The Tennessee Aquarium’s established river journey from the Appalachian
Mountains to the Mississippi Delta has been extended into the marine
waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The expansion provides an ocean
immersion experience of a unique coral habitat located 110 miles off the coast
of Galvaston, TX.
The
reef is viewed through large acrylic windows from descending ramps. At upper
levels of the habitat, pelagic sharks, rays and schools of fishes swim in open
water. An underwater salt-dome at the bottom takes visitors inside and underneath
the reef, close to more territorial fishes with the pelagic species viewable above.
At
the upper-most level of the building, under a glass, prismatic roof, an “exploration
garden” offers handsome informal learning based on marine and terrestrial life.
Animal encounters include a shark and ray touch tank, freshwater rays, Hyacinth
Macaws and butterflies, all set in an immersive tropical habitatenvironment.
Three flexible changing exhibit galleries offer complementary,
live animal exhibits that offer close examination of species that cannot be
exhibited in the large, marine tank. Visitor vertical circulation is through a
three story, glass enclosed lobby sequence offering expansive views of to the
Tennessee River, thus complementing the journey from river to ocean.
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