It’s O-Fish-al! Massachusetts is Home to the BEST Aquarium in the Country!
Myrtle the Turtle should be very proud. Always Pets just came out with a ranking of the Top 35 Aquariums in the good ol’ U S of A and New…
Myrtle the Turtle should be very proud. Always Pets just came out with a ranking of the Top 35 Aquariums in the good ol' U S of A and New England Aquarium did (to quote Larry David) pretty, pretty good.
Aquariums are a fascinating place. Where else can you stand face-to-face with an octopus besides in the deep sea or in your nightmares? Here sharks are your well-contained friends instead of filling your soul with panic while trying to mow down a clam strip roll in Chatham.
There are around 170 aquariums (or "aquaria" to be more book-savvy) in the country and 2 of the top 35 are here in New England. We'll take it!
Here they are, the Top 35 Best Aquariums in the Country:
#35 - Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
Where: Springfield, Missouri
Opened: 2017
One of the coolest features: 1.5 miles of trails to check out with around 35,000 fish, reptiles, birds and mammals along the way.
#34 - Adventure Aquarium
Where: Camden, New Jersey
Opened: 1992
One of the coolest features: Biggest shark collection on the East Coast.
#33 - Long Island Aquarium
Where: Long Island, New York
Opened: 2000
One of the coolest features: Scuba diving adventure with live sharks. Eeek!
#32 - Steinhart Aquarium
Where: San Fransisco, California
Opened: 1923
One of the coolest features: 40,000 live animals!!
#31 - Oklahoma Aquarium
Where: Jenks, Oklahoma
Opened: 2003
One of the coolest features: The insanely large 380,000-gallon shark tank & tunnel.
#30 - PPG Aquarium
Where: Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Opened: 1967
One of the coolest features: The living coral reefs.
#29 - Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
Where: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Opened: 1997
One of the coolest features: The super-long 340 feet long aquarium tunnel. It just keeps on going...
#28 - Reiman Aquarium
Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Opened: 1981
One of the coolest features: Ten different geographically specific exhibits.
#27 - Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Where: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Opened: 1986
One of the coolest features: Whale and dolphin watching excursions.
#26 - Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Where: Draper, Utah
Opened: 1999
One of the coolest features: The Penguin Research Station.
#25 - Georgia Aquarium
Where: Atlanta, Georgia
Opened: 2005
One of the coolest features: It's the #3 largest aquarium in the world!
#24 - John G. Shedd Aquarium
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Opened: 1930
One of the coolest features: It's Amazon exhibit. Not the Bezos-type, the gnarly crocodile-type.
#23 - Aquarium of the Pacific
Where: Long Beach, California
Opened: 1998
One of the coolest features: Many rotating exhibits - always fresh!
#22 - Seattle Aquarium
Where: Seattle, Washington
Opened: 1977
One of the coolest features: The Window on Washington Waters.
#21 - Downtown Aquarium, Houston
Where: Houston, Texas
Opened: 2003
One of the coolest features: It doubles as a restaurant.
#20 - North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Where: Kure Beach, North Carolina
Opened: 1976
One of the coolest features: The albino alligator!
#19 - National Aquarium
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Opened: 1981
One of the coolest features: The Jellies Invasion.
#18 - Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Where: La Jolla, California
Opened: 1903!!
One of the coolest features: The Feeling the Heat exhibit, dedicated to climate change education through demonstration.
#17 - Downtown Aquarium, Denver
Where: Denver, Colorado
Opened: 1999
One of the coolest features: The live mermaid show.
#16 - New York Aquarium
Where: Brooklyn, New York
Opened: 1896!!!!
One of the coolest features: It is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States.
#15 - Waikiki Aquarium
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii
Opened: 1904
One of the coolest features: The mahi-mahi hatchery.
#14 - The Florida Aquarium
Where: Tampa, Florida
Opened: 1995
One of the coolest features: The Waves of Wonder exhibit.
#13 - Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Where: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Opened: 2000
One of the coolest features: The Pet-a-Penguin program.
#12 - Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
Opened: 1990
One of the coolest features: Wildlife of the Mississippi River exhibit.
#11 - Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration
Where: Mystic, Connecticut
Opened: 1973
One of the coolest features: It's the only aquarium in New England to have beluga whales.
#10 - Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Where: Omaha, Nebraska
Opened: 1984
One of the coolest features: The eye-popping 450,000-gallon shark tank. It's so big Mr. Wonderful might be hiding in there.
#9 - Newport Aquarium
Where: Newport, Kentucky
Opened: 1999
One of the coolest features: "Mighty Mike" who lives in Gator Alley. You go, I'll pass (out).
#8 - South Carolina Aquarium
Where: Charleston, South Carolina
Opened: 2000
One of the coolest features: Touch some Atlantic stingrays in the touch tank.
#7 - Tennessee Aquarium
Where: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Opened: 1992
One of the coolest features: So much to see that they needed to expand to TWO buildings.
#6 - Oregon Coast Aquarium
Where: Newport, Oregon
Opened: 1992
One of the coolest features: Famous for being the longtime home of Keiko from "Free Willy."
#5 - Texas State Aquarium
Where: Corpus Christi, Texas
Opened: 1990
One of the coolest features: The 400,000-gallon Dolphin Bay.
#4 - Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium
Where: Bloomington, Minnesota
Opened: 1996
One of the coolest features: An exhibit featuring six different types of seahorses.
#3 - Monterey Bay Aquarium
Where: Monterey, California
Opened: 1984
One of the coolest features: It's one of the top aquariums in the world for marine conservation.
#2 - Alaska SeaLife Center
Where: Seward, Alaska
Opened: 1998
One of the coolest features: It's the only aquarium in the world dedicated exclusively to the northern waters of the world.
#1 - New England Aquarium (OH YEAH!)
Where: Boston, Massachusetts
Opened: 1969
One of the coolest features: The 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank, which simulates a Caribbean reef system. Say hi to Myrtle the Turtle! She's over 90 years-old, ya know!
