Georgia Aquarium, Public aquarium in downtown Atlanta, United States
The Georgia Aquarium is a public facility with seven main galleries in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The largest tank system holds around 6.3 million gallons (24 million liters) and houses whale sharks, manta rays, and thousands of other species from different ocean regions around the planet.
In November 2001 Bernard Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, announced his plan to give Atlanta an aquarium and donated 250 million dollars toward it after visiting 56 aquariums in 13 countries with his wife Billi. Corporate gifts of 40 million dollars let the building open debt-free. Jeff Swanagan, hired in 2002 as its first employee, oversaw design and animal acquisition, and the aquarium opened on 23 November 2005.
The building takes its name from the state, and many visitors see ocean creatures from around the world here for the first time. School groups regularly use the large viewing tanks to learn more about protecting the oceans and to better understand life below the surface.
The building sits near Centennial Olympic Park in the center and can be reached on foot from several hotels and restaurants. Most visitors spend about three to four hours inside to view all the areas and presentations at a comfortable pace.
The facility is among the few institutions outside Asia where whale sharks live, and currently houses four of these giant filter feeders. The animals are regularly fed by divers who communicate with hand signals so that each shark receives its portion.
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