Behind The Scenes Aquariums

Located in Atlanta, Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world, housing over 100,000 aquatic creatures. Visitors can experience unique exhibits like Ocean Voyager with massive whale sharks, interact with penguins, beluga whales, and sea lions, and enjoy captivating dolphin presentations. Features extensive educational programs, summer camps, and accessibility accommodations including sensory-friendly hours.

Chicago's famed Shedd Aquarium welcomes visitors to see beluga whales, stingrays, saltwater fish, dolphins, and sea lions. One of the oldest and most prestigious public aquariums in the United States, Shedd is home to more than 32,000 animals representing 1,500 species from around the world. Renowned for its marine biology research, conservation programs, and comprehensive educational offerings for all ages.

Situated on Boston Harbor, the New England Aquarium welcomes over a million visitors annually. Home to the largest shark and stingray touch tank on the East Coast, a Marine Mammal Center with California sea lions, and the impressive 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank featuring a Caribbean coral reef ecosystem. Features marine animal rescue programs, research initiatives, and comprehensive educational offerings.

Located on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, the Audubon Aquarium houses more than 250 species, including rare white alligators, jellyfish, and sharks. The impressive Gulf of Mexico exhibit is 17 feet deep, filled with 400,000 gallons of salt water, and home to stingrays, sharks, sea turtles, and more. Offers educational programs focused on Gulf Coast marine ecosystems and conservation.

Located in Brooklyn, the New York Aquarium offers a 4D theater, animal feedings, and numerous wildlife exhibits. Visitors can watch sea lions, penguins, and seals, then visit Conservation Hall to see colorful fish swimming through coral reefs. The Ocean Wonders exhibit features 18 different species of sharks and rays. Part of the Wildlife Conservation Society with strong research and conservation programs.

Located in Seward, Alaska, the Alaska SeaLife Center is the only public aquarium in Alaska. Visitors can experience Alaskan marine wildlife up close, including seals, sea lions, salmon, rockfish, and invertebrates like king crabs and sea urchins. The center offers special encounters with some of its residents, like octopuses and puffins. Combines public education with marine research and wildlife rehabilitation programs.

Located in Newport on the wild Oregon coast, this aquarium showcases the diverse marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Visitors can see a replica of the local Orford Reef, spot a giant Pacific octopus in the Octopus Cave, and experience the impressive Passages of the Deep underwater walkway surrounded by sharks and other marine life. Features educational programs focused on Pacific Northwest marine ecosystems.

The largest aquarium in Texas spans seven acres near Corpus Christi Bay, focusing on two unique marine ecosystems: the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Home to over 4,000 animals including flamingos, sharks, and vampire bats, it also houses the state's largest coastal wildlife rescue facility. Features comprehensive educational programs and wildlife rehabilitation initiatives.

Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, OdySea brings ocean wonders to the desert with 2 million gallons of water, over 65 educational exhibits, and 370 species. Features include the world's only Russian sturgeon touch pool and Voyager, a unique rotating aquarium experience where visitors sit as they move past massive viewing windows. Offers educational programs and interactive experiences for all ages.

Located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, this popular aquarium features a 340-foot underwater tunnel through Shark Lagoon, where visitors can ride a moving glide path surrounded by sharks, sea turtles, and tropical fish. Other highlights include penguin encounters, interactive discovery zones, and coral reef exhibits. Features educational programs and family-friendly interactive experiences.

Located in Tampa, The Florida Aquarium houses more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals. Visitors can journey from Florida's freshwater springs to the depths of the Gulf of Mexico through immersive exhibits. Highlights include a 500,000-gallon coral reef habitat, outdoor wetlands, and interactive touch experiences. Features coral restoration programs, marine research, and comprehensive educational offerings.

Located in Chattanooga, the Tennessee Aquarium offers a unique approach with two buildings: River Journey traces water from the mountains to the sea, while Ocean Journey explores saltwater environments. Home to over 12,000 animals including penguins, otters, sharks, and even a butterfly garden. Features educational programs focused on freshwater and marine ecosystems.

Located in Mystic, Connecticut, this aquarium is renowned for its beluga whale exhibit and interactive experiences. One of only a few facilities in the United States to house belugas, Mystic also features African penguins, seals, sea lions, and various fish species. The facility is also a leader in marine animal rescue and research. Offers comprehensive educational programs and marine biology research opportunities.

The public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Birch Aquarium combines research with more than 5,000 fish in 60+ habitats. Featuring interactive exhibits on climate change, an impressive collection of seahorses and seadragons, and outdoor tide pools with panoramic ocean views. Offers cutting-edge marine research programs, educational initiatives, and citizen science opportunities.

Founded in 1904, the Waikiki Aquarium is the second-oldest public aquarium in the United States. Located on Oahu's shoreline, it showcases more than 500 marine species native to Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Highlights include the Hawaiian monk seal habitat, living coral displays, and the Edge of the Reef outdoor exhibit. Features marine research programs and conservation initiatives focused on Hawaiian marine ecosystems.

Located in Camden, New Jersey, Adventure Aquarium houses more than 15,000 aquatic species. One of only a few aquariums in the United States to exhibit hippos, it also features the longest shark tunnel in the Northeast, a touch tank with both sharks and stingrays, and a popular African penguin colony. Offers comprehensive educational programs, summer camps, and accessibility accommodations.

Located in downtown Toronto at the base of the CN Tower, this aquarium features more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater creatures. The highlight is the Dangerous Lagoon, a moving sidewalk tunnel through a tank filled with sharks and other marine life. Also features a stunning jellyfish gallery and interactive touch exhibits. Offers educational programs and family-friendly interactive experiences.

Showcasing the aquatic environments of North Carolina from the mountains to the sea. Features include a 306,000-gallon Living Shipwreck exhibit with sand tiger sharks and schooling fish, a sea turtle rehabilitation center, and hands-on touch pools. The aquarium is dedicated to conservation and education about local ecosystems. Features sea turtle rescue programs and marine conservation education.

Located in Charleston, the South Carolina Aquarium highlights the state's diverse aquatic habitats. The centerpiece is the two-story, 385,000-gallon Great Ocean Tank teeming with sharks, fish, and a sea turtle. Also houses the Sea Turtle Care Center™, a working hospital for sick and injured sea turtles. Features comprehensive sea turtle rescue programs and marine conservation education.

Located in Newport, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati, this aquarium features thousands of animals from around the world. Highlights include the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit with an underwater tunnel, the world's first and only Shark Bridge®, and the interactive Penguin Palooza with multiple penguin species. Offers educational programs and interactive family experiences.

More than just an aquarium, this Dallas attraction combines aquatic exhibits with zoo elements. Visitors journey through a tropical rainforest with free-flying birds and monkeys before exploring underwater tunnels filled with sharks and manatees. Features endangered species from around the world in naturalistic habitats. Offers educational programs focused on biodiversity and conservation.

Located in the historic FirstEnergy Powerhouse on the west bank of the Flats, this aquarium houses both local and exotic aquatic life. The centerpiece is the SeaTube, an 175-foot underwater walkway through a 230,000-gallon shark exhibit. Also features interactive touch pools and exhibits on Ohio's native species. Offers educational programs focused on local and global aquatic ecosystems.