Tennessee Aquarium

THE MISSION OF THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE AND EMPOWER THEM TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WATER AND WILDLIFE

THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM, A HIGHLY VISITED ATTRACTION, CONSISTENTLY RATES VERY HIGH IN GUEST SATISFACTION. AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS, THE AQUARIUM CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING STRONG FISCAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS ON THE REGION. IN 2023, THE AQUARIUM WELCOMED MORE THAN 779,000 VISITORS. GUESTS ARE IMMERSED IN THE FASCINATING STORIES OF LIFE ABOVE AND BELOW THE WATER WITHIN OUR RIVER JOURNEY AND OCEAN JOURNEY BUILDINGS. HABITATS REPLICATING GLOBAL ECOSYSTEMS ARE HOME TO MORE THAN 10,000 ANIMALS REPRESENTING 550 SPECIES. MANY ANIMALS ARE PART OF SPECIES SURVIVAL PLANS COORDINATED BY ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE AQUARIUM HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ACCREDITED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ANIMAL CARE. THIS ACCREDITATION ALSO REFLECTS OUR DEDICATION TO THE BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER FACETS OF OUR PROFESSION. THE AQUARIUM ALSO OPERATES AN IMAX 3D THEATER SHOWING EDUCATIONAL AND INSPIRING FILMS DAILY.

THE RIVERS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES HARBOR SOME OF THE HIGHEST FRESHWATER DIVERSITY ON THE PLANET. THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION INSTITUTE FURTHERS THE MISSION OF THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM BY CONDUCTING SCIENFTIFIC STUDIES, RESTORING AND PROTECTING OUR REGIONS NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC TO TAKE CONSERVATION ACTION. SCIENTIFIIC RESEARCH IS PERFORMED IN A LEED GOLD-CERTIFIED FRESHWATER SCIENCE CENTER ON THE BANKS OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER. THERE, OUR SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY WICH SOUTHEASTERN WATERS HAVE THE GREATEST BIODIVERSITY. THIS IS VITAL FOR OUR CONSERVATION PLANNING IN THE SOUTHEAST BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY HOTSPOTS OF DIVERISTY THAT NEED PROTECTION. ONE SIGNATURE PROGRAM IS THE PROPAGATION AND REINTRODUCTION OF LAKE STURGEON TO THE TENNESSEE RIVER. THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE RELEASED MORE THAN 400,000 LAKE STURGEON.

THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM IS A LEADER IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND HAS RECEIVED OVERWHELMING ACCLAIM FOR ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS. FREQUENTLY HONORED FOR ITS CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH WORK, THE AQUARIUM HAS ALSO RECEIVED AWARDS FOR ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING CONSERVATION EDUCATION OF THE YEAR FROM THE TENNESSEE WILDLIFE FEDERATION, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD, AND THE NORTH AMERICAN CONSERVATION AWARD. AQUARIUM EDUCATORS HAVE CONNECTED MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION STUDENTS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH THE AQUARIUMS DYNAMIC LIVING COLLECTION. SCHOOL GROUPS CAN SELECT FROM SEVERAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SELF-GUIDED TOURS OF THE AQUARIUM, STANDARDS-BASED CLASSROOM PROGRAMS, AND EDUCATIONAL IMAX FILMS. THE AQUARIUM OFFERS COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION AND BUS TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN TITLE 1 SCHOOLS.