Age Of Aquariums - list of water parks

Travel America, Jan, 2001 by Darlene P. Copp

Oceans of fun await wide-eyed landlubbers at America's fanciest fishbowls

They splash and slither, dart and dive. They glide in sweet serenity. They frolic and fan, float and flirt, and flamboyantly flaunt their fluorescence. Whether menacing or magnificent, they captivate their human audiences by the millions. They are the creatures of the deep starring in dozens of aquariums throughout the country. Americans are lapping up the excitement at a new wave of aquatic showplaces dedicated to education but designed for entertainment. Ten of the most intriguing debuted between 1990 and 2000.

Moving way beyond the tank-watching I did as a child at Detroit's Belle Isle Aquarium--the country's oldest municipal aquarium--today's mega-facilities work hard to immerse their visitors (stopping just short of dunking). Every sense is activated in innovative and technologically-advanced surroundings that mimic a global array of watery environments, both freshwater and saltwater.

Since each of the major aquariums claims a unique site and all are eager to distinguish themselves from the rest, it's a safe bet that seeing one does not mean you have seen them all. Besides their claim-to-fame permanent galleries, top contenders also mount temporary exhibits that are ground-breaking, news-making, or otherwise worthy of return visits. You can also count on their gift shops and restaurants to easily round out a half-day visit at any of them.

RELATED ARTICLE: Major U.S. AQUARIUMS

Size, scope, and sophistication mark today's world-class aquariums, many encompassing educational outreach, ongoing research, and conservation leadership. Here are some of the most memorable among America's growing collection of aquatic zoos:

CALIFORNIA

Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, Rainbow Harbor, Long Beach; (562) 590-3100, www.aquariumofpacific.org. This new-generation aquarium opened in 1998 to expose the wonders within earth's largest body of water, the Pacific Ocean. In a nearly 157,000-square-foot building that architecturally emulates breaking waves, more than 12,000 marine animals from 550 species mesmerize their audiences in 17 major exhibits. Visitors experience the Pacific's three major regions: the familiar waters outside, icy northern seas, and tropical lagoons and reefs. A special-exhibit gallery at present holds "Jellies: Phantoms of the Deep."

Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey; (831) 648-4888, www. montereybayaquarium.org. Thanks to David Packard of Hewlett Packard fame, the Monterey Bay Aquarium brought new life to an historic cannery site in 1984 to reveal the diversity of its namesake. Dynamic displays spread over 170,700 square feet, requiring an average three-hour visit. In the near-shore galleries, divers who carry on two-way communication with visitors hand-feed residents of a three-story Kelp Forest. The Outer Bay galleries, added 1996, include a seamless view through the biggest window on earth into the tallest aquarium exhibit anywhere. "Mysteries of the Deep," the largest living deep-sea exhibit ever mounted, runs another year.

COLORADO

Colorado's Ocean Journey, 700 Water St., Denver; (888) 561-4450; www. ocean journey, org. This 1999 newcomer attracted t.4 million guests its first year--proving that "if you build it," aquarium fans will come. Freshwater fish account for 30 percent of 15,000 specimens, representing various habitats along the Colorado River as it flows from its high-altitude origin to its joining with the Pacific, and along Indonesia's Kampar River as it makes its own journey to the Pacific. Sounds, smells, and temperatures from each journey enhance a visitor's visual experience. Probably most unique are two water-loving Sumatran tigers, endangered native Indonesians.

FLORIDA

The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa; (813) 273-4000; www. flaquarium.org. Galleries depicting the wetlands, bays and beaches, coral reefs, and offshore habitats unique to the Sunshine State fill this 152,000-square-foot attraction opened in 1995. The story here follows a drop of water from its underground source to the open sea while showcasing indigenous animals such as alligators, river otters, tarpon, crocodiles, octopus, barracuda, and moray eels. Dive shows, animal encounters, touch tanks, and the kid-friendly "No Bone Zone" featuring invertebrates offer interactive opportunities.

ILLINOIS

John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago; (312) 939-2438; www.sheddaquarium.org. A record-setter since its 1930 launch, the Shedd is the world's largest indoor aquarium (225,000 square foot) and boasts the largest indoor marine mammal pavilion, a 1991 addition of 170,000 square feet. Home to animals from oceans, rivers, and lakes around the world, it calls itself "The World's Aquarium." Divers hand-feed occupants of the renovated Caribbean Reef, talking with guests through underwater microphones. A replica of the Pacific Northwest coast features beluga whales and performing white-sided dolphins in the three-million-gallon Oceanarium. "Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River" premiered summer 2000.