In the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, a bundle of fun and family-friendly is all wrapped up in one place. Where is this place, you might ask? The Atlanta Aquarium! This beautiful venue has everything a family would need to enjoy a day looking at stunning aquatic life and all of the fun activities that can be found around the aquarium. If you’re looking for a spot that will wow every family member and have something for all ages, let’s dive into some aquatic facts about the building and the animals inside. 

Fact #1: The sheer size of this gorgeous space. It is labeled the largest indoor aquarium and measures 284 ft x 126 ft (87m by 38m). That space allows them to inhabit over 100,000 different types of aquatic life and contains more than 11 million gallons of water inside! Housing more than 100 habitats for sea creatures of all shapes and sizes. 

Fact #2: The Atlanta Aquarium is the only aquarium home to manta rays and whale sharks in North America. So if you want to look closely at one of the largest fish in the world, this is the place for you! Speaking of the largest fish. The four whale sharks here eat more than 47 thousand pounds of food annually! 

Fact #3: Penguins are residents too. So if spotting a cute bundle of fur waddling around is on your bucket list, add this spot. They’ve got enclosures for the parents and the little fluffy babies. Talk about cuteness overload! 

Fact #4: More than 170,000 gallons of water are filtered per minute through the aquarium’s life support system. This keeps all animals in clean and safe environments; the water must be filtered quickly to ensure every animal has a healthy habitat to roam around in.

Fact #5: The aquarium’s Tropical Diver Pacific barrier reef habitat is one of the most extensive living reef exhibits in the United States at 164,000 gallons of water. It also helped the Coral Restoration Foundation grow coral fragments in an underwater nursery in the Florida Keys, giving back to nature as much as possible. To hear that they are helping the oceans holds a special place in my heart. 

Fact #6: It has freshwater habitats and salt water, so you get the best of both worlds! 

Fact #7:  Dolphin Tales. No, not like a story but a live show! The dolphins here attract full houses in the 1,800-seat theater and are the most extensive physical addition to the aquarium. Eighty-four thousand square feet and 1.8 million gallons of pure excitement stream through this area and send a special message to all the kids in the audience. At the same time, the dolphins are stunning and brilliant; making better environmental choices will help keep them alive and well within their true home in the oceans. One and a half White Houses could fit inside the tank, and the 99-foot-long viewing window is the length of two school buses. 

Fact #8: This place is exceptionally handicapped accessible. There are sections in front of tanks marked for disabled visitors to get right in the middle of the action! The aquarium itself is the most accessible attraction in the United States. The aquarium has the largest team of certified scuba dive masters and instructors with disabilities worldwide. The Veterans Immersion Program has helped support more than 1,600 military personnel and guests with disabilities. These facts are fun yet educational; the same can be said about the Atlanta Aquarium.