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It’s O-Fish-al! Massachusetts is Home to the BEST Aquarium in the Country!

By Beasley Media Editorial

Myrtle the Turtle should be very proud. Always Pets just came out with a ranking of the Top 35 Aquariums in the good ol’ U S of A and New England Aquarium did (to quote Larry David) pretty, pretty good.

Aquariums are a fascinating place. Where else can you stand face-to-face with an octopus besides in the deep sea or in your nightmares? Here sharks are your well-contained friends instead of filling your soul with panic while trying to mow down a clam strip roll in Chatham.

There are around 170 aquariums (or “aquaria” to be more book-savvy) in the country and 2 of the top 35 are here in New England. We’ll take it!

Here they are, the Top 35 Best Aquariums in the Country:

  • #35 - Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

    Where: Springfield, Missouri

    Opened: 2017

    One of the coolest features: 1.5 miles of trails to check out with around 35,000 fish, reptiles, birds and mammals along the way.

  • #34 - Adventure Aquarium

    Where: Camden, New Jersey

    Opened: 1992

    One of the coolest features: Biggest shark collection on the East Coast.

  • #33 - Long Island Aquarium

    Where: Long Island, New York

    Opened: 2000

    One of the coolest features: Scuba diving adventure with live sharks. Eeek!

  • #32 - Steinhart Aquarium

    Where: San Fransisco, California

    Opened: 1923

    One of the coolest features: 40,000 live animals!!

  • #31 - Oklahoma Aquarium

    Where: Jenks, Oklahoma

    Opened: 2003

    One of the coolest features: The insanely large 380,000-gallon shark tank & tunnel.

  • #30 - PPG Aquarium

    Where: Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

    Opened: 1967

    One of the coolest features: The living coral reefs.

  • #29 - Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach

    Where: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Opened: 1997

    One of the coolest features: The super-long 340 feet long aquarium tunnel. It just keeps on going…

  • #28 - Reiman Aquarium

    Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Opened: 1981

    One of the coolest features: Ten different geographically specific exhibits.

  • #27 - Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

    Where: Virginia Beach, Virginia

    Opened: 1986

    One of the coolest features: Whale and dolphin watching excursions.

  • #26 - Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

    Where: Draper, Utah

    Opened: 1999

    One of the coolest features: The Penguin Research Station.

  • #25 - Georgia Aquarium

    Where: Atlanta, Georgia

    Opened: 2005

    One of the coolest features: It’s the #3 largest aquarium in the world!

  • #24 - John G. Shedd Aquarium

    Where: Chicago, Illinois

    Opened: 1930

    One of the coolest features: It’s Amazon exhibit. Not the Bezos-type, the gnarly crocodile-type.

  • #23 - Aquarium of the Pacific

    Where: Long Beach, California

    Opened: 1998

    One of the coolest features: Many rotating exhibits – always fresh!

  • #22 - Seattle Aquarium

    Where: Seattle, Washington

    Opened: 1977

    One of the coolest features: The Window on Washington Waters.

  • #21 - Downtown Aquarium, Houston

    Where: Houston, Texas

    Opened: 2003

    One of the coolest features: It doubles as a restaurant.

  • #20 - North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

    Where: Kure Beach, North Carolina

    Opened: 1976

    One of the coolest features: The albino alligator!

  • #19 - National Aquarium

    Where: Baltimore, Maryland

    Opened: 1981

    One of the coolest features: The Jellies Invasion.

  • #18 - Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Where: La Jolla, California

    Opened: 1903!!

    One of the coolest features: The Feeling the Heat exhibit, dedicated to climate change education through demonstration.

  • #17 - Downtown Aquarium, Denver

    Where: Denver, Colorado

    Opened: 1999

    One of the coolest features: The live mermaid show.

  • #16 - New York Aquarium

    Where: Brooklyn, New York

    Opened: 1896!!!!

    One of the coolest features: It is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States.

  • #15 - Waikiki Aquarium

    Where: Honolulu, Hawaii

    Opened: 1904

    One of the coolest features: The mahi-mahi hatchery.

  • #14 - The Florida Aquarium

    Where: Tampa, Florida

    Opened: 1995

    One of the coolest features: The Waves of Wonder exhibit.

  • #13 - Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

    Where: Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Opened: 2000

    One of the coolest features: The Pet-a-Penguin program.

  • #12 - Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

    Where: New Orleans, Louisiana

    Opened: 1990

    One of the coolest features: Wildlife of the Mississippi River exhibit.

  • #11 - Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

    Where: Mystic, Connecticut

    Opened: 1973

    One of the coolest features: It’s the only aquarium in New England to have beluga whales.

  • #10 - Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

    Where: Omaha, Nebraska

    Opened: 1984

    One of the coolest features: The eye-popping 450,000-gallon shark tank. It’s so big Mr. Wonderful might be hiding in there.

  • #9 - Newport Aquarium

    Where: Newport, Kentucky

    Opened: 1999

    One of the coolest features: “Mighty Mike” who lives in Gator Alley. You go, I’ll pass (out).

  • #8 - South Carolina Aquarium

    Where: Charleston, South Carolina

    Opened: 2000

    One of the coolest features: Touch some Atlantic stingrays in the touch tank.

  • #7 - Tennessee Aquarium

    Where: Chattanooga, Tennessee

    Opened: 1992

    One of the coolest features: So much to see that they needed to expand to TWO buildings.

  • #6 - Oregon Coast Aquarium

    Where: Newport, Oregon

    Opened: 1992

    One of the coolest features: Famous for being the longtime home of Keiko from “Free Willy.”

  • #5 - Texas State Aquarium

    Where: Corpus Christi, Texas

    Opened: 1990

    One of the coolest features: The 400,000-gallon Dolphin Bay.

  • #4 - Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium

    Where: Bloomington, Minnesota

    Opened: 1996

    One of the coolest features: An exhibit featuring six different types of seahorses.

  • #3 - Monterey Bay Aquarium

    Where: Monterey, California

    Opened: 1984

    One of the coolest features: It’s one of the top aquariums in the world for marine conservation.

  • #2 - Alaska SeaLife Center

    Where: Seward, Alaska

    Opened: 1998

    One of the coolest features: It’s the only aquarium in the world dedicated exclusively to the northern waters of the world.

  • #1 - New England Aquarium (OH YEAH!)

    Where: Boston, Massachusetts

    Opened: 1969

    One of the coolest features: The 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank, which simulates a Caribbean reef system. Say hi to Myrtle the Turtle! She’s over 90 years-old, ya know!

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