The Age of Aquariums

No longer just any old fish in the sea, aquariums across the nation are going high-tech and high-dollar to lure visitors.

Photographs by Chad Windham

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OH MY GOSH, HE'S SWIMMING RIGHT TOWARD ME. (Cue the Jaws music.) All 18 feet and 3,000-plus pounds of him. And he looks hungry. The whale shark’s massive body slices easily through the water, the giant fish fixing his steely gaze on me like I’m tonight’s main course. For a moment I’m frozen, unable to move. What should I do?

Get out my camera and take a picture, I guess.

This menacing-looking creature is one of a pair of tropical whale sharks on view at the new Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and I’m thankful that there’s a giant sheet of Plexiglas separating the two of us. (Besides, as I later learned, whale sharks much prefer a diet of squid and sardines to Southern writers.)

The big swimmer’s name is Ralph, and he and his pal Norton are the only whale sharks on exhibit anywhere in North America. Naturally, I was never in any real danger from Ralph, but seeing a monster like that barreling toward you evokes the kind of raw, unbridled emotion that you can’t help but experience on a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. The largest of its kind in the world, the Georgia Aquarium is one of a new breed of aquariums that mesmerize visitors with their lifelike habitats, rare breeds of fish, high-tech displays, and innovative educational programs, all created by megamillion-dollar price tags.

Apparently, having visitors stand in front of a stagnant tank or two staring at a bunch of plain-Jane ocean dwellers just doesn’t cut it anymore. And that’s why you’re seeing the addition of features like intimate behind-the-scenes tours, 3-D movies complete with crooning Nemo-like characters, food service from celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck, and even elaborate ballrooms that can be rented out for parties. Says Ken Peterson, spokesperson for California’s famed Monterey Bay Aquarium, “In addition to new aquariums like the one in Atlanta, you’re seeing more and more major additions and renovations to existing aquariums. It’s a constant effort to keep our facilities fresh and inviting so visitors keep coming back.” That effort is paying off, according to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, which claims that since 2002, aquarium memberships have been at an all-time high, and that in many cities, aquariums and zoos have the highest attendance of any cultural institution in town.

THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM, which opened last November, is the standard bearer for this new strain of state-of-the-art aquariums, thanks to a man named Bernie ­Marcus. Marcus, cofounder of the Atlanta-based hardware chain the Home Depot and a 77-year-old philanthropist, wanted to give something back to the community. So he reached into his pocket and pulled out more than $250 million for the creation of what he calls “something that nobody in the industry has ever done before.” But Marcus did more than just write the check. He toured 56 aquariums in 13 countries across the globe, researching what worked and what didn’t, and, with his team, came up with what they considered the ultimate aquarium experience.

I, for one, tend to agree with them. I visited the aquarium early one Friday morning, and if I had a dollar for every “ooh” and “aah” I heard uttered that day, I might be as rich as Marcus. Because be they wide-eyed preschoolers, dubious teens and tweens, harried parents, or seen-it-all seniors, the Georgia Aquarium managed to somehow get under their skin at some point or another. It simply couldn’t be helped.

For me, it was the leafy sea dragons. A huge Cousteau fan, I’d never even heard of a leafy sea dragon before, and here were a bunch of them swimming around just a few inches away from me. Visually, they’re a combination of a sea horse and a leafy branch, and they actually don’t so much swim as float about like dead limbs. They’re so strange-looking, Peter Jackson should put them in his next movie.

Another crowd favorite is the Beluga whales. After watching the five of them dive, dance, twirl, and twist through the water as if in an exquisite undersea ballet, I actually saw two grown men high-five each other. I told you, you just can’t help but be impressed. The place is one big, beautiful screen saver that you want to take home with you and stare at throughout the day.

It’s all part of the reason why, after only 98 days, the Georgia Aquarium welcomed its one-millionth visitor. Which came as a shock — they hadn’t expected to reach that number for several months. But the Georgia Aquarium isn’t the only new aquarium drawing a crowd. Nor is it the only one boasting the latest wow-factor amenities and
attractions. Here’s a short list of U.S. aquariums that are in the works, have just opened, or are being overhauled to oblige today’s sophisticated visitors.

Adventure Aquarium
(856) 365-3300
www.adventureaquarium.com
$14 to $17

This aquarium on the bank of the Delaware River in Camden was formerly the New
Jersey State Aquarium, but it reopened in May 2005 after a massive renovation and name change. It boasts all the requisite sea life, like the playful saltwater seals and spindly spider crabs that look like something out of an episode of Fear Factor, but it also includes more typical zoo-type animals, like crocodiles, porcupines, and hippos. Speaking of fear, if you’re adventurous, you can don a wet suit and swim with Jaws in the ominous shark realm. Actually, there’s an experienced shark handler in the water with you, and it’s really quite safe.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
(800) 774-7394
www.auduboninstitute.org
This New Orleans aquarium, one of the country’s premier facilities, isn’t new, but fans are looking forward to its reopening sometime this summer after it was shut down by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. In the meantime, you can help everyone there get back on their feet, or fins, as the case may be, by donating to the Species Survival Emergency Fund.

Aquarius Aquarium Institute
(559) 490-3474
www.aquariusaquarium.org
Completion isn’t expected until 2011, but plans are well under way for a gorgeous new public aquarium in Fresno, California. The facility, designed by Arthur Dyson, AIA, dean emeritus of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, will be built on 10 acres overlooking the San Joaquin River.

Downtown Aquarium
(303) 561-4450
www.downtownaquariumdenver.com
$8 to $14

Formerly the Ocean Journey public aquarium in downtown Denver, this
million-gallon-plus facility is now privately owned by Landry’s Restaurants (along with other “aquarium/restaurants” in Nashville, Houston, and Kemah, Texas). After a redux, it reopened in July 2005, offering programs that let you play marine biologist or zoologist for a day, camp out overnight in the rain forest exhibit, or swim with the fishes — including moray eels and 250-pound grouper! — in the Under the Sea display.

Georgia Aquarium
(404) 581-4000
www.georgiaaquarium.org
$17 to $23

Increasing traffic to downtown Atlanta is the world’s new and largest aquarium, boasting more than eight million gallons of water and more than 100,000 fish. To beat the crowds, avoid midday; go as soon as the aquarium opens or a few hours before closing. Crowds tend to be a little lighter Tuesday through Thursday. You can also shell out an extra $50 per person for a guided behind-the-scenes tour, which takes small groups deep into the aquarium to watch workers feed the fish, inspect the impressive veterinary and kitchen facilities, check out the more than 300 pumps and miles of pipe it takes to run the place, and more.

GAIL BENJAMIN Living Planet Aquarium
(801) 355-3474
www.thelivingplanet.com
$4 to $7

Before construction could begin on its permanent home, Salt Lake City’s new aquarium­ had to shut down and find a bigger space. After a record-breaking crowd showed up to its preview exhibit, officials reevaluated the locale, so its temporary exhibit now has a new home, with 20,000 square feet of space featuring a replica of an 1830s sailing ship and more than 110 species of sea creatures, including a 100-year-old lobster.

North Carolina Aquarium
at Pine Knoll Shores
(866) 294-3477
www.ncaquariums.com
$6 to $8

Closed for the past two and a half years to accommodate visitors’ growing expectations, this aquarium on one of the state’s barrier islands, 147 miles southeast of Raleigh, reopened in May at three times its previous size. The exhibits are bigger and better (to the tune of $25 million), but, in keeping with today’s top facilities, the aquarium includes a new 150-seat auditorium, more classrooms, a larger gift shop, and increased guest parking. While you’re there, make a point to check out Blackbeard’s sunken pirate ship and the German submarine in the 300,000-gallon Living Shipwreck exhibition.

Seattle Aquarium
(206) 386-4300
www.seattleaquarium.org
$6 to $13

Seattle’s 29-year-old public aquarium is currently in the midst of a $37 million expansion and renovation (scheduled for completion in June 2007). While some of the changes are structural (the aquarium sits on a 100-year-old pier), the enhancements include a 120,000-gallon Window on Washington Waters exhibit, which boasts a 20-by-40-foot panoramic viewing window.