Our readers voted these the 10 best aquariums in the United States

Photo courtesy of iStock / novikat

Aquariums let us explore hard-to-reach aquatic life from the world's oceans, lakes and waterways in a fun and educational setting. The best aquariums also play a vital role in animal conservation by taking part in rescue efforts and marine advocacy. These 10 aquariums were voted by readers as the best in North America in our 2022 Readers' Choice Awards for their high-quality exhibits and visitor interactions.

Photo courtesy of AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Stephanie Bruce

No. 10: North Carolina Aquariums - North Carolina

This foursome of aquariums – Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, Fort Fisher and Jennette's Pier – each offer a unique experience. Walk through a sunken ship or explore wetland wildlife on Roanoke Island, learn about loggerhead turtles at Pine Knoll Shores, come nose to nose with an albino alligator at Fort Fisher and get interactive at Jennette's Pier.

Photo courtesy of Tennessee Aquarium

No. 9: Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Visitors to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga trace the journey of water from the mountains through the Appalachian Cove Forest, into the Ohio River where it joins with the Mississippi that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. A broad array of wildlife highlights ecosystems along the way, including alligators, otters, snapping turtles, catfish and sunfish.

Featured habitats – delta swamp, tropical rain forest, spiny forest and reefs – provide homes for frogs, penguins, sharks, jellyfish, cuttlefish and lemurs, while professional keepers and divers happily share their expertise with visiting guests.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

No. 8: Adventure Aquarium - Camden, New Jersey

Many surprises await visitors at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden. Among the aquarium's 15,000 aquatic critters in two million gallons of water are hippos, the world’s smallest species of penguin and the world’s largest species of hammerhead shark. Guests can reach out and touch sharks, stingrays, sea stars and horseshoe crabs. Live diver presentations and keeper interactions with sea turtles and hippos enhance the visitor experience.

Photo courtesy of Newport Aquarium

No. 7: Newport Aquarium - Newport, Kentucky

Encompassing a million gallons of water and thousands of animals from around the world, the Newport Aquarium invites visitors to get up close and personal with seahorses, touch sharks, stingrays and more. The Amazon Tunnel allows visitors to walk along the floor of the Amazon River during its flooded season, while Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels offers visitors the opportunity to "explore a long ago-sunken ship and the creatures that call this accidental reef home."

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Photo courtesy of galitskaya // Getty Images

No. 6: Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - New Orleans, Louisiana

In downtown New Orleans on the riverfront, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is home to thousands of animals, many endangered, ranging from penguins and sea otters to seahorses and jellyfish. It features the Amazon rainforest’s underwater habitats, a 132,000-gallon Caribbean Reef exhibit and the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico tank. Their newest exhibit is an enlarged 13,000-gallon shark and ray touchpool with a 60-foot LED screen that highlights the diversity of the world’s oceans. 

Photo courtesy of Texas State Aquarium

No. 5: Texas State Aquarium - Corpus Christi, Texas

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, the largest aquarium in Texas, offers a journey through land and sea including encounters with the fascinating wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Notable exhibits include a spacious jungle featuring flamingos, flying birds and sloths, as well as a 400,000-gallon deep sea habitat, where visitors can get up close and personal with sharks prowling among a sunken shipwreck.

Additional exhibits give guests a captivating look at sea turtles, dolphins, otters and other amazing animals, while stingray touch pools and a 4D theater provide even more interactive educational experiences.

Photo courtesy of Mystic Aquarium

No. 4: Mystic Aquarium - Mystic, Connecticut

The most popular residents at the Mystic Aquarium are New England's only beluga whales; guests can observe these gentle giants from above and below the surface. Animal interaction is the name of the game at Discovery Lab, while Shark Lagoon features one of the ocean's most misunderstood animals. African penguins, bearded dragons, American alligators, seals, sea lions and more than 30 species of frogs also call the aquarium home.

Photo courtesy of iStock / cbpix

No. 3: The Florida Aquarium - Tampa, Florida

One of the top aquariums in the South, the Florida Aquarium displays some 8,000 plants and animals from a range of fresh and saltwater environments, including alligators, sharks, seahorses, river otters and free-flying birds. The Florida Wetlands Trail highlights regional life in a recreated mangrove forest, while the Journey to Madagascar takes visitors across the globe to observe a host of interesting animals – ring-tailed lemurs, hissing cockroaches and colorful chameleons. At Stingray Beach, visitors are invited to touch stingrays and sharks.

Photo courtesy of Mary Phillips (Ripley Entertainment)

No. 2: Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

More than 350 species are represented among Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies' 10,000 aquatic residents. Shark Lagoon, with its moving walkways through underwater tunnels, is the aquarium's biggest and most popular attraction. Kids love the interactive Penguin Playhouse, where they can come nose to beak with endangered African penguins both above and below the water.

Photo courtesy of Wonders of Wildlife

No. 1: Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium - Springfield

Founded by Johnny Morris, CEO of Bass Pro Shops, Springfield's Wonders of Wildlife celebrates hunting, fishing and stewardship of the land and water through 1.5 miles of immersive galleries featuring 4D dioramas and a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium. Some 35,000 animals representing over 800 species are on display, including zebra sharks, sea turtles and freshwater sport fish. Unique to the aquarium is its collection of historic boats used by fishing legends and celebrities, like Jimmy Buffet, Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey.