Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, Marine aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, United States.
Shark Reef Aquarium is a 105,000 sq ft (9,800 m2) public aquarium at the Mandalay Bay resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Its main shipwreck tank holds 1,300,000 US gallons (4,900,000 L), one of the largest in North America, and the facility is designed to resemble a sinking ancient temple, with a shark tunnel and a viewing area built as the interior of a sunken ship.
Shark Reef was developed with help from the Vancouver Aquarium, built at a cost of $40 million, and opened on June 20, 2000. It received its millionth visitor in May 2001 and was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2003. In 2007 the word "Aquarium" was added to its official name for marketing reasons.
The space takes the form of a submerged temple, giving visitors a sense of exploring hidden underwater ruins. The design encourages people to learn about ocean conservation while moving through the exhibits.
You can join guided tours and watch feeding demonstrations, with special diving experiences available for interested visitors. The facility runs multiple daily sessions throughout the year, making it easy to fit into your schedule.
The aquarium houses rare fish species, including one found naturally in only a single spring. It was also one of the first places to successfully keep a large shark species in a closed-system tank.
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