Indoor Oceans: Georgia Aquarium is world’s largest

If you are as fascinated by the underwater world as I am, the Georgia Aquarium should be on your “must-see” list. When it comes to “indoor oceans,” Georgia Aquarium is the world’s largest.

Since opening to the public in November 2005, more than 18 million have visited what the Guinness Book of World Records has certified as having more aquatic life than any other aquarium.

Located in Atlanta, a landlocked city located hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, it became a reality when Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, and his wife Billi, donated $250 million through the Marcus Foundation to fund its construction. And if that weren’t enough, The Home Depot also built its premier exhibit, Ocean Voyager, the 6.3 million gallon habitat that is home to four whale sharks, manta rays, and thousands of other fish.

Ocean Voyager visitors walk through a 100-ft tunnel to view sea life overhead. (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager entrance. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Ocean Voyager

Visitors enter Ocean Voyager by walking through a 100 foot underwater tunnel surrounded by sea life and end up at one of the world’s largest viewing galleries.

Check out my blog post, Indoor Oceans: Diving with Whale Sharks at Georgia Aquarium, which focused on my SCUBA diving experience, “Journey with Gentle Giants,” in the gargantuan habitat. We arrived several hours prior to my afternoon check-in time for that special encounter to explore the rest of the Aquarium. (Opportunities to swim with the whale sharks for non-divers are also offered.)

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The AT&T Dolphin Celebration experience showcases dolphin behavior and their relationship with their trainers while incorporating important education messages. (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

Dolphin Experience

Another 1.8 million gallons of the Aquarium’s 10+ million gallons is utilized by the AT&T Dolphin Celebration Experience, an 84,000 square foot addition that includes a 99 foot-long viewing window and an 1,800+ seat theater where visitors can attend dolphin shows several times daily (usually at 11:30 a.m., 3 and 5 p.m.).

The Georgia Aquarium contains more than one hundred thousand animals, representing 700 species of fish and other sea creatures.

Tropical Diver

Another 164,000 gallons encompass Tropical Diver’s Pacific barrier reef habitat, one of the largest living reef exhibits in the United States.

Tropical Diver’s Pacific barrier reef habitat (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

Jelly Alley

Sea nettle jelly (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

(Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

One of my favorite areas within the Tropical Diver area was “Jelly Alley” where visitors can become mesmerized by watching different kinds of jellies. While they’re often called jellyfish, they’re not actually fish. They’re a type of plankton, composed of about 95% water and distantly related to corals and sea anenomes.

Cold Water Quest

Leafy sea dragon (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

Beluga whales enthrall visitors, young and old alike. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

The stars of this exhibit are the Beluga whales, but the Southern sea otter exhibit has been expanded and there are African penguins as well as leafy sea dragons, garibaldi damselfish and Japanese spider crabs.

California Sea Lions at SunTrust Pier 225

California sea lions at Georgia Aquarium (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

The Aquarium’s newest gallery features the California Sea Lion, which provides a home for six rescued sea lions. Presentations featuring sea lions and their trainers are held throughout the day.

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How do you make an “indoor ocean?”

So now that we’ve talked about all these millions of gallons of water, you may be asking, how can that much salt water be created, and where does it all come from? Atlanta’s city water is the main ingredient of the recipe for the Georgia Aquarium’s indoor ocean. Before adding salt to the fresh water, it is de-chlorinated and tested for contaminants, then mixed with a synthetic sea salt called Instant Ocean. I knew about instant soup and instant coffee, but who knew there was Instant Ocean?

The closed loop system, which makes it possible to recycle almost all water used by the exhibits (99.5%) is closely monitored and filtered.

Georgia Aquarium Map

Here’s a photo of the Georgia Aquarium map. You can also download a PDF of the map below.

Georgia Aquarium Map – PDF

 Mobile App

Download the Georgia Aquarium Mobile App here to have information on over 50 animals at Georgia Aquarium in the palm of your hand, along with other features like mobile ticketing, maps, and daily schedules. When we visited, no paper maps were available so download the app or download and print out the map PDF in advance!

Programs and Activities

If just walking through the Aquarium’s six major galleries isn’t enough excitement, there are multiple animal encounters that can be scheduled (for an extra fee, of course). Go to this link to learn more about encounters with beluga whales, penguins, dolphins, sea otters, behind the scenes tours, and, of course, the whale sharks swim and dive programs, the only place in the world that offers a “fin to face” encounter with these gentle giants and more.

Webcams

You can view Beluga whales, sea lions, whale sharks, puffins,  fish in the Indo-Pacific barrier reef exhibit and more via Webcams available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST. Here’s a link to all the Webcams.

Visit the Treasures of the Seas Gift Shop on your way out!

 Check out Gift Shop items and order online, too…here!

(A portion of the proceeds from your purchases allows the Georgia Aquarium to continue with its groundbreaking research initiatives, educational programs and conservation efforts.)

Atlanta CityPASS

If you’re going to be doing more sightseeing in Atlanta, you can save 40% off a Georgia Aquarium Anytime Pass, plus see four more top Atlanta attractions, including World of Coca-Cola, CNN Studio Tours, Zoo Atlanta OR Center for Civil & Human Rights. Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-Fil-A Fan Experience with the Atlanta CityPASS.

Expansion 2020 at Georgia Aquarium — Here’s what’s coming!

The Georgia Aquarium has announced its largest project to date — a $100 million, 45,000-square-foot expansion featuring a new saltwater shark gallery and redesigned main entrance. Set to be completed in 2020, if there are opportunities to swim or dive with these sharks, who’s up for it? Me, me, me!

For information on tickets and planning your visit:
Visit Georgia Aquarium