Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about public aquariums.
What exactly is a public aquarium?
A public aquarium is a facility that keeps marine and freshwater organisms in tanks or enclosures for public viewing, education, and research. It operates as a public institution—often a nonprofit or municipal entity—open to visitors, distinguishing it from a private or corporate collection.
Who are the most prominent figures associated with public aquariums?
Names like Jacques Cousteau (whose Marseille oceanographic institute became a landmark), Sylvia Earle (who has advised numerous institutions), and long-serving curators at the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Shedd Aquarium surface frequently. In fan-community parlance, "main characters" often also means the charismatic keepers and narrators who appear in aquarium media and keeper-talk programs.
Where should a newcomer start learning about public aquariums?
Visiting a large, well-known facility such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, or the Okadaura Aquarium in Japan gives a strong first impression of scale and variety. From there, reading the institution's published research, conservation reports, and keeper-talk schedules deepens the experience considerably.
What kinds of animals are typically on display?
Most public aquariums house a mix of saltwater and freshwater species—jellyfish, sharks, rays, sea turtles, penguins, otters, and thousands of smaller fish and invertebrates. Larger facilities also maintain coral-reef exhibits, kelp-forest tanks, and open-ocean "big tank" displays.
How do public aquariums differ from zoos?
The primary distinction is the medium: aquariums focus on aquatic life in controlled water environments, while zoos house primarily terrestrial and avian animals in enclosures. In practice the lines blur, as many large zoos now include aquarium wings and the two institution types increasingly collaborate on conservation and veterinary care.
What are some of the most notable moments in aquarium history?
The 1998 opening of the Georgia Aquarium's Ocean Voyager tank (then the world's largest public aquarium tank) drew enormous public attention. The 2005 rescue and rehabilitation of a stranded humpback whale at the New England Aquarium became a widely shared story. More recently, the 2023 record-breaking jellyfish exhibit at the Okadaura Aquarium generated viral social-media interest.
How large can a public aquarium get?
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta spans roughly one million square feet and holds over 100,000 animals across more than 100,000 tanks. The Okadaura Aquarium in Japan and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are also among the largest by exhibit volume and annual visitor capacity.
What role do public aquariums play in conservation?
Many operate breeding and release programs for endangered species such as sea turtles, sturgeon, and certain reef fish. They also fund field research, support marine-protection legislation, and use their exhibits to educate millions of visitors each year about ocean health.
Are public aquariums only found in wealthy countries?
No—facilities range from small municipal ponds in European towns to massive multi-building complexes in the U.S., Japan, and Australia. Countries like India, Brazil, and South Korea have developed notable public aquariums in the past two decades, and smaller community aquariums exist on every inhabited continent.
What is the general history of public aquariums?
The concept dates to the 1850s, when the London Zoo's first public fish display and the Jardin d'Aquarium Marin in Paris (1864) introduced the idea of showcasing marine life to paying audiences. The form matured in the early 20th century with institutions like the New England Aquarium (1900) and the Berlin Aquarium (1899), and has expanded dramatically since the 1960s.