We had a chance to visit the new exhibits as a part of the museum's soft opening and can say from firsthand experience the new and improved pyramid is a must-see. It officially reopens to the public May 27, 2017.

We had a chance to visit and see the results of the museum's $37 million renovations during the soft opening and can say from firsthand experience the new and improved pyramid is a must-see. It officially reopens to the public May 27, 2017.

New additions include the Humboldt Penguin Exhibit, which is the second penguin habitat in the aquarium. While the first and original exhibit features penguins that live in cold weather, the new exhibit showcases birds that live in the southern hemisphere waters.

The Mangrove Lagoon is sure to be a favorite among kids. Kids can interact with and touch various sea creatures, like Cownose Stingrays and Bonnethead Sharks. Another touch tank features smaller fish and invertebrates for kids who may be intimidated by the larger animals. It was definitely my kids' favorite as they loved touching the small animals and watching them swim up-close.

Other new features are the Gulf of Mexico Rig exhibit, which showcases the combination of technology and nature that comes with oil production in the gulf, and the Jellyfish Gallery features a "whimsical array" of these beautiful animals.

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Tips for planning your trip:

- There are daily schedules available in the aquarium lobby, and we took a picture with our phone to use to check for feeding times, dives, and presentations.

- If crowds are not your thing, a weekday is a great time to visit the aquarium. Although many businesses are closed Mondays in Galveston, Moody Gardens is open and Mondays are a great time to visit. If avoiding the crowds is your top priority, we suggest going as soon as it opens, or right after lunch when all the camps and field trips are heading home.

- There is a food court on-site, but it can get crowded, so we recommend packing lunches and snacks for the kids to make things easier.

- Strollers and wagons are allowed inside and there is plenty of walking space, so we encourage bringing them along for smaller children who may tire quickly.

- Regular hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Day passes, which include admission to all pyramids, are $59.95 per person, but aquarium-only tickets are $31.95 for adults and $25.95 for children and seniors. Kids ages 3 and under are free.

All photos by Lauren Garcia/Mommy Poppins