Aquarium of the Americas facts for kids
The Aquarium of the Americas seen from the Mississippi River
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| Date opened | September 1, 1990 |
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| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America |
| Coordinates | 29°57′1″N 90°3′47″W / 29.95028°N 90.06306°W |
| No. of animals | 10,000 |
| No. of species | 530 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is an exciting aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It's a fantastic place to discover amazing sea creatures!
You can find this aquarium right on the banks of the Mississippi River. It's also very close to the historic French Quarter and Canal Street. The aquarium first opened its doors on September 1, 1990.
The Audubon Nature Institute runs the aquarium. This institute also manages other cool places. These include the Audubon Zoo and Audubon Park. They all work to protect wildlife and nature.
Explore the Aquarium's Amazing Exhibits
As its name suggests, this aquarium specializes in animals from North and South America. You can see creatures from many different regions! The aquarium is home to about 10,000 animals. These animals represent 530 different species. Some of the most popular exhibits include:
- Caribbean Reef: Imagine walking through a clear, 30-foot-long tunnel! This tunnel is surrounded by a huge 132,000-gallon tank. It's filled with beautiful sea life from the Caribbean. You might spot shiny tarpon and colorful angelfish.
- Amazon Exhibit: This area feels like a real Amazon jungle! It's inside a giant glass cylinder. Here, you can see amazing animals like bright macaws and speedy piranhas. Look closely for a long anaconda and unique freshwater stingrays.
- Mississippi River Gallery: Discover animals that live right in the Mississippi River! This exhibit features fish like catfish and paddlefish. You might also see wise owls. Don't miss the special white alligator!
- Gulf of Mexico Exhibit: Dive into the Gulf of Mexico without getting wet! This huge tank holds 400,000 gallons of water. It's 17 feet tall and full of incredible creatures. You can see large sharks, graceful sea turtles, and gliding stingrays.
Overcoming Challenges: Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused big problems for New Orleans. The aquarium building itself was safe. It was on high ground and avoided the city's widespread flooding. However, the storm caused power outages. The backup generators could not keep all the animal life support systems working.
Aquarium staff had to leave for a few days. When they returned, they found that many of the fish had not survived. It was a very sad time for the aquarium.
But the aquarium staff worked hard to recover! The Aquarium of the Americas reopened on May 26, 2006. Since then, they have added even more species. The Caribbean and jellyfish exhibits are now even better. The Gulf of Mexico tank was also updated. It now shows what ocean life looks like around an oil rig platform.
Gallery
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Pufferfish (Tetraodontidae) at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
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Moray Eel (Muraenidae) at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
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Barred Owl (Strix varia). This bird is injured and would not survive in the wild.
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Fish tank at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
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