- Nora Katz
- First Reviewer
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 9
- Reviews
-
17
- Photos
Editor Pick
From The Rivers to the Oceans
If you like the waters and the critters that live in them, then you will enjoy the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. The Aquarium is housed in two distinct buildings - one for the river critters and one for the ocean denizens.
We went first to the River Encounter. Since we had a baby in a stroller, we used the elevator to get to the lower level, but most will use the escalator that drops you off at the beginning of the Seahorse exhibit. They are attractive and yet ugly at one time. Many of them are hard to find among the seaweed due to their wonderful camouflage. It is also note worthy that the father is the one who actually gives birth and takes care of the babies.
After viewing the seahorses, we ascended to the fourth floor and started the "official tour". Snakes, otters, fish and 'gators are shown in enclosures with natural settings. Ramps and automatic doors make it easy to maneuver a stroller through the building. The last "exhibit" is the gift shop - and then we were outside where a "brook" enticed us to shed our shoes and wade in the water.
Restrooms are located on the third and lower levels of the building and also outside beneath the stairs next to the refreshment area. They are clean and have a baby station for changing that was all in one piece! I don't know if many of you have had the problem of broken baby stations, but it sure is nice to find one that is sturdy and has the safety straps attached. Every bathroom that we visited in the Aquarium was clean and the baby stations were well maintained!!!
The Ocean Encounter building started us on the fourth floor also, where we encountered tropical critters and sting rays that we could pet (two fingers only, please). There is also a small Butterfly Encounter where we walked through ficus trees and had butterflies flutter around us. There is a window looking into a nursery area where chrysalis hang and new butterflies hatched before our eyes. My favorite was a huge Blue Morpho that settled on a branch next to me. I was surprised to notice that the underside of the wings were not the same intense blue as the top. Instead, the underside was a dull brownish color that would definitely help hide the large butterfly from it's enemies.
From the brilliant butterflies, we descended the ramps into the brilliance of the ocean critters. Fish, corals, invertebrates and turtles are but a few of the multicolored animals to be seen. A room of jellyfish lit by changing colored lights is fascinating to the youngest visitor. There are even sculptured glass interpretations of the "jelly" by some of the world's most famous artists.
The ramps lead us through huge tanks of fish. Corals and rocks form natural settings for viewing the various fish. Each tank has listings of the fish inside so we could identify each as they swam by us. One of the tanks had a diver hand-feeding the fish. at times, it was hard to see the diver because there were so many fish vying for his (her?) attention. There were also divers in another tank that answered questions posed by audience members about the handling and feeding of the many creatures under their care.
Again the gift shop is the last stop (I think we can thank Walt Disney for this concept), and we purchased some blown glass jellyfish Christmas ornaments as our souvenirs. Then it was out into the summer heat, wade in the water for a few minutes and head to the car for the trip home.
This is a Must See for all Ages!
This is a must see for all ages! That pretty much says it all. It takes quite some time to go through it all but really worth it.
Editor Pick
Tennessee Aquarium
- March 4, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Valerie_C from Lawrenceville, Georgia
The Tennessee Aquarium is located conveniently in downtown Chattanooga in it's tourist district, right on the river. There's parking right next to the aquarium that fills up fast, but there are other large parking desk located very close by.
The Aqurium itself is made up of four buildings: one for ticks and admissions, two for the aquarium, and one for the IMAX theatre. At $20, the aquarium is well worth the money, though you may or may not want to pay the extra $8 for the IMAX. The main (older) aquarium has two exhibits, the sea-horses on the "basement" floor and the rest of the aquarium that takes a straight path from the top floor back to the bottom. This is filled with all types of fish, turtles, and sharks. This building is getting a little old.
My favorite part of the aquarium is the second (new) building. On the top floor there's a petting area for stingrays and Bonnethead sharks, as well as a butterfly "rainforest" where, if you stand still, butterflies will land on you. There are also cool jellyfish and pengin exhibits to see.
I highly recommend this aquarium, which can be visited on a day trip from Atlanta or many other southern cities.
From journal Daytrips Around Home
Tennessee Aquarium
- April 14, 2007
- Rated 3 of 5 by
1229 from Lexington , Kentucky
There are two buildings, the River Journey, the older one and a new one. They both start at the top floor and work their way down. There are exhibits for the Tennessee River and rivers and oceans around the world. A view of US 27 and Tennessee River is by the aqarium. I enjoyed my day here.
From journal Tennessee Aqarium
Tennessee Aquarium
- October 26, 2005
- Rated 5 of 5 by
vickiburton from Chattanooga, Tennessee
When this facility was built a little over 10 years ago, it was, at that time, the largest freshwater aquarium in the United States. Besides a dizzying array of fish, there are otters, snakes, lizards, and giant turtles. Recently, a new saltwater addition was opened. You can easily spend 3 hours here and still not see it all.
From journal Chattanooga, TN: Come See Us!