Sea Life Arizona, Public aquarium at Arizona Mills Mall, Tempe, United States

Sea Life Arizona is a public aquarium in Tempe, Arizona, that keeps sharks, rays, tropical fish, and rescued sea turtles across several connected areas. The layout includes open tanks at different heights and enclosed tunnel sections where water and animals surround visitors on all sides.

The aquarium was built to give people in Arizona a way to encounter ocean animals despite living far from any coast. It is part of the Sea Life chain, an international group of aquariums that operates at multiple inland locations around the world.

Sea Life Arizona keeps rescued animals on permanent display, including Ziva, an endangered green sea turtle that arrived in 2002 and lives in the 161,000-gallon display. The aquarium also breeds seahorses, which are threatened by overfishing and trade, and uses exhibits to explain that pressure to visitors.

A visit typically takes one to two hours depending on how long you spend at each area and whether you attend any presentations. It is worth checking the schedule for feeding times before you arrive so you can plan around them.

The aquarium is located inside a shopping mall, which means a visit can easily be combined with time in regular shops and restaurants nearby. This setting makes it one of the few aquariums in the world where sharks swim just steps away from a food court.