Hope For The Oceans       
Aquariums
 

The Fantasy Coral Reef Paintings of Lee James Pantas

The following list includes zoos and other organizations, including research centers, that have aquariums and marine exhibits as part of their facilities and programs. My intention is to have the most up to date, complete and accurate link index of American aquariums on the internet.  If you have a link to recommend or if I have missed a facility, please email me and let me know so I may include it.

      Association of Zoos & Aquariums


Marine Aquarium Council


The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

 

= Aquariums that are accredited members of the AZA -Association of Zoos And Aquariums. Membership in this organization means they meet the highest possible standards in the industry for quality and care.

                                                                                          AMERICA
Alabama
Alabama Shoals Aquarium and Nature Center Florence AL. The Alabama Shoals Aquarium and Nature Center, located inside Renaissance Tower,  consists of 40 aquariums and terrariums of fish and wildlife from North America and around the world.
Dauphin Island Estuarium
Dauphin Island, AL. The Estuarium is the educational facility of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab highlighting the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, the Barrier Islands, Mobile Bay and the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

Alaska
Alaska SeaLife Center The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit marine science facility dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem of Alaska through research, rehabilitation and public education. The Center's research and rehabilitation facilities and naturalistic exhibits immerse visitors in the dynamic marine ecosystems of Alaska.
Prince William Sound Science Center
The Prince William Sound Science Center facilitates and conducts research  in Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta of Alaska.

Arizona
Sonoran Desert Waters Institute Tucson, AZ. World-class public aquarium promoting education, conservation and preservation of Arizona's rivers and the Gulf of California.

Arkansas

California
Aquarium of the Bay
San Francisco, CA. Opened in 1996 and enhanced in 2001, Aquarium of the Bay is a unique educational and entertainment facility dedicated to the rich and diverse aquatic life of San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters.
Aquarium of the Pacific Long Beach, CA. The Aquarium of the Pacific is one of the largest aquariums in the United States. Its nearly 1,000 species fill 19 major habitats and 32 focus exhibits and take visitors on a journey throughout the Pacific Ocean's three regions: Southern California/Baja, the Tropical Pacific, and the Northern Pacific.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps La Jolla, CA. The Stephen Birch Aquarium is the public exploration center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a features marine animals from California and Mexico as well as the Indo-Pacific.
Cabrillo High School Aquarium Lompoc, CA. The Cabrillo High School Aquarium/Marine Technology Institute is a student run educational program located at Cabrillo High School.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium San Pedro, CA. the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a non-profit aquarium/museum dedicated to promoting knowledge and awareness of the marine life of Southern California.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, CA. World class aquarium with outstanding marine exhibits.
Ocean Institute Dana Point, CA.
The Ocean Institute is nationally known for its hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime history programs.
Seaworld San Diego  San Diego, CA. A family centered Seaworld Adventure Park
Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Laboratory
Santa Cruz, CA. The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is part of the Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratory, a research and education facility of the University of California, Santa Cruz
Six Flags Marine World  Vallejo, CA.. Combination theme park, oceanarium and land animal park.
Steinhart Aquarium San Francisco, CA.. Located in the California Academy of Sciences, the Steinhart Aquarium is a public educational and research facility.
Ty Warner Sea Center at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History  Santa Barbara, CA. New aquarium (April 2005) in Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Connecticut
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Norwalk, CT. The Maritime Aquarium explores the marine life and maritime culture of Long Island Sound.
Mystic Aquarium & Institute For Exploration Mystic, CT. World class aquarium that has associated with it Dr. Robert Ballard's Institute For Exploration, which focuses on deep sea archaeology. Features more than 6,000 living sea creatures are shown in 49 exhibits that include seals, penguins, dolphins and whales. 

Delaware

District of Columbia

The National Aquarium of Washington D.C. Washington, DC. The nation's oldest aquarium located near the Smithsonian Museums.
The National Zoo -Amazonia Exhibit
Washington, DC. An amazing exhibit about the Amazon River in an extraordinary zoo.

Florida
Clearwater Marine Aquarium Clearwater, FL. Non-profit working aquarium dedicated to public education, marine research, animal assisted therapy and the rescure and rehabilitation and release of sick or injured marine animals. Focus is on local marine life, from sea urchins and sand dollars to sea turtles, dolphins and river otters.
Florida's Gulfarium
Fort Walton Beach, FL. Family friendly marine centered entertainment since 1955.
Florida Key's Eco-Discovery Center  Key West, FL 2,400 gallon coral reef aquarium exhibit.
Key West Aquarium Key West, FL. One of America's most unique aquariums and open since 1934.
The Florida Aquarium Tampa, FL. 200,000 sq. ft. world class aquarium located in Tampa.
Living Seas at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World  Lake Buena Vista, FL. Kid friendly attraction featuring one of the world's largest man-made ocean environments. Most visited aquarium in America.
Miami Seaquarium  Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL. Family fun oriented aquarium.
Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium
Sarasota, FL. The Mote Marine Laboratory has both aquarium exhibits of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals.
Seaworld Orlando Orlando, FL. A family centered Seaworld Adventure Park

Georgia 
 Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta, GA.  8,000,000 gallon world class facility opened November 23, 2005. Absolutely spectacular main tank, one of the few aquariums in the world that has whale sharks.
                                                                     
Hawaii
Sea Life Park Makapuu Point, Oahu, HI. World class marine attraction.
Waikiki Aquarium Waikiki, HI. The Waikiki Aquarium, founded in 1904, is the third oldest public aquarium in the United States. A part of the University of Hawaii  since 1919, the Aquarium is located next to a living reef on the Waikiki shoreline.
Maui Ocean Center Ma‘alaea, Maui, HI. This state-of-the-art marine park on the island of Maui is  facility in the world dedicated to fostering understanding, wonder and respect for Hawaii’s marine life.

Idaho

Illinois

John G. Shedd Aquarium Chicago, IL. Open since 1929, the Shedd Aquarium features exhibits of Amazon, Caribbean and Pacific Coast habitats. More than 6,000 aquatic animals from every region of the planet. The Oceanarium features beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea otters, and harbor seals in a re-creation of a Pacific Northwest environment.
Brookfield Zoo Chicago, IL. The Brookfield Zoo has a number of outstanding aquatic exhibits.

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Newport Aquarium Newport, KT. The Newport Aquarium features one of the America's largest open-air shark viewing exhibits and five of the world's only seamless underwater tunnels.

Louisiana
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas  New Orleans. LA. A world class facility of the Audubon Nature Exhibit.

Maine
Gulf of Maine Research Institute Portland, ME. An educational and research center.
Maine Aquarium. Saco, ME. Small private facility.

Maryland
Calvert Marine Museum Solomons, MD. The Calvert Marine Museum is a public, non-profit, educational, regionally oriented museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, research, and interpretation of the culture and natural history of Southern Maryland.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore Baltimore, MD. One of the world's greatest aquariums.

Massachusetts
Berkshire Museum Aquarium Pittsfield, MA. Features twenty aquarium tanks from 30 to 535 gallons.
New England Aquarium Boston, MA. Started in 1969, the New England Aquarium features a 200,000 gallon tank as its centerpiece. This outstanding  reef accommodates not only sharks, sea turtles, barracuda and moray, but also hundreds of smaller exotic tropical fishes, and it is one of the most detailed and scientifically accurate recreations of its kind.
Woods Hole Science Aquarium Woods Hole, MA  This 5,000 sq. ft. Federal facility features three main areas: the seal pool, the main gallery and a "behind-the-scenes" work area.

Michigan
Belle Isle Zoo and Aquarium Belle Isle, MI. Permanently closed in 2005. The Belle Isle Aquarium was North America's oldest continuously operating public aquarium, having opened in 1904. Kept on this list for sentimental reasons, and in the hopes that it may reopen someday.
Minnesota
Discovery Bay at the Minnesota Zoo Apple Valley, MN.  Discovery Bay, a $25 million marine education center, is the largest expansion to the Minnesota Zoo since the main complex was built in 1978.
Great Lakes Aquarium Duluth, MN. Aquarium that focuses on the Great Lakes ecoystems.


Mississippi
J. L. Scott Marine Education Center Biloxi, MS. Administered by the University of Southern Mississippi, the J.L.Scott Marine Education Center is the Biloxi campus of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. The Aquarium contains sixty-one tanks of native fish and other creatures from the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi Sound and adjacent streams, lakes, rivers and bayous.    
                                                   
Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Aksarben Aquarium Gretna, NE. Complete displays of all Nebraskan freshwater ecoystems and fish.

Nevada
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Las Vegas, NV.  The focus is on sharks!

New Hampshire

New Jersey

Adventure Aquarium of the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences 
Camden, NJ. Reopened in May 2005 after renovations, the Adventure Aquarium is back bigger and better. Features include a 760,000 gallon open ocean tank showcasing over 40 different species of fish, a 170,000 gallon pool for harbor and gray seals and a trout stream.
Atlantic City Aquarium Atlantic City, NJ Located in Atlantic City’s Historic Gardner's Basin, the Atlantic City Aquarium offers a fun and educational look into more than 100 varieties of fish and marine animals. The Atlantic City Aquarium's eight tanks total 29,800 gallons of live exhibits. Highlights include the 23,000 gallon Fish of the New Jersey Coast Aquarium, and the 750-gallon Touch Tank.
Jenkinson's Aquarium Point Pleasant, NJ  Jenkinson’s Aquarium is a privately owned facility located on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

New Mexico
Albuquerque Aquarium
Albuquerque, NM. The architecturally impressive Albuquerque Aquarium exhibits Gulf of Mexico saltwater species from a variety of habitats, including estuarine, surf zone, shallow waters, coral reefs, open ocean and deep ocean. The highlight of the aquarium is a 285,000 gallon ocean tank.

New York
Atlantis Marine World  Riverhead, NY. Private aquarium located along the Peconic River on Long Island.
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Founded in 1883 as a New York State Trout Hatchery, the "Hatchery and Aquarium" is now open as a non-profit educational center dedicated to educating its visitors about the freshwater ecosystems of New York.
Hudson River Aquarium Website and facility evidently under construction.
New York Aquarium Brooklyn, NY. A major aquarium located in New York City and supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The Brooklyn Aquarium at Coney Island Brooklyn, NY  Public attraction located at Coney Island.
Home to thousands of fish and a multitude of other wonderful marine creatures including graceful beluga whales, giant sea turtles, playful California sea otters and bottlenose dolphins.

North Carolina

Discovery Place Aquarium Charlotte, NC  Small aquarium located in Discovery Place.
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher Kure Beach, NC  One of the three North Carolina aquariums established in 1976.
North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores Pine Knoll Shores, NC  One of the three North Carolina aquariums established in 1976.
North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island Manteo, NC  One of the three North Carolina aquariums established in 1976.
North Carolina Estuarium Washington, NC  Aquarium that focuses exclusively on North Carolina estuaries and coastal rivers.

North Dakota

Ohio

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
Powell, OH

Oklahoma
Oklahoma Aquarium Jenks, OK.  200 aquatic exhibits with 10 major galleries, focus on Arkansas River ecosystem.

Oregon
Oregon Coast Aquarium Newport, OR. Host to over 200 marine species.
                                                                                                          
Pennsylvania
Pittsburg Zoo and Aquarium The new PPG Aquarium, which opened in June of 2000, features state-of-the-art exhibits such as a crawl-through stingray tunnel, a two-story shark tank and unique revolving tanks (the first of their kind to be exhibited publicly). An array of aquatic species is on exhibit, including penguins, sharks, a Pacific giant octopus, jellyfish, potbellied sea horses, an electric eel, live coral and much more. It is Pennsylvania's only public aquarium.

Rhode Island
The New England Aquarium Exploration Center at Newport Newport RI. Research and educational outreach facility of the New England Aquarium

South Carolina
Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach, SC. Family centered public attraction with excellent exhibits.
 A $40 million, state-of-the-art, 87,000 square foot aquarium experience, it is South Carolina's most visited attraction.
South Carolina Aquarium
Charleston SC. The South Carolina Aquarium is a self-supporting educational institution dedicated to excellence in its display and interpretation of the aquatic environments of South Carolina.  Features over 10,000 animals and 5,000 living plants in 1,000,000 gallons of salt and fresh water habitats.

Tennessee
Aquarium at the Memphis Zoo
Memphis TN.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies Gatlinburg, TN. Superb facility with outstanding exhibits.
Tennessee Aquarium Chattanooga TN. World class aquarium featuring IMAX, and exhibits of aquatic habitats from around the world, including the Tennessee River ecosystem.

Texas
Capital of Texas Aquarium Austin, TX.  Under construction
Moody Gardens Galveston, TX. Great family centered attraction with superb aquarium exhibits.
San Antonio Zoological Gardens and Aquarium
San Antonio, TX. One of the largest zoos in the country.
Seaworld San Antonio  San Antonio, TX. A Seaworld Adventure Park located in San Antonio
Texas State Aquarium
Corpus Christi, TX Premier aquarium showcasing the Gulf of Mexico.
The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park Dallas, TX. Opened in 1936, the aquarium is home to a varied collection of approximately 6,000 aquatic animals.

The Dallas World Aquarium Dallas, TX World class aquarium with exhibits of marine habitats from around the world, including a 22,000 acrylic tunnel.

Vermont

Virginia

Nauticus Norfolk, VA.  Nauticus is an exciting 120,000 square-foot science and technology center exploring the power of the sea.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Virginia Beach, VA. Two pavilion buildings with outstanding marine exhibits. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is Virginia's largest aquarium, with over 800,000 gallons of aquariums and live animal habitats that display animals common to Virginia's marine and aquatic habitats.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science Gloucester Point, VA. Research and educational facility associated with William and Mary College.

Washington
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Tacoma, WA Outstanding aquariums featuring North and South Pacific marine habitats.
Seattle Aquarium
Seattle, WA. Superb facility with focus on the Puget Sound ecosystem. The giant Pacific octopus is one of hundreds of species of invertebrates, fish, birds, and marine mammals featured.
The Whale Museum Friday Harbor, WA The Whale Museum promotes stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research.

Wisconsin

Wyoming