with the new ones, had few regular visitors and only limited fish-husbandry technology. Consequently most relied on short-term exhibits, such as special exhibits of precious marine life held at the lunar new year.
相較於新興的海洋館，除了野柳海洋世界以鯨豚表演取勝，過去由於養殖技術與參觀人口有限，海洋生物大多以短期方式展出，如在年節時以「海洋珍奇動物展」的名義舉辦展覽等。