Portland Aquarium facts for kids
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| Date opened | December 15, 2012 |
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| Date closed | February 16, 2016 |
| Location | 16323 SE McLoughlin, Oak Grove, Oregon, United States |
| Land area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Coordinates | 45°24′18″N 122°37′26″W / 45.405°N 122.624°W |
| No. of species | 2,500 |
The Portland Aquarium was a fun place to visit in Oak Grove, Oregon, United States. It was an aquarium that opened its doors on December 15, 2012. The building was about 12,500 square feet, which is like a big house!
Sadly, the aquarium announced on December 17, 2015, that it would close. Its last day was February 16, 2016. The people who owned it said the animals would move to other aquariums they owned. They also mentioned looking for a new spot in Portland, but a new location was never found.
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About the Portland Aquarium
The Portland Aquarium was a private business. This means it was built with money from investors, not from the government. The owners said this helped them build the aquarium quickly. It was set up inside a building that used to be a steakhouse.
The aquarium was owned by a company. Some of the people involved in starting it were Vince and Ammon Covino, and Marc Gottlieb. The Covino brothers also helped start other aquariums, like the Idaho Aquarium in Boise, Idaho and the Austin Aquarium in Texas.
Accreditation Status
The Portland Aquarium was not a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It also wasn't part of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA). These groups set high standards for how zoos and aquariums care for their animals. In 2013, the Portland Aquarium was working towards becoming accredited by these groups.
What You Could See There
The Portland Aquarium had 30 different exhibits. These exhibits were home to more than 2,500 different kinds of animals!
Amazing Animal Exhibits
- Sharks and Stingrays: You could see these cool ocean creatures swimming around.
- Giant Pacific Octopus: This amazing animal is one of the biggest octopuses in the world.
- Jellyfish Exhibit: A special display just for jellyfish, which are beautiful and mysterious.
- Oregon Coast Fish: A cold water tank showed fish found right off the coast of Oregon.
- Tropical Fish: Warm water tanks and tide pools were filled with colorful fish from warmer parts of the world.
Rainforest Room
Beyond just fish, the aquarium also had a special rainforest room. Here, you could find animals that live in rainforests, like:
- Tree frogs
- Lizards
- Colorful lorikeets (a type of parrot)
The Portland Aquarium wanted to be a "hands-on" place. This meant visitors had lots of chances to pet and even feed some of the animals. Most of the exhibits were designed for kids around 10 years old.
The aquarium building was on a two-acre piece of land. This large space meant they could have built outdoor exhibits later on. They had plans for a huge 30,000-gallon shark tank and even an exhibit for seals!
