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The Tennessee Aquarium is rated by locals and visitors alike as one of the best things to do in Chattanooga. Looking for a money-saving deal better than any coupon?  Buy a combination ticket to the Aquarium, River Gorge Explorer and/or IMAX and save. The top-rated aquarium in America offers a journey through two buildings loaded with things to do and engaging experiences on Chattanooga’s beautiful downtown riverfront.

First admittance to the Aquarium is at 10 a.m. with last admittance at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. The Gift Shops close at 6:30 p.m. The Aquarium and IMAX 3D Theater are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Check the River Gorge Explorer schedule for cruise times. The Aquarium ticketing center opens at 9:30 a.m. daily.

River Journey fascinates visitors with river otters, turtles, alligators, giant catfish and thousands of freshwater wonders.

Ocean Journey delights guests with penguins, sharks, butterflies and often scuba divers who interact with guests.

Plan at least two hours for your aquarium visit. Aquarium admission includes access to both River Journey and Ocean Journey. Tickets are good all day so you can come and go and take advantage of these great combination ticket deals.

IMAX Movie Theater – With a brand new state-of-the-art sound system and six-story screen, this IMAX movie theater is one of the best things to do in Chattanooga. 

River Gorge Explorer – Part thrill ride, part nature tour, the Tennessee Aquarium’s high speed catamaran offers a riverboat tour to remember.

Backstage Pass – Get VIP access to be up close, touch and feed Aquarium animals. Go behind the scenes and put yourself in the boots of one of the Aquarium’s animal keepers.

Chattanooga Hotel Packages – Book a hotel package that includes accommodations and attraction tickets and save. It’s one of the best deals for a Chattanooga getaway.

Rent Our Facility – The Aquarium offers a variety of unique venues for your next wedding or corporate event.

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  Amphibians
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  Birds
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  Fish
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  Invertebrates
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  Mammals
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  Plants
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  Reptiles
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  Butterflies

Ranger Rick's Backyard Safari
The Tennessee Aquarium is bringing together kids, nature and fun in Ranger Rick®’s Backyard Safari. This unique experience, in partnership with National Wildlife Federation, will for the first time bring the pages of Ranger Rick magazine to life in a museum setting. The new exhibit will use live animal experiences to help families tune into, and appreciate, nature from their backyard to the backyards of creatures from around the world. Ranger Rick’s Backyard Safari is located in the lower level of the River Journey building next to the Seahorse Gallery. 

Showtimes for Bird Shows, Dive Shows and Penguin Keeper Talks:

Ranger Rick's Backyard Safari in River Journey
Daily at 10:45 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 12:45 pm, 2:00 pm and 2:15 pm
Several animals star on the main stage in Ranger Rick’s Backyard Safari. You’ll meet fantastic animals such as red-fronted macaws, a possum, eagle owl or groundhog. Stop by for additional animal action on weekends from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm  In addition to the special main stage shows, you’ll meet a variety of amazing critters presented by Aquarium staff during up-close animal encounter programs.

Secret Reef Exhibit in Ocean Journey
Daily at 11:00 am, 11:30 am, 2:00 and 2:30 pm
Ask our scuba divers questions during special dive shows

Penguins’ Rock in Ocean Journey
Monday through Friday at 10:30 am and 1:45 pm
Quiz our experts while they are feeding our gentoo and macaroni penguins.

Secret Reef Exhibit in Ocean Journey
Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3:15 pm
Check out the big, toothy sharks and colorful fish during feeding time.

Lake Nickajack Exhibit in River Journey
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:00 am
Enjoy scuba divers feeding giant catfish, stupendous sturgeon and gnarly gar. (On the other days, wave and the divers will wave back while they help keep the fish’s home clean.)

Celebrate 20
The Tennessee Aquarium’s 20th Anniversary also marks the rebirth of downtown Chattanooga. Help us celebrate the Aquarium’s achievements by sharing your pictures and stories. Join and support our organization to ensure that the Aquarium’s future outshines its remarkable past.

Sustainable Seafood - Serve & Protect
The Tennessee Aquarium is proud to announce our sustainable seafood initiative, Serve & Protect. We’re collaborating with celebrity chef Alton Brown on this long-term program promoting wise seafood choices.

Aquarium Summer Camp 2012
The world is full of natural wonders and there's no better place to go exploring than Summer Camp at the Tennessee Aquarium. These fun, fast-paced and engaging sessions book up quickly! Member registration begine Monday, March 5th; Non-member begins March 19th.

Calendar of Events 
The Tennessee Aquarium offers a wide variety of special events each month. Programs for children and adults are hosted on the Aquarium campus, themed cruises are offered aboard the River Gorge Explorer and there are opportunities to enjoy nature hikes and kayak trips. Check our calendar for fun outings that match your family's interests and age ranges.

Sleep in the Deep
Ever dream of sleeping under the peaks alongside sharks, stingrays and more? Now is your chance. Come 'sleep in the deep' and wake up to a whole new world.  To inquire about dates or for more information about the group overnight program please email us at overnight@tnaqua.org or leave a message at (423) 785-4175 or (800) 262-0695, ext. 4175.

Backstage Pass
The Tennessee Aquarium's Backstage Pass gives you VIP access, like never before, to get up-close, touch and feed Aquarium animals. Each of the two 45-minute Backstage Pass options will take you on a guided animal engaging experience to areas only accessed by our keepers.

Inspiring wonder and appreciation for the natural world is what we do every day.

Each year the Tennessee Aquarium’s award-winning education staff reaches nearly 200,000 individuals with inspiring programs delivered both on the Aquarium campus and throughout the tri-state area. Every fun-filled program exceeds the national and state science standards for AL, GA & TN. Whether its home room or home school, Tennessee Aquarium educators offer a variety of age-appropriate education programs to help your children achieve their goals.

Connecting Tennessee Aquarium visitors with the natural world is our mission. We offer an enriching and entertaining experience to our visitors. In return, people who visit learn to care about creatures and habitats throughout the world. They begin to understand the urgent conservation needs of our fragile planet.

But we are doing much more than simply providing an entertaining and educational experience. The southeastern United States is one of the most ecologically diverse places on earth. The natural beauty of this area is especially unique because of its aquatic diversity. While much of that beauty is easily visible, protecting what's unseen below the waterline is just as important.

The Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, our conservation and research arm, is actively engaged in conservation and research programs to help restore the delicate balance of biodiversity throughout the Southeast.

Green Practices - Read our online magazine below to learn about ways we’re trying to live green at the Aquarium.  Many are methods you can adopt, too.

Sustainable Seafood - A healthy ocean needs a richly diverse web of life, but human consumption of a few species of fish has upset the balance of nature. Learn how to make wise seafood choices that can improve personal health while protecting wildlife downstream.