Conservation Aquariums

Located on historic Cannery Row in Monterey, California, this renowned aquarium features a living kelp forest, colorful Pacific wildlife, sea otters, penguins, and deep-sea exhibits. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a leader in ocean conservation and education, dedicated to inspiring visitors to protect our oceans. Offers comprehensive school programs, teacher resources, and marine biology research opportunities.

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.

Located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, the National Aquarium is home to more than 20,000 animals and 800 species. Featuring multiple levels of exhibits, visitors can explore everything from a multi-story Atlantic Coral Reef to an impressive Shark Alley, Australian reef habitats, and a tropical rainforest ecosystem. Offers award-winning educational programs, accessibility accommodations, and leading conservation research initiatives.

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 on Elliott Bay, the Seattle Aquarium offers interactive education experiences with sea and river otters, seals, moon jellyfish, pufferfish, and sea anemones. Recently expanded with the new Ocean Pavilion, the aquarium is dedicated to marine conservation and educating visitors about the Puget Sound ecosystem. Features extensive research programs, marine animal rescue, and citizen science opportunities.

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 Long Beach, California, this aquarium focuses on the Pacific Ocean's diverse ecosystems. Featuring more than 12,000 animals across 500 species, visitors can explore the Tropical Pacific Gallery with colorful coral reefs, the Northern Pacific Gallery with playful sea otters, and the mesmerizing Jellies exhibits. Offers comprehensive educational programs, research initiatives, and conservation education.

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.

Located at San Francisco's PIER 39, this aquarium focuses on the diverse aquatic life of San Francisco Bay and nearby waters. Features include 300 feet of crystal clear tunnels with sharks and rays swimming overhead, hands-on touch pools, and exhibits on watershed conservation. Home to over 20,000 marine animals. Offers educational programs focused on local marine ecosystems and conservation.

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.

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.

One of California's most-visited cultural institutions located in Long Beach. Features more than 12,000 animals in over 100 exhibits that celebrate the Pacific Ocean and its inhabitants. Highlights include the interactive Shark Lagoon, the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, and the mesmerizing jellyfish gallery. Offers comprehensive educational programs, research initiatives, and conservation education.

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.