Public aquarium

A public aquarium (pl. aquaria; or public water zoo) is the aquatic equivalent of a zoo, which houses living aquatic animal and plant specimens for public viewing. These special places let people see fish, sharks, dolphins, and many other sea creatures up close in large tanks filled with water. Most public aquariums have much bigger tanks than the ones people keep in their homes, and they often include smaller tanks too.

Public aquariums began appearing in the mid-19th century, and since then, they have grown very popular all around the world. Today, many of these aquariums focus on teaching people about protecting our oceans and wildlife. They show how important it is to keep water animals safe and healthy, and they help everyone learn more about the amazing lives of creatures that live beneath the waves.

History

The first public aquarium opened in London Zoo in May 1853, called the Fish House. It was built like a greenhouse. Soon after, in 1856, P.T. Barnum created the first American aquarium as part of his Barnum's American Museum in New York City. Many more aquariums opened across Europe and the United States throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Famous aquariums such as the Berlin Zoo's aquarium, Amsterdam Zoo's Artis aquarium, and the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. were built during this time. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago was the largest in the United States for many years, until the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta opened in 2005. Japan's first public aquarium opened at the Ueno Zoo in 1882.

Public aquariums today

Modern public aquariums have huge tanks that can hold millions of litres of water, allowing them to display large animals like dolphins, sharks, and beluga whales. These tanks use thick, clear acrylic glass so visitors can see the animals clearly. Aquariums also care for otters and seals, and some even have special areas for birds called aviaries.

Aquariums often create special exhibits to attract visitors. For example, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland features a tropical rain forest and a coral reef. The Monterey Bay Aquarium lets guests touch rays in a shallow tank, and the South Carolina Aquarium allows visitors to feed rays. The biggest public aquarium is the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Hengqin, Zhuhai, holding around 48 million litres of water. The second largest is Marine Life Park in Singapore, with about 45 million litres of water.

Logistics

Most public aquariums are located close to the ocean so they can have a steady supply of natural seawater. Some aquariums, like Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, receive seawater shipped by rail. Others, such as the Georgia Aquarium, use fresh water from the city and add salt to create seawater for their exhibits.

In 1985, Kelly Tarlton began building the first aquarium with a large transparent acrylic tunnel, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland, New Zealand. This tunnel allowed visitors to walk through underwater with sharks and rays swimming above them. Building it was very expensive and took ten months to complete.

Activities

Public aquariums often work with ocean research groups and study local water ecosystems. For instance, the Vancouver Aquarium in British Columbia focuses on protecting marine life and helping sick sea animals, especially those from the Pacific Northwest. It was also the second aquarium to keep an orca named Moby Doll for research.

Other famous aquariums have unique exhibits too. The Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first to show a great white shark to the public. The Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey displays hippos, and the Aquarium du Québec even has polar bears.