Do you have a local aquarium?

The zoo thread got me thinking about this, because I much prefer aquariums to zoos. I've been to 4 aquariums:New England in Boston, Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, National in Baltimore, and the Chattanooga Aquarium. All were excellent IMPO.
Ever go to an aquarium? What did you think?

The Chattanooga aquarium and the Gatlinburg aquarium put the New Orleans aquarium to shame.

Who would ever think that Tennessee has the two best?

(By the way, THANKS for getting my mind off of studying for doctoral comps and on vacation! :-) )

At Fair Park. Gorgeous architecture, small budget. It is rumored that the odd fish cruising around in the fair park lagoon are donations to our local ecology by renegade aquarium personel.

http://www.mbayaq.org/

We went last year. Awesome.

Pity I can never manage to get to Monterey...

I live about 40 miles away from it, and it's awesome. I scuba dive in Monterey Bay a lot, and the aquarium is a great resource.

Love it.

There is one closer, in Long Beach, but I've never been. I'd rather drive 6 hours to Monterey than try to drive through LA to get to Long Beach.

:shrug:

Yep - we have one! And it's very nice - I went for the first time just two weeks ago. If you read my posts in the zoo thread, you know how much I love the Bronx Zoo and the people who run it. The Aquarium is run by the same people - the Wildlife Conservation Something or other. Society, I think.

It's not a huge aquarium - actually, lots of smaller aquarium (though one large enough for two whales, and another big one for penguins, one for walruses, and one for sea otters.

Of the squariums I've been to, and I've been to three, I liked Boston best. That's a HUGE one. The Osaka aquarium in Japan is built somewhat like the Boston one, with one huge main tank with spiralling ramp going around it. But not as big, or as full of fish, as the Boston one.

Both Osaka and the NYC Aquarium also have BEAUTIFUL jelly fish displays!

It is a pretty good aquarium but kind of pricey.

We're pretty much limited to the standard Zoo fare and endangered species replication here....

And showing off a 35' ANACONDA SNAKE THREE FEET AWAY without the benefit of glass.

I'm not really "big" on snakes.

Neat IMAX theater too. But, IMAX movies put me to sleep, regardless of the subject matter... strange.
anyone else?

(I've been to the one on Boston too.) They're interesting to see, but I have ethical issues with it sometimes, so I tend not to go. In my gut, I'd rather they were in their natural habitats.

is TERRIBLE! There was a better setup in the wetlab I worled in in college. Pathetic-don't bother. Go to Baltimore.