Shedd Aquarium Shedd/Vancouver Aquarium
- Thread starter NZ Jeremy
- Start date
Its hard to compare Shedd with Montarey bay. Both are good for different reasons. Shedd has a great beluga and dolphin pool, while Monteray is newer and has excellent exhibits such as their sea otters and massive aquarium which has now got a white shark. I wish there was a white shark there when i was there.
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
Have been to all three to them, but like boof said, it's different to judge-for me especially, as the Vancouver Aquarium was the very first North American institution of its kind I visited and thus my judgement might be impaired due to always seeing it through nostalgic "rose-coloured glasses". All three of them are very interesting and entertaining, though I especially liked the original representations of Monterey-and I too have to see a white shark there at my next visit!
I have been to both Monterey Bay and Vancouver Aquarium, and they are two of the better institutions around. Of the approximately 50 aquariums in North America, they are both in the top 5 in terms of size. The Vancouver Aquarium is currently around 2.1 acres, and is adding 1.5 acres within the next 2-3 years. They are expanding/adding many outdoor pools for their dolphins, sea lions, harbour seals, sea otters and beluga whales. Plans are to greatly increase the size of the habitats, and perhaps add newer additions such as puffins and beavers.
Monterey Bay is relatively new (1986?) and is a fantastic place to visit. I went there last year and was impressed by the hands-on exhibits for kids, the concave glass on select tanks that curves inward rather than outward, the enormous kelp forest tank that is 3-stories high, and the 1 million gallon tank that holds some of the largest fish imaginable.
Vancouver Aquarium is a place that I've visited at least 7 times, and plan to go again within the next few months. They have larger animals there, while Monterey only has sea otters and not any dolphins, seals, sea lions or beluga whales. Vancouver has a tropical section that is stellar, with visitors beginning to literally sweat after a minimum of 20-30 minutes wandering around this "amazonian" exhibit. There are a few marmosets, two-toed sloths and bats alongside this section of the aquarium.
I haven't been to either Shedd or Georgia, but it is interesting to note that Georgia claims to be the largest on the planet. There was nothing in Atlanta a few years ago, and then one of the founders of Home Depot Hardware Stores splashed out a massive amount of cash to build the world's largest aquarium. Voila! Sales have been through the roof, and the whale sharks and beluga whales are the top draw there.
Monterey Bay is relatively new (1986?) and is a fantastic place to visit. I went there last year and was impressed by the hands-on exhibits for kids, the concave glass on select tanks that curves inward rather than outward, the enormous kelp forest tank that is 3-stories high, and the 1 million gallon tank that holds some of the largest fish imaginable.
Vancouver Aquarium is a place that I've visited at least 7 times, and plan to go again within the next few months. They have larger animals there, while Monterey only has sea otters and not any dolphins, seals, sea lions or beluga whales. Vancouver has a tropical section that is stellar, with visitors beginning to literally sweat after a minimum of 20-30 minutes wandering around this "amazonian" exhibit. There are a few marmosets, two-toed sloths and bats alongside this section of the aquarium.
I haven't been to either Shedd or Georgia, but it is interesting to note that Georgia claims to be the largest on the planet. There was nothing in Atlanta a few years ago, and then one of the founders of Home Depot Hardware Stores splashed out a massive amount of cash to build the world's largest aquarium. Voila! Sales have been through the roof, and the whale sharks and beluga whales are the top draw there.
Shedd Aquarium is nice, but when I went about 12 years ago, most of it was still pretty small and dark. This is largely due to it's age. I understand they have expanded considerably since I was there. The new thing built when I was there was the Oceanarium that houses belugas, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea otters, harbor seals and penguins. It's all built to resemble the Pacific northwest coast of North America.
Just going slightly off-topic, I remember seeing somewhere that an aquarium housed a pair of Hippos. I wish i could remember which one it was 
I think it was in America...
Edit: I just remembered it's the adventure aquarium in New Jersey that houses the common/nile hippo.
I think it was in America...Edit: I just remembered it's the adventure aquarium in New Jersey that houses the common/nile hippo.
Georgia Aquarium does indeed claim to be the world's largest. Interesting fact, especially considering that the place didn't exist until 3 years ago.
NZ Jeremy
Well-Known Member
How did they source over 100,000 animals in 3 years legally..?
@NZ Jeremy: check wikipedia or the aquarium's website for more information. The place opened in late 2005, and has beluga whales and whale sharks as the big attractions.
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
By having access to an immense source of money (aka "HomeDepot")...
If they count individual glass sea anemones and jellyfish - why not? Although some zoo with anthill can have more
Pretty much!
I have been to the Georgia Aquarium with its six million gallon tank (think a sports stadium size fish bowl) that holds the Whale Sharks, hammerhead Sharks, flocks of cownose rays, groupers, sawfish, and hundreds of other fish. The large viewing window is as if you are looking into the ocean from the sea floor. It is impossible to even view the entire tank. And this is just one exhibit area, there are four others (not quite as big) dedicated to cold and tropical marine exhibits, freshwater, and local georgia aquatics. There are very few jewel tanks that are common in most aquariums. And when it comes to keeping secrets, they rival the US's CIA and FBI agencies. So dont expect to know about any developements until it happens.
http://www.vanaqua.org/consultation/display.pdf
Here is the link to the Vancouver Aquarium's renovation plans. The $80 million dollar expansion will increase the size of the aquarium from 2.9 total acres to 4.4 acres, and it is already one of the 5 largest of the 48 in North America.
On a side note, they regularly receive over 900,000 visitors per year.
Here is the link to the Vancouver Aquarium's renovation plans. The $80 million dollar expansion will increase the size of the aquarium from 2.9 total acres to 4.4 acres, and it is already one of the 5 largest of the 48 in North America.
On a side note, they regularly receive over 900,000 visitors per year.
Taccachantrieri
Well-Known Member
Do you have any other links Snowleopard?
If you haven't noticed I have an insatiable appetite for details
!
If you haven't noticed I have an insatiable appetite for details
!
@Taccachantrieri: I've posted unrelated links on other threads, but those were about polar bear conditions in Japanese zoos and elephant ailments within North American zoos. The 19 page document on the Vancouver Aquarium is quite comprehensive, and contains more information on the expansion than anything else that I could find.
I haven't been to the Aquarium in exactly two years, but actually have plans to visit next Saturday. Perhaps I'll be able to get some more information once I'm there. Vancouver is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics in slightly under two years, and so the Aquarium is hoping to be finished all of its substantial construction by then. There are a lot of ongoing building projects that are geared to be completed by the Olympics.
I haven't been to the Aquarium in exactly two years, but actually have plans to visit next Saturday. Perhaps I'll be able to get some more information once I'm there. Vancouver is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics in slightly under two years, and so the Aquarium is hoping to be finished all of its substantial construction by then. There are a lot of ongoing building projects that are geared to be completed by the Olympics.
aquariumconsultation.ca
This link takes you to a 40 page consultation document. The Vancouver Aquarium actually paid $300,000 to have a massive campaign in an attempt to listen to what the public wanted in their aquarium, and there were feedback forms given out in local newspapers and magazines. I filled out one of the over 3,000 forms and the 40 page document is the summary of the results. The numerous changes will be complete before February 2010, as that is when the Olympics begin.
One interesting aspect of the upcoming design is that there is a distinct possibility that there could be anywhere from 1-3 different viewing areas of marine mammals from OUTSIDE the aquarium. The report (and the earlier link containing the map) show that there might be viewing panels of tanks for people to gaze at as they stroll by on their way past the aquarium. I wonder if that is a first?
This link takes you to a 40 page consultation document. The Vancouver Aquarium actually paid $300,000 to have a massive campaign in an attempt to listen to what the public wanted in their aquarium, and there were feedback forms given out in local newspapers and magazines. I filled out one of the over 3,000 forms and the 40 page document is the summary of the results. The numerous changes will be complete before February 2010, as that is when the Olympics begin.
One interesting aspect of the upcoming design is that there is a distinct possibility that there could be anywhere from 1-3 different viewing areas of marine mammals from OUTSIDE the aquarium. The report (and the earlier link containing the map) show that there might be viewing panels of tanks for people to gaze at as they stroll by on their way past the aquarium. I wonder if that is a first?