What are the world-class aquariums of the world, and what makes one "world class"?

[condor]

chrisbarela, several questions were actually asked in DavidBrown's first post:

1) What are the great aquariums of the world?
2) Are there any aquariums of note in South America or Africa?
3) What makes an aquarium "world class"?
4) How would other Zoochatters define "world-class" for aquariums?

Regarding the last two more or less synomous questions of world class definition, I think the three requirements proposed in DavidBrown's first post were good, at least if adding the small modification from gentle lemur's post 11. This definition is open to some interpretation, but making a more precise definition would be hard.

 

[snowleopard]

After this summer I'll have visited around 170 wildlife facilities in my life, and close to 40 of them will be aquariums. From my experience here is what I think a world-class aquarium needs:

A world-class aquarium must have a knockout, top-notch exhibit of outstanding quality. Shedd has Amazon Rising, Wild Reef and the Oceanarium; Georgia has the 6-million gallon whale shark tank; Monterey Bay has the 28-foot high Kelp Forest tank as well as the 1-million gallon Open Sea habitat; Baltimore has Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes and the 5-storey walkway around Atlantic Coral Reef; Tennessee Aquarium has the superb 12-storey River Journey building with excellent exhibits such as Mississippi Delta and Rivers of the World.

There are plenty of solid, well-designed smaller aquariums that might have many very good exhibits but nothing on the scale found at arguably America's 5 best aquariums that I mentioned in the opening paragraph. Birch Aquarium is a great example of an establishment that is wonderful in many ways, but there is nothing there that is truly outstanding that keeps visitors coming back for more. Some aquariums benefit from being in large metropolitan areas, such as Seattle which is the #8 aquarium in the United States in terms of attendance with 800,000 annual visitors. Seattle has some innovative exhibits but nothing even close to what is found at the "Big 5".

World-class aquariums are aided by having marquee animals: beluga whales, killer whales, dolphins, porpoises, walruses, seals, sea lions, sea otters, sharks, penguins, etc. Having said that, neither Monterey Bay or Tennessee have whales, dolphins or any pinnipeds but they both have penguins, sharks and a plethora of other aquatic wonders. It is rare to find a major aquarium that does not have penguins and sharks, but often the establishments with whales and/or dolphins rake in tourists by the millions (Georgia, Shedd, Baltimore, the SeaWorlds).

Conservation, ocean exploration and research opportunities continue at a furious pace at all the major aquariums, and even the Sea Life chain devotes a lot of press towards self-gratitude on the conservation of the oceans of the world. The larger institutions have the financial heft to donate a lot of money to worthwhile endeavours, but I'm unfortunately not sure that the general public cares how much of their admission fee goes towards research issues.

 

[filipinos]

Replace the word 'ocean' with the word 'aquatic' and you are closer to the mark: I can't imagine a world-class aquarium that did not include coastal, brackish and freshwater displays.

Alan

Both Lisbon and Valencia are only ocean based and are considered world class. The closest you can get in both places are some birds that can be found near freshwater...

 

[condor]

Are there any aquariums of note in South America or Africa?

Several aquariums, including quite a few that are decent and worth a visit if you're in the region, but few of them are noteworthy when compared to aquariums on a worldwide basis.

Just for the record, the South American situation may change in late 2013 when the new aquarium in Fortaleza, Brazil is supposed to open. With a total of 15 million liters/4 million gallons, including a large shark tank, it will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest in Latin America by far (perhaps there are larger dolphinariums in the region but in my book that is a separate group than an aquarium). Despite some local opposition because of the economy, preparations/building has begun. It will also have some themepark features like a 3D cinema that I suspect most zoochat users won't care much about. Time will tell if it will be a world class aquarium in terms of exhibit quality

 

[snowleopard]

Just for the record, the South American situation may change in late 2013 when the new aquarium in Fortaleza, Brazil is supposed to open. With a total of 15 million liters/4 million gallons, including a large shark tank, it will be the largest in Latin America by far (perhaps there are larger dolphinariums in the region but in my book that is a separate group than an aquarium). Despite some local opposition because of the economy, preparations/building has begun. It will also have some themepark features like a 3D cinema that I suspect most zoochat users won't care much about. Time will tell if it will be a world class aquarium in terms of exhibit quality

Thanks for the update. The new aquarium will open just in time for the 2014 World Cup, the #1 sporting event of all time. Then the Summer Olympics in 2016, and I can just imagine the attendance numbers that will be recorded!

 

[nanoboy]

Just for the record, the South American situation may change in late 2013 when the new aquarium in Fortaleza, Brazil is supposed to open. With a total of 15 million liters/4 million gallons, including a large shark tank, it will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest in Latin America by far (perhaps there are larger dolphinariums in the region but in my book that is a separate group than an aquarium). Despite some local opposition because of the economy, preparations/building has begun. It will also have some themepark features like a 3D cinema that I suspect most zoochat users won't care much about. Time will tell if it will be a world class aquarium in terms of exhibit quality

Did someone say 3D cinema? Count me in! That was probably the most interesting thing that I saw at the Boston Aquarium I think. (Or was that at the museum?) At an aquarium, I can see a 4D cinema working well (moving chairs, puffs of air and water shot at you etc).

 

[Chlidonias]

Did someone say 3D cinema? Count me in! That was probably the most interesting thing that I saw at the Boston Aquarium I think. (Or was that at the museum?) At an aquarium, I can see a 4D cinema working well (moving chairs, puffs of air and water shot at you etc).

The International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch (NZ) has a 4-D theatre. Its quite neat.

 

[nanoboy]

The International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch (NZ) has a 4-D theatre. Its quite neat.

A 4D theatre in NZ? Why do I have a feeling that it's really chairs on wheels, and guys that direct fans at you and douse you with a bucket of water?

But seriously though, do you think it adds to the experience and that a 4D immersive (no pun intended) theatre experience should be a standard fixture in any world class aquarium? Also, in NZ, is it free for visitors - like in a theme park - or is there an extra charge?

 

[Chlidonias]

A 4D theatre in NZ? Why do I have a feeling that it's really chairs on wheels, and guys that direct fans at you and douse you with a bucket of water?

We have dwarves now to do things like that. Cheaper than regular workers because they're only half the size.

But seriously though, do you think it adds to the experience and that a 4D immersive (no pun intended) theatre experience should be a standard fixture in any world class aquarium? Also, in NZ, is it free for visitors - like in a theme park - or is there an extra charge?

I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I'm not a gimmick-loving person (note to nanoboy: "gimmick" not "gimp") and I thought it would be lame, but it was actually very effective. I don't do theme parks though, so I'm not really in a position to give a proper evaluation. Some people may think the 4D theatre is lame compared to "real" rides.

The Antarctic Centre up-sells everything, so you can get a ticket with the theatre or without. And I just had a look on their website to check and they have renamed it the 4D EXTREME Theatre!.....which is going a bit far.

 

[condor]

seeing the cinema caused some interest: the new aquarium in Fortaleza will have a 3D cinema, a 4D cinema, and a simulated submarine tour. It also appears the total water volume will be a bit larger than initially planned (the number I reported in my last post), at 18 million liters/4.8 million gallons. I think the formal name of the aquarium will be 'Acquario Ceara'

 

[nanoboy]

I referenced theme parks because the two that I have been to with 4D theatres, you could have gone to see the movie as many times as you liked during the day because like the rides, access to the cinema was covered by the entry fee.

It sounds like the one in Oz gives you an option to buy an add-on, which is fine. Extreme 4D sounds cool! I am a sucker for gimmicks!

The Fortlaleza one sounds superb! A simulated submarine tour is a great gimmick. I'm sold.

 

[snowleopard]

Georgia Aquarium must be a strong candidate for having the most water of any aquarium on the planet and the biggest in terms of size. There are plenty of marquee species there as well: whale shark, beluga whale, bottlenose dolphin, sea otter, small-clawed otter, harbor seal, manta ray, loggerhead sea turtle, American alligator, African penguin, etc. There are only two aquariums in all of the western hemisphere (Shedd and Monterey Bay) that are truly comparable in terms of sheer size, diversity and all-around quality.

Statistics:

10 million gallons of water
120,000 fish
604,000 square feet
70 miles of pipe
500+ species

 

[DavidBrown]

I wonder if the Georgia Aquarium will be the last North American zoological institution to build a cetacean exhibit?

The only zoos with cetaceans left are Brookfield and Indianapolis with Point Defiance, Minnesota, and Oklahoma closing down their cetacean exhibits. Aquariums with dolphins and belugas seem to be moving away from the circus like shows that once featured dolphins and switching over to the display of natural behaviors and an emphasis on conservation education.

The protests over "Blackfish" may be only a momentary thing, but I would guess that nobody is going to want to start a cetacean program any time in the near future.

 

[FWC]

On the contrary, I would be surprised if there aren't more facilities opening up/adding on in the future.

Assuming Bottlenose Dolphins and Orcas manage to keep reproducing at the rate they are, eventually new housing will need to be built.

I wouldn't say entirely new facilities on their own, however franchises such as Seaworld and Six Flags I could see eventually opening up new establishments. Simply put, Seaworld is almost completely out of space for Orcas, and although not to such an extent as the Orcas, Seaworld has a large population of Dolphins, and one day they might simply run out of room. However their discovery cove is quite large and can probably hold a fair more animals than it currently does. With the orcas, however, there is room left for perhaps two additional animals at the Orlando facility, and San Diego and San Antonio are at carrying capacity with 10 and 6, respectively and two births within the past year. Assuming they want to continue breeding, they will need to either expand their current tanks or open new ones.

 

[DavidBrown]

On the contrary, I would be surprised if there aren't more facilities opening up/adding on in the future.

Assuming Bottlenose Dolphins and Orcas manage to keep reproducing at the rate they are, eventually new housing will need to be built.

I wouldn't say entirely new facilities on their own, however franchises such as Seaworld and Six Flags I could see eventually opening up new establishments. Simply put, Seaworld is almost completely out of space for Orcas, and although not to such an extent as the Orcas, Seaworld has a large population of Dolphins, and one day they might simply run out of room. However their discovery cove is quite large and can probably hold a fair more animals than it currently does. With the orcas, however, there is room left for perhaps two additional animals at the Orlando facility, and San Diego and San Antonio are at carrying capacity with 10 and 6, respectively and two births within the past year. Assuming they want to continue breeding, they will need to either expand their current tanks or open new ones.

I meant institutions without cetaceans opening up new exhibits. Theme parks like Sea World and Six Flags will likely be the last bastion of entertainment based cetacean shows.

 

[FWC]

Going off of that (which I very lightly touched on in my last post) I am prone to agree with you. Especially in the US.

Simply put, it is almost impossible to acquire new cetaceans in the states, so they gotta use what they already have. For that fact alone, I don't think we will see any new places opened up that are not a part of an existing chain, let alone any external factors.


However, I would not rule out Canada for a new cetacean facility. The laws are much more lax and new animals can be acquired fairly easily. There is also very few aquarium based facilities up here, and only two have cetaceans, Vancouver and Marineland. All it would take is someone with the right drive and funding, and there are any number of large cities that would sustain said enterprise. I'm not sure if/when a new facility would pop up, however it is a possibility.

 

[snowleopard]

By commenting on this old thread I feel that I've now inadvertently opened the door to a great conversation via "David Brown" and "FWC". With no orcas having been taken from the wild in 35 years by SeaWorld I question if the species can survive in captivity without a new gene pool to choose from. The breeding success is admirable, but can killer whales actually be sustained in North America without any new additions from the wild? The chance of an American aquarium sailing into an ocean and capturing orcas is surely a pipedream, so the long-term viability of the species must surely be questionable.

Canadian establishments were mentioned, but the Calgary Zoo faced such an immense backlash when it wanted to open a beluga whale complex a few years ago that everything was eventually abandoned. Skyrocketing costs (past the $200 million mark for Arctic Shores) was an influence but the public negativity to cetaceans in captivity was a major talking point for years. Similarly, Vancouver Aquarium phased out its killer whale program due in no small part to the numerous protests in Stanley Park and the handful of beluga whale deaths there has not gone down well with the general public.

Cetaceans are like elephants in Canada in that both used to be numerous and now each is edging towards being located in only 2 locations. Vancouver Aquarium has 2 beluga whales, 2 harbor porpoises and 2 Pacific white-sided dolphins; Marineland in Ontario has a plethora of belugas and dolphins but only a single orca left. Nowhere else in Canada has any type of cetacean whatsoever and there is nowhere likely to obtain them.

In regards to elephants, it is possible that in a few years only African Lion Safari will have elephants in captivity in the entire nation. There used to be at least 24 facilities with elephants but one by one they were eliminated from holding the species, and that includes high-profile establishments like Calgary (any month now), Toronto and Vancouver. Valley Zoo in Edmonton is grimly hanging on to its final aging, arthritic female Asian elephant; the obscure Hemmingford Parc Safari has two; Granby Zoo has two; and that is it! How long before African Lion Safari is the only one left? Like cetaceans, elephants have dwindled immensely in Canadian wildlife institutions.

 

[gerenuk]

I wouldn't say entirely new facilities on their own, however franchises such as Seaworld and Six Flags I could see eventually opening up new establishments. Simply put, Seaworld is almost completely out of space for Orcas, and although not to such an extent as the Orcas, Seaworld has a large population of Dolphins, and one day they might simply run out of room.

Sea World executives have hinted at international expansion.

With no orcas having been taken from the wild in 35 years by SeaWorld I question if the species can survive in captivity without a new gene pool to choose from. The breeding success is admirable, but can killer whales actually be sustained in North America without any new additions from the wild?

Most of Sea World's research into Orca has been assisted reproductive techniques. Their last 2 births were both sired by an Orca in Argentina through AI. With separate gene pools in Japan and France, there is enough genetic diversity in captivity to sustain a population.

 

[DavidBrown]

Maybe this will be a plot element in "Blackfish 2"...

 

[filipinos]

Georgia Aquarium must be a strong candidate for having the most water of any aquarium on the planet and the biggest in terms of size. There are plenty of marquee species there as well: whale shark, beluga whale, bottlenose dolphin, sea otter, small-clawed otter, harbor seal, manta ray, loggerhead sea turtle, American alligator, African penguin, etc. There are only two aquariums in all of the western hemisphere (Shedd and Monterey Bay) that are truly comparable in terms of sheer size, diversity and all-around quality.

Statistics:

10 million gallons of water
120,000 fish
604,000 square feet
70 miles of pipe
500+ species

Why not Valencia and Lisbon too?