100+ New USA Aquariums Since 1990

snowleopard

snowleopard

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15+ year member
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Almost a decade ago, I posted an extensive list of brand-new aquariums that had opened in the USA, and I feel as if it's time for an update. While some individuals bemoan the lack of new zoos in America, there has certainly not been a shortage of new aquariums in the country. It's almost jaw-dropping to consider the fact that more than 100 new aquatic establishments with captive animals have opened their doors in the last 35 years, with some of those being notable facilities.

The numbers are staggering, as for example in the years 1992, 2000, 2016 and 2019, I count 7 new aquariums in each of those years. Of course, some of those places are small and a few have even closed down, but it's fascinating to acknowledge the trends. The USA has seen the rise of no less than 11 Sea Life franchises since 2008, including one in Minnesota that became a Sea Life in 2011, and with 3 more Sea Lifes opening in the past few years I expect that number to grow. Are there any more in the pipeline?

Since 2016, a whole new set of 10 aquariums under the SeaQuest name all opened, but that's been a total disaster and as things stand 6 have closed down and the other 4 all remain open but under different names. They are notorious for many reasons.

My list is likely even missing a few here and there, which seems incredible, but the United States loves its public aquariums and there are at least 180 in the nation, depending on what one counts as an aquarium. If there are any others that people know about then let me know and I'll update my list.

104 New Aquariums in the USA since 1990

Texas State Aquarium - TX = 1990
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas – LA = 1990
Dolphin Connection – FL = 1990
Tarpon Springs Aquarium - FL = 1990 (moved to a new location in 2021)
Jenkinson’s Aquarium – NJ = 1991
Birch Aquarium – CA = 1992
Oregon Coast Aquarium - OR = 1992
Dallas World Aquarium – TX = 1992
Adventure Aquarium – NJ = 1992 (reopened in 2005 after renovation)
Tennessee Aquarium – TN = 1992
Seacoast Science Center – NH = 1992
Marine Mammal Care Center – CA = 1992
South Florida Museum: Parker Manatee Aquarium - FL = 1993 (aquarium opening)
Maine State Aquarium - ME = 1993
Central Coast Aquarium – CA = 1994 (formerly Avila Beach Sea Life Center)
The Florida Aquarium – FL = 1995
Albuquerque Aquarium – NM = 1996
Aquazoo Aquarium – NY = 1996
Sea Life Minnesota – MN = 1996 (became a Sea Life facility in 2011)
Aquarium of the Bay – CA = 1996 (reopened in 2000 after bankruptcy)
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium – CA = 1996
Ripley's Aquarium at Myrtle Beach – SC = 1997
Maria Mitchell Aquarium – MA = 1997
Alaska SeaLife Center – AK = 1998
Maui Ocean Center – HI = 1998
Aquarium of the Pacific - CA = 1998
Denver Downtown Aquarium – CO = 1999
Newport Aquarium – KY = 1999
Moody Gardens – TX = 1999 for aquarium + 1993 for rainforest pyramid
Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce – FL = 1999
Atlantic City Aquarium –NJ = 1999
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay – NV = 2000
South Carolina Aquarium - SC = 2000
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies – TN = 2000
Discovery Cove - FL = 2000
Long Island Aquarium – NY = 2000
Great Lakes Aquarium – MN = 2000
Seymour Marine Discovery Center - CA = 2000
St. Lucie County Aquarium – FL = 2001
Ocean Institute: Ocean Education Center - CA = 2002
Houston Downtown Aquarium – TX = 2003
Oklahoma Aquarium – OK = 2003
ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center – VT = 2003
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium – IA= 2003
World Aquarium – MO = 2004 (closed in 2019)
Flint RiverQuarium – GA = 2004
Georgia Aquarium – GA = 2005
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center – CA = 2005
Exploration Center & Aquarium: Easton’s Beach – RI = 2006
Exploration Center & Aquarium: South Coast Center – RI = 2007
Loggerhead Marinelife Center – FL = 2007
Sitka Sound Science Center - AK = 2007
Georgia Sea Turtle Center – GA = 2007
California Academy of Sciences – CA = 2008 (Steinhart Aquarium)
Sea Life Carlsbad – CA = 2008
Sea Life Arizona – AZ = 2010
Sea Life Grapevine – TX = 2011
Aquarium of Boise – ID = 2011
Sea Life Kansas City – MO = 2012
Greater Cleveland Aquarium – OH = 2012
Portland Aquarium – OR = 2012 (closed in 2016)
Austin Aquarium – TX = 2013
Doheny State Beach Interpretative Center & Aquarium – CA = 2014 (reopened after 2007 closure)
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium – UT = 2014
Sea Life Charlotte-Concord – NC = 2014
San Antonio Aquarium – TX = 2014
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters – FL = 2014
Sea Life Michigan – MI = 2015
Sea Life Orlando – FL = 2015
Charleston Marine Life Center – OR = 2016
OdySea Aquarium – AZ = 2016
Dolphinaris – AZ = 2016 (closed in 2019)
SeaQuest Aquarium Layton – UT = 2016 (now called Layton Aquarium & Wildlife Encounters)
SeaQuest Aquarium Las Vegas – NV = 2016 (now called One World Interactive Aquarium)
Via Aquarium – NY = 2016
St. Augustine Aquarium – FL = 2016
Museum of Science – FL = 2017
Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium – MO = 2017
SeaQuest Aquarium Fort Worth – TX = 2017 (closed in 2024)
Shreveport Aquarium – LA = 2017
Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den – PA = 2018
SeaQuest Aquarium Folsom – CA = 2018 (now called NorCal Aquarium & Wildlife Adventures)
SeaQuest Aquarium Littleton – CO = 2018 (closed in 2024)
SeaQuest Aquarium Trumbull – CT = 2019 (closed in 2023)
SeaQuest Aquarium Roseville – MN = 2019 (closed in 2024)
SeaQuest Aquarium Woodbridge – NJ = 2019 (now called Woodbridge Aquarium & Wildlife Center)
SeaQuest Aquarium Lynchburg – VA = 2019 (now the Hill City AquaZoo)
Blue Zoo – WA = 2019
Living Shores Aquarium – NH = 2019
St. Louis Aquarium – MO = 2019
Mississippi Aquarium – MS = 2020
Blue Zoo – OK = 2020
Aquarium at the Boardwalk – MO = 2020
Blue Zoo – LA = 2021
Houston Interactive Aquarium & Animal Preserve – TX = 2021
Sea Life San Antonio – TX = 2021
Sea Life New Jersey – NJ = 2021
Tarpon Springs Aquarium - FL = 2021 (new location)
SeaQuest Aquarium Stonecrest – GA = 2021 (closed in 2023)
Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure – FL = 2024
Jungle Reef Touch Aquarium – TX = 2024
Sea Life Florida – FL = 2025
LegaSea Aquarium & Reptarium – MI = 2025
Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA) - FL = 2025
 
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snowleopard said:
California Academy of Sciences – CA = 2008 (Steinhart Aquarium)
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Not sure what you're referring to here? Steinhart is over 100 and has been AZA accredited for almost 30 years?
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Aside from that, I feel it's more accurate to say advances in technology have made the aquarium sector much easier and cheaper to get going. Very few major aquariums open from before 1990. Even Monterey Bay opened in the mid 80's.
 
While that’s certainly a lot of small or franchised aquaria, I’d say the only places of particular note to people outside their immediate area since Georgia Aquarium opened 20 years ago are the refurbs or extensions of existing collections - Steinhart, New York, Seattle, and Shedd underway.

The 1990s were a time where the map was expanding not just in quantity but quality - Oregon Coast, Tennessee, Florida and Aquarium of the Pacific are all major institutions. Nothing since 2005 on that list looks like it comes close.
 
CGSwans said:
Nothing since 2005 on that list looks like it comes close.
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OdySea in Phoenix (2016) is a legitimate major aquarium in the same league as the places you listed.

Mote SEA should be as well, I will do a major review when I go on October 8th, but granted that is of limited interest outside of the state (although Florida is a very popular tourist destination).
 
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I would also add the aquarium at Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in Litchfield Park AZ (Phoenix metro). It opened in 2009 and is a rather large aquarium (especially for a zoo aquarium), at one time it could be a single ticket but now is part of the zoo ticket.
 
SwampDonkey said:
OdySea in Phoenix (2016) is a legitimate major aquarium in the same league as the places you listed.

Mote SEA should be as well, I will do a major review when I go on October 8th, but granted that is of limited interest outside of the state (although Florida is a very popular tourist destination).
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Yes, it does look rather more substantial than I knew. Tis a shame because I’ve been to Phoenix but it wasn’t remotely on my radar (mind you, I was in Phoenix in early March 2020, so it’s probably a good thing I wasn’t in a crowded indoor attraction).
 
CGSwans said:
While that’s certainly a lot of small or franchised aquaria, I’d say the only places of particular note to people outside their immediate area since Georgia Aquarium opened 20 years ago are the refurbs or extensions of existing collections - Steinhart, New York, Seattle, and Shedd underway.

The 1990s were a time where the map was expanding not just in quantity but quality - Oregon Coast, Tennessee, Florida and Aquarium of the Pacific are all major institutions. Nothing since 2005 on that list looks like it comes close.
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I’d have to agree with @SwampDonkey that the biggest winner of the last ~20 years/post Georgia is OdySea, in terms of sheer uniqueness and novelty in both location and exhibit design. Many people believed it impossible to build an aquarium that large in Arizona, and yet it’s now approaching 10 years of stunning success. That being said, we can’t discount Living Planet in Utah, which since its brand-new campus opened in 2014 has been a premier aquarium in the country as well - and is similarly shocking in its size given its landlocked location, save for a Great Salt Lake that doesn’t exactly provide water to it lol. I haven’t yet been to Wonders of Wildlife in MO, but that one does get at least excellent press as one of the more notable aquaria of the southern US (though I do have to question how much of that is being paid for by the Cabela’s/BassPro empire that’s funding it).

A seriously underrated one that I’d also like to give a shoutout to is Great Lakes Aquarium of Duluth, though that was just before GA in 2000. I honestly never believed I’d enjoy that one as much as I did. It’s one of the most unique institutions in not just America but the world, given its almost complete focus on freshwater life and its unbelievable diversity in the Great Lakes and worldwide. I think more people outside of their immediate area, as you put it, should know of that one.
 
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It's interesting to note that Steinhart Aquarium opened on September 29th, 1923, and that's literally more than a century ago, but the California Academy of Sciences was a brand-new facility in 2008 and it's a very recent addition to the zoological landscape of the United States. I own two books on the California Academy of Sciences/Steinhart Aquarium and it's cool to note that the bronze seahorse railing that surrounds the Swamp exhibit, with visitors peering down at a white American Alligator, is perhaps all that remains from the original aquarium era.

I would agree that the 1990s were a rich time for the opening of quality new aquariums in the U.S., and post-Georgia in 2005 there's been a decrease in large, notable aquatic establishments. However, California Academy of Sciences (2008), Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (2014), OdySea Aquarium (2016), Wonders of Wildlife (2017), maybe Mote SEA (2025), some of those would be the best aquariums in many other nations of the world. Most of the other new builds have been much smaller, rather forgettable, and many based in shopping malls. Still, to have more than 100 new aquariums open in 35 years is staggering, with possibly only Japan surpassing the USA in terms of having such a high zoo to aquarium ratio.
 
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SwampDonkey said:
I would also add the aquarium at Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in Litchfield Park AZ (Phoenix metro). It opened in 2009 and is a rather large aquarium (especially for a zoo aquarium), at one time it could be a single ticket but now is part of the zoo ticket.
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If we're counting zoo-aquariums, then arguably the Sobela Ocean Aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo is the best American aquarium to debut over the last 20 years since Georgia, and would certainly be a strong facility in its own right apart from the excellent zoo.
 
SeaOtterHQ said:
If we're counting zoo-aquariums, then arguably the Sobela Ocean Aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo is the best American aquarium to debut over the last 20 years since Georgia and would certainly be a strong facility in its own right apart from the excellent zoo.
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Yes, that aquarium cost around $75 million and has opened to high acclaim. Point Defiance Zoo opened its Pacific Seas Aquarium in 2018 and that building cost more than $50 million. There's also Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park in Arizona, which has opened several new aquarium buildings and there's literally 90 aquatic exhibits, which combined would make it one of the largest aquariums in the nation. For sure, some of these zoos could charge extra fees for their aquariums if they chose to do so, but I'm certainly glad they don't. :)
 
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