


In its first year of operation, the aquarium hosted 1.6 million visitors. Constructed primarily of cast concrete, accented by large glass and aluminum facades and topped by a large, white fabric dome, the aquarium was completed at a total cost of about $52 million. The original building was designed by the architectural firm The Hillier Group and became a centerpiece for a virtually abandoned area. The Academy oversaw the design and construction of the original attraction jointly with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium at Camden, the aquarium was operated by the non-profit New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences, an organization chartered in 1989 to run the aquarium and further its mission of education and conservation. Inspired by the success that other cities, particularly Baltimore, had experienced with their own marine life centers, the New Jersey legislature approved the bill that included the aquarium's construction order in the late 1980s, and Governor of New Jersey Thomas Kean signed it into law. This proposal aimed to counteract the negative image painted of Camden and draw in revenue that would further help the city. Grants Farm- St.The New Jersey State Aquarium was planned to revitalize the Camden waterfront, using the aquarium as a focal point for a shopping center, a hotel, and high-rise residential buildings.Make sure to check out how the rest of our time in Cincinnati went here. You can’t go to the Newport Aquarium without checking out Newport on the Levee.
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They had kid favorites like hot dogs and fires, as well as adult favorites like fresh chicken tacos, and even buffalo mac and cheese (not pictured). We were hungry after our trek around the aquarium and we were pleased with the cafe at the aquarium. You get to climb over a SHARK BRIDGE!!! Literally a rope bridge over a tank of sharks. There are also various touch-tanks where you can get your hands went and touch animals like sting rays, anemones, and starfish. You can pop your heard into a tank to get a really cool vantage point. There are other ways that you can interact with the fish. Look closely and you may even see a scuba diver. It feels like you are swimming right there with them. We were clearly captivated by the many tunnels that give you an almost 360 view of the fish.

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Some of our favorite spots included the giant tanks full of sharks and ocean life. There are so many individual tanks, big, and small that you can see up close. We were excited to learn about marine life and were even more excited to see it face-to-face. Some exhibits change periodically, so make sure to check with the aquarium, here, before you go. You will see both salt water and fresh water examples as well as teeny tiny and really big fish. Over the River and to the SeaĪs you progress through the aquarium you will see fish and other marine life in their various habitats. We spent about 2.5 hours in the aquarium including lunch. There are so many activities, both hands on and visual, which made the day so much fun for all.

Technically you can buy tickets at the aquarium on the day of but they do sell out and it’s possible that your preferred time will not be available.Īt the time of our visit, my boys were 7 and 3, and this Aquarium appealed to both ages as well as us adults. Tickets are “timed entry tickets” and will be for a certain time. I hope you use this as a reference for your next amazing adventure!!! What to know before you dive in… All depictions and information is solely based on our experience. The aquarium is located over the river in Newport, Kentucky and it’s worth the trip over the bridge!Īs always, this is our version of a trip. On the third leg of our Epic 2.5 Week Family Road Trip we are in Cincinnati, Ohio and we visited the Newport Aquarium.
