Georgia Aquarium in Downtown Atlanta

Georgia Aquarium Photo Album

Top Things to Do at the Georgia Aquarium

December 2007: Marina, a beluga whale, died in December 2007. She was approximately 25 years of age, which is fairly old for her species. She had stopped eating a few weeks before her death and became disoriented. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated despite the around-the-clock care from Georgia Aquarium staff.

June 2007: Two new whale sharks arrive from Taiwan: Yushan and Taroko.

Norton, one of the Georgia Aquarium's original whale sharks, was euthanized after his medical condition began to decline.

January 11, 2007: In a surprising and sad development, less than two weeks after Gasper the Beluga whale had to be euthanized, Ralph, the whale shark suddenly stopped swimming. He was attended to by aquarium staff but died hours later. A necropsy will be performed to figure out why the 12-year-old whale shark died.

January 2, 2007: Gasper, the beloved but sickly Beluga whale, is euthanized by the Georgia Aquarium medical staff after suffering for months with a chronic illness that unfortunately could not be cured. Gasper was loved because he would swim up to the glass in the exhibition window and seemingly "smile" at patrons.

November 21, 2006: The Georgia Aquarium celebrates their 1-year anniversary with a host of activities for the public. It has been a very successful debut for Atlanta's new tourist attraction, and it looks like the Georgia Aquarium will continue to draw crowds for years to come.

September 2006: The Georgia Aquarium let the public know that Gasper, the beluga whale seems to be improving from his life-threatening condition that has kept him confined to an isolation tank for the last few months. The whale's appetite has increased, and Gasper is now consuming 28,000 calories a day.

Also in September 2006, On Thursday, a bonnethead shark at the Georgia Aquarium gave birth to 10 pups. The pups were born on public display in the touch pool outside of the Georgia Explorer Gallery. Each time a pup was born, Georgia Aquarium guests cheered. The birthing process of the ten pups took approximately one hour.

August 23 2006: The Georgia Aquarium received its three millionth guest, after being in operation for only nine months. It is the first aquarium in 75 years to reach such a milestone.

June 2006: The Georgia Aquarium has received two new residents, whale sharks named Alice and Trixie.

May 2006 update: The Georgia Aquarium has released more details on the condition of Gasper, one of the aquarium's beloved Beluga whales. Gasper, forced to live in subpar conditions at his original home in Mexico, has a bone infection that is quite serious, and does endanger his life. Gasper is receiving medications and the best possible medical care, and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.

The Georgia Aquarium is the most anticipated tourist attraction to come to Atlanta in many years. The Georgia Aquarium debuted on November 23, 2005, just in time for the holiday season, the Georgia Aquarium hopes to become Atlanta's premier tourist attraction.

The Georgia Aquarium is a generous gift to the city, made possible by the $200 million that Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus set aside for the aquarium project. Atlantans may be more familiar with the other Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, and the positive contribution he has made since taking ownership of the Atlanta Falcons NFL franchise. Now Marcus is ready to bring his vision of a world-class tourist attraction and educational facility as a thank-you gift for all of the citizens of Atlanta and the state of Georgia that have supported Home Depot throughout the years.

The Georgia Aquarium, a dynamic, ship-shaped building, features over 55,000 aquatic animals from over 500 different species. These diverse creatures of the sea will swim through five million gallons of water. The Georgia Aquarium is divided into five main viewing areas, called galleries:

Georgia Explorer: One of the Georgia Aquarium's more interactive galleries, with a children's play area and plenty of touch tanks filled with sea life native to Georgia's coast. Visitors will also learn more about Georgia's official marine mammal, the Northern right whale.

River Scout: One of the most creatively designed galleries, visitors here will be treated to a river that runs overhead, making them feel as if they are part of the environment with the plethora of freshwater fish that are part of the gallery. Species from around the world are represented in this gallery.

Cold Water Quest: It's mammal madness time in this gallery, where the prized exhibit will be beluga whales, rarely seen in an intimate aquarium setting.

Ocean Voyager: Visitors looking for the big boys (and girls) at the Georgia Aquarium will not want to miss this gallery, where whale sharks will be housed, along with a variety of marine life that is unmatched in the United States.

Tropical Diver: A relaxing, soothing gallery, filled with brightly colored reef fishes and tropical coral reefs.

The Learning Loop is another exciting area of the Georgia Aquarium. It provides a completely separate level just for school group visits that will allow for a better educational experience. The Georgia Aquarium is the first to offer this design.

Refer to the attraction's official Web Site for current ticket price information at the Georgia Aquarium.