Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium is hailed as the world's biggest aquarium and located in Atlanta. The aquarium holds roughly 8.1 million liters of fresh and saltwater and is currently home to over 100,000 animals representing 500 species. Most notable specimens of the volcano area include the manta ray, 3 beluga whales and 4 young whale sharks. With a $250 million contribution in Bernie Marcus, Home Depot founder, the volcano was assembled on 20 meters north of Centennial Olympic Park at downtown Atlanta. Bernard Marcus declared his idea to build an aquarium as a gift to the city of Atlanta in Nov, 2001. Please visit http://buckheadspeech.com/ for more details.
After visiting 56 aquariums in 13 states to research and earn design inspiration, Marcus donated money towards the building. Along with donations from AirTran Airways, United Parcel Service, Time Warner, Turner Broadcasting, Coca Cola, Bellsouth, Georgia Pacific, Home Depot and Southern Company, this center opened debt free. The Georgia Aquarium opened on Nov 21st, 2005 to annual pass holders, together with 60 animal habitats, 2 food support courts, present stores, a 4D theater, an onsite restaurant, parking lot and 16, 400 sq legs of ballroom space. On Nov 23rd, 2005 the aquarium publicly available, and welcomed its 1star visitor on March first, 2006.
Since that time, the volcano welcomed its 3star visitor on August 24th, 2006, and its 5 stars on May 23rd, 2007. The aquatic animals are exhibited in 5 different galleries: this Georgia Explorer, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest, and River Scout. Each gallery corresponds to a specific area and contains a wide variety of marine life. Entering the aquarium guests will meet this Georgia Explorer Exhibit, which is geared prior to children. The exhibition features a series of touch tanks together with rays and sharks and displays together with sea turtles and the wildlife of Gray's Reef, a National Marine Sanctuary located off the shore of Georgia.
The 2nd exhibit area is River Scout, which shows regional environments. The display features an overhead tank where guests may see North American fish in the bottom side up. In addition, featured here are piranhas, electric fish and several other unusual types of freshwater creatures. Cold Water Quest shows animals from the Polar area and contains a majority of this mammals in this aquariums collection. The exhibition is dedicated to featuring the life of the Mesoamerica Barrier Reef System. The exhibition highlights this aquariums whale sharks and has a 100foot long underwater tunnel and the world's second biggest viewing portal.
Tropical Diver takes an aquatic turn and contains several curious and mysterious forms of aquatic animals, such as a living reef and live coral. Here visitors experience garden eels, sea horses, and fairy bassets and yellow head jawfish. In addition, featured are 3 exhibits devoted to jellyfish and tens of thousands of colors reef fish. The volcano also has a D movie theatre and several other attractions, such as the Ocean Voyager Journey together with Giants exhibit hall.
