Downtown Aquarium (Denver, Colorado, United States of America)

This aquarium turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  It was much bigger and better than I expected.  When I first read the “Downtown” part of this aquarium’s name, I envisioned a small, drab facility surrounded by tall city buildings.  In actuality, this aquarium is located in a green section of Denver between two parks located along the South Platte River.  Additionally, the inside of the facility had a fun design and atmosphere that somewhat resembled a theme park.  

At the ticket office, visitors are issued one-use plastic wristbands instead of tickets printed on cardstock.  The wristband is constructed such that the only way to remove it is to cut it off with a scissors or knife.  I have previously seen this type of “admission ticket” at theme parks and club parties, but this was the first time I had seen one used at an aquarium.

The aquarium is divided into nine themed sections, and I will describe each in the order that visitors encounter them.

North American Wilderness

This section replicated freshwater environments found in North America.  The area was decorated to give the visitors the feeling that they were walking along a mountain stream in a valley surrounded by rock walls.

Sign…

…pointing to overhead window.

Trout

Sunfish

River Otter Exhibit

Hard to photograph otters through reflections on tank surface

American eagle in a tree…

…turns out to be an animatronic robot.

There was a concession selling rocks and minerals as souvenirs

Large freshwater tank

Sturgeon

In the Desert

This section depicted America’s desert regions and featured a number of snakes.

The exhibit below was located at the separation between the “In the Desert” zone and the “Under the Sea” zone, and perhaps was meant to represent the type of wetlands and beach environment that might be found in a transition zone between a desert and the ocean.  The fish were salt-water specimens.

Under the Sea

This section featured coral reefs and the marine creatures found among them.

Tunnel arch passage

Stingrays cruised overhead.

Visitors sit for a while in front of a very large tank depicting an ocean environment.

At the Wharf

This area really felt similar to a theme park, with a simulated wharf and ship.

The tanks in this section featured small, but unique animals such as Sea Anemones, Starfish, and this Lumpfish.

The Rainforest

This section featured many very realistic-looking replica trees and plants.  The replica tree trunks looked exactly like banyan trees that I have seen in the tropics.  The tanks in this area featured fish from South America, Africa, and Asia.

Perhaps this animatronic orangutan was a bit overdoing it.  It looked less like an orangutan and more like an awkward rendition of a prehistoric caveman.

The star of this area, and perhaps of the whole aquarium, was a Sumatran Tiger. It seemed to me that visitors spent more time in front of this exhibit than in front of other exhibits.

Coral Lagoon

This area depicted shoreline environments with coral reefs and mangroves.  There were many colorful small fish.

Sunken Temple       

This area featured a very large tank with a curved wall which gave visitors the sensation that they were walking underwater.

Large Barracudas

Coral reef and butterfly fish

Shipwreck

This area featured sharks and large schools of fish.

Moon Jellyfish

At the Beach

This last area included displays of eels, octopi, and other animals that inhabit the shallow waters just off the beach.  It also featured a “Mermaid Cove” where 3 young women wearing mermaid costumes posed for photographs with visitors.  There was also a play area for children and electronic arcade video games. 

Educational Efforts

There were many colorful explanatory signs throughout the aquarium, and they were placed in locations where visitors would most likely stop to read them.

Here is a sign asking visitors to not touch the fish.

Explanatory signs in front of Sumatran tiger exhibit

Opportunities for Animal Encounters

The sign in the below photo was in one of the larger tanks in the “Under the Sea” section.  Apparently, visitors can do snorkel or scuba sessions in the tank.

In the “Coral Lagoon” section, there was an invertebrates touch tank.

Also in the “Coral Lagoon” section, there was an opportunity for visitors to feed archer fish.

Food and Souvenirs

Immediately after exiting the aquarium area, visitors will see the entrance to the “Aquarium” restaurant.  According to the aquarium pamphlet, the tables in the restaurant offer views of a 150,000 gallon centerpiece tank.  Unfortunately, I did not have time to try out this restaurant.

The photo below is of the “Dive Lounge” bar.

The souvenir shop had a wide variety of fashion accessories, plush toys, key chains, etc.

Getting There 

This aquarium is only a few kilometers from central downtown Denver where most of the hotels are located.  But because there doesn’t appear to be any nearby train lines, it is probably best to take a taxi. 

(Note: The photos used in this post were taken during a visit on June 3, 2016.  The comments in this post are based on observations made on that day.  Conditions may have since changed.  Please check it out for yourself!)