Public Aquariums Around The World

[IlliniGuy18]

Hey everyone! I wanted to start a discussion on various public aquariums around the world. Being from Chicago, IL, home of the Shedd Aquarium, and being an avid aquarium hobbyist for many years, I'd like to know where else I can find an excellent public aquarium.

I'll post here about the Shedd Aquarium. Do the same for an aquarium near you or one you've been too.

Name: John G. Shedd Aquarium

Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Website: www.sheddaquarium.com

My Review: The Shedd Aquarium is absolutely amazing! I own a yearly membership so that I can visit whenever I want and take a friend for free (for only $60 per year... what a steal!!!!!!!) I don't have specifics on the exact sizes of all their aquariums but let me say every exhibit is WORLD Class. There's an Amazon Rainforest exhibit, a Wild Reef exhibit, a million gallon indoor dolphin and beluga whale tank, and now a reptile exhibit. Check out their website for more info but let me tell you, if you are in the Chicagoland area, don't miss out on visiting the Shedd Aquarium!!!

 

[Watersprite]

Hi, Just visited The London Aquarium, fantastic. Details for those who who are interested.

Name: The London Aquarium

Location: London, England

Website: www.londonaquarium.co.uk

My Review: If you love fish this is the place to go! It is one of Europe's largest collections of global aquatic life,
displayed in 2 million litres of water. Over 350 different species in various tanks, Atlantic, Pacific,
Indian, Freshwater Stream, Coral, Rainforest, Mangrove, to name but a few. Well worth a visit.

 

[Ilya]

Name: Oregon Coast Aquarium

Location: Newport, Oregon

Website: http/www.aquarium.org

My Review: If you love fish this is the place to go! It is one of Oregon's largest collections of global aquatic life,
displayed in a ton of gallons of water. This is a trip you'll never forget. There are glass tunnels where you can walk right beside happy and beautiful fish in their environment.
Oh, and you can adopt a pet too. It will cost you $15,000 to feed it for a year.

 

[iairj84]

Name: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Location: Monterey, California

http/www.mbayaq.org/

My Review: I haven't been there in about 5 years or so but from everything I hear it's even better than before. I love the kelp forest and it's truly and artforn to see the kelp and sea life just like it is in the ocean

 

[madmom]

Name : Virginia Marine & Science Museum
Location: Virginia Beach, Va.

http/www.vmsm.com/index.shtml

This one is on my list of definate places to see this June. In summer they have dolphin watching and in the winter whale watching. They also have a marine animal rescue as well as 700,000 gal of aquariums and live animal habitats. Will let you know how it was .

 

[Castellop123]

...

 

[rdd1952]

I can add a bunch. I wish I had the time and money to visit them everywhere.

Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN
This may be my favorite public aquarium of all time. They have 2 separate buildings, one for freshwater with lots of local species, and one for saltwater. The tour is set up so that you just wind your way through the buildings. In the saltwater building, you go up to the 3rd floor to start and then wind down to the bottom. You get to view the large tank on 3 different levels so you see different fish on each level depending on whether they are bottom dweller, mid-level fish or top fish. A must see if you're ever in the area.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, SC
I was somewhat disappointed in this one. It was about 3 years ago when I was there but they didn't have the variety of fish I am accustomed to seeing. One display in particular in the Secrets of the Amazon section was in pretty bad shape with angel fish that had been severely nipped by a couple other larger fish that seemed to fight constantly.

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA
This is also a very nice aquarium. We were there last year and it was packed (only opened in November of previous year). We took the behind the scenes tour (a little pricey at $50 each) and enjoyed it. You get to go up top of the tank the whale sharks are in and we just happened to get on a tour while they were feeding them (done with colored buckets - each fish knows which color is theirs).

Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, LA
Another very good aquarium when we saw it which was 2 months before Katrina hit in 2005. I don't know what it is like now as I know they lost almost all the fish after the storm. Was definitely worth the visit that time.

Ripley's Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, SC
This one is somewhat smaller than a lot of the others but still nice. I have not been to it in about 4 years though. It was one of the first ones I ever visited that had the walk through tube where the fish are on both sides and above you. It seems like there is even a moving belt that you just stand on and it moves you through the tunnel.

I'e also been to Marineland in St. Augustine, FL (many years ago) and Sea World in Orlando (at least 20 years ago).

Also, we will be going to Reno in a little over a week. Does anyone know of any aquariums in that area?

 

[Night_Market]

The Blue Planet Aquarium

Review : The decor and layout is a bit more interesing than the fish.

But worth A visit, if you're in the area.

The Blue Planet

 

[borissimo]

I don't think there is one public aquarium that my other half and I haven't been disappointed with the amount of room that the fish have to swim about in (slightly hypocritical considering my overstocked cichlid tank, never to be repeated) but:

In the UK, I agree that the London Aquarium is definitely worth a visit.

In the US, Mandalay Bay Hotel aquarium, Las Vegas - I enjoyed my visit to this aquarium, particularly the huge ocean tank with swordfish (sawfish?) as it was the first time I had ever seen these. There is also a beautifully lit column tank containing just jellyfish - really stunning.

Mote Marine Aquarium, Sarasota - I like this one not because there is anything particularly stunning there but because of the good work they do rescuing dolphins, manatees and turtles etc.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Blue Reef, Portsmouth


Been a while since I've been there, not bad though. Big ray pool, big tank with sharks and lionfish, morays, big walk through reef tank, otters, reptile/amphibian area, native fish tank...

 

[Arfie]

I like Blue Planet too and you can dive in the tanks too and it has one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world.

The Deep Hull

Nice aquarium, with a clear elevator which takes you back up through the main tank so you can see the various life at differing depths also has a tunnel at the bottom (10m deep).

Arfie

 

[IlliniGuy18]

All great recommendations! Keep them coming!

Mods: Can we get this pinned somewhere or at least put where you think is most appropriate?

 

[Richie Hell]

If you're ever in Paris:

http/www.palais-portedoree.org/

Palais de la Porte Doree.

Loads of tropical and marine fish, and crocodiles. Great place, stays away from anything large or exotic like sharks (except a few reef sharks) or underwater/walk through tunnels and is mainly made of fish you'd see in your local fish store.

 

[rdd1952]

I'm going to bump this back up as I would love to hear more suggestions of places to see. I might try to get to the one in Virginia. Would love to visit the one in Oregon as we will be visiting friends in Eugene in a couple weeks but unfortunately, I don't think we will have time to work it in.

 

[stang1]

Bournemouth Oceanarium in the Uk is great. Been there a few times and never get bored of it.

Bournemouth Oceanarium