These are The 15 Largest Aquariums in the World

Fishkeeping is a popular yet very affordable hobby, that’s why you see so many homes owning a fish tank or two. Of course, there are many different types of aquariums, in all sizes and shapes, some of them being specially made for seawater, while others are for freshwater.

Although in the past saltwater aquariums were believed to be hard to maintain, things have improved a lot in these last couple of years and now many more homeowners love to indulge in this beautiful hobby. But they don’t come even close to the real gigantic world famous aquariums that we will show you shortly.

If you are a marine life lover and you love to visit aquariums, there are some spectacular ones throughout the world.

Some of the world’s largest aquariums are actually as large as buildings, and they are home to many species of fish and various sea animals. They are certainly on a different scale than the ones you can get for your house, and there’s a wide variety of marine life they house.

Since some of them house humongous whales and other similarly gigantic fish their sizes are understandable, although hard to fathom.

Here we gathered a list of some of the largest aquariums in the world. We hope you enjoy this virtual tour.

15. Shanghai Ocean Aquarium – 0.58 Million gallons

Address: 1388 Lujiazui Ring Rd, Lu Jia Zui, Pudong, Shanghai, China

Even though it’s simply massive, this aquarium located in Shanghai is not even close to being the largest in the world. But it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in town. You can experience the longest submarine viewing tunnel of an amazing underwater world. You can gaze at a coral reef, a kelp cave, the open ocean and coastal reefs, all breathtaking.

They also have a collection of endangered marine creatures from the region, such as huge salamanders, Chinese sturgeons and Yangtze alligators. At this venue you can also see a display of the five continents, which include their geography, culture and marine life. Children especially will be impressed with the penguins, spotted seals and sharks that are available for viewing.

14. Aquarium of Western Australia – 0.8 Million gallons

Address: Address: 91 Southside Dr, Hillarys WA 6025, Australia

Located near Perth, the capital of Western Australia, this beautiful aquarium houses over 4,000 fish and roughly 400 species of other marine life. You can walk under a 322-feet acrylic tunnel, with only a glass separating you from octopuses, sharks, stingrays, loggerhead turtles, and a wide variety of other fish.

The aquarium also owns one of the largest living coral reefs in the world, along with some of the most stunning live corals in the world. Some of the rarest reef fish can also be found here. Beware of the danger zone, a space where many are scared to venture, although it is very safe.

There you can be in close proximity with the blue-ringed octopus and some sea snakes, Western’s Australia’s most dangerous marine creatures. They also offer diving or snorkeling with their Dive Master, a great activity for the adrenaline seekers.

13. Royal Burgers Ocean – 2.1 Million Gallons

Address: Antoon van Hooffplein 1, 6816 SH Arnhem, Netherlands

One of the largest aquariums in Europe, Burgers’ Ocean is located in Arnhem, Netherlands, and it is part of the Royal Burgers’ Zoo. What they are really popular for are their collection of the second largest coral reef in the world.

It is a pretty spectacular venue, and if you’re in the area you should definitely pay it a visit. They also house many live corals and a wide variety of saltwater fish, so the reef lovers will get their money’s worth.

12. The National Aquarium in Baltimore – 2.2 million gallons

Address: 501 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the National Aquarium is not exactly the largest in the US, but it’s still one of the largest in the world. Roughly half the size of the whole venue is taken up by their biggest fish tank, and the rest of the facility showcases several other exhibits.

Some of those exhibits available for viewing at the moment are the Dolphin Discovery, Atlantic Coral Reef, Jellies Invasion, among a few others. You will surely find something up your alley, from the awning of the rainforest to the profound layers of the ocean. It is worth a detour if you’re in the vicinity, as they offer many things that all ages will enjoy.

11. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium – 2.6 million gallons

Address: 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Kunigami District, Okinawa 905-0206, Japan

Japan’s largest aquarium sits at 2,640,000 gallons of water, and is home to whale sharks and Manta Rays in their main tank. Their display is quite impressive with the mystery of the region’s sea creatures, and recently there was a baby manatee that was born onsite.

They have different zones within the facility that you can visit, such as the coral reef, the great sea, a journey to the Kuroshio, or a journey into the deep sea. It is a good idea to plan your visit beforehand, as you probably won’t be able to see the whole area in one single visit.

There is a sea turtle pool, a dolphin lagoon, the Okichan theatre where you can enjoy unique shows, and many more things to do.

10. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo – 2.64 million gallons

Address: شارع المركز المالي، – Downtown Dubai – Dubai – United Arab Emirates

If you’re looking for a different experience and are a fan of exotic fish, Dubai’s Aquarium & Underwater zoo is definitely the right place for you. Located inside a mall, they have a wide variety of cool-looking fish that you will not find anywhere else in the world. The venue’s unique architecture makes it one of the most popular tourist locales in the area.

The Aquarium offers you many tours you can take while visiting, and they are guaranteed to entertain and mesmerize you. One of the most amazing tours is the glass boat ride over the aquarium’s surface. They also welcome hosting kids’ birthday parties on site. If you can swing it, your kids will have a blast.

9. The Atlantic Sea Park – 4 million gallons

Address: Tuenesvegen, 6006 Ålesund, Norway

Located in Alesund, Norway, this saltwater public aquarium is the largest of its kind in Scandinavia. It displays many animal species from the coasts of Norway and around the Atlantic Ocean. If you’re into seals, Norway’s Atlantic Sea Park has one of the largest exhibits in the world. You can learn about the Norwegian Fjords and life at sea.

From the outside the building is quite unassuming, but once inside you are welcomed with an astonishing view of the North Sea. You can wander through and play with the penguins and the seals through the glass that separates you. Experience what walking under water would feel like, with the floor-to ceiling tanks that allow you to be in close proximity to marine life.

8. UShaka Marine World – 4.6 million gallons

Address: 1 King Shaka Ave, Point, Durban, 4001, South Africa

Located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, UShaka Marine World is one of the largest aquariums of the African continent. It is one of the most popular entertainment parks of the area, and it is built over 40 acres of land. The marine aquarium has more than 10,000 animal species, and it is designed around five shipwrecks.

In one of them there is a restaurant where people can view the shark habitat that surrounds them while dining. In this huge water park there are daily shows that feature dolphins, which is one of their most popular acts.

If you’re the more adventurous type, you can snorkel in the lagoon or go shark cage diving. Walking through the aquarium, where you can see more than 1,500 smaller fish species is another option, for the more faint at heart.

7. Shedd Aquarium – 5 million gallons

Address: 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, United States

The impressive Shedd Aquarium is one of the oldest and largest in the world, and it is located right in the heart of Chicago, Illinois. The total volume of water counts at just around 5 million US gallons, a colossal amount. You can acquaint yourself with tons of exotic freshwater and sea animals alike.

Alligators, beluga whales, lungfish, Lake Sturgeons, are among some of the species you can see during your visit. Another reason the visit is definitely worth a detour is the architecture of the building itself, which got its inspiration from Greek mythology. Culture and fun in one visit, a must see.

6. The Seas with Nemo and Friends – 5.7 million gallons

Address: 200 Epcot Center Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830, United States

Located inside the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, this huge aquarium is part of the Ride event at the Epcot. For those of you who are not familiar, the resort itself has many awesome venues, and parks that are literally inside of other parks. Most people go more than once in a lifetime, and they most likely don’t even get to see everything.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends is a kid-friendly themed aquarium, and its tank measuring around 5.7 million gallons of seawater, is one of the largest in the world. The Disney themed parks never disappoint.

5. Moscow Oceanarium – 6.6 million gallons

Address: Prospekt Mira, 119 строение 23, Moscow, Russia, 129223

For one of the largest aquariums in the world, Moskvarium is shockingly unpopular. Maybe the location itself (Moscow) is what scares people away, but it is definitely worth mentioning and not only because of its massive size. Meet the inhabitants of the deep sea at this venue. There are many huge marine animals such as the beluga whales, killer whales, and the lovable dolphins.

There are a total of 80 panoramic tanks, and home to more than 12,000 freshwater and marine animals. Starfish, xiphosuras, rays, among tons of other varieties of fish call this place their home, and you will get a very diverse and interesting visit.

4. Georgia Aquarium – 10 million gallons

Address: 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, United States

The largest aquarium in the United States, this Atlanta, Georgia public aquarium holds 10 million gallons of both fresh and sea water. Until a few years ago it was the largest in the world, but a couple of Asian aquariums have since surpassed it. They are the only aquarium outside of Asia to house whale sharks, and they had their share of heartbreak, as two sharks died within the perimeters of the venue in 2007.

They have five different galleries, in which different sea animals are displayed, and they all correspond to a different environment. Dolphin Tales, Cold Water Quest, Ocean Voyageur, River Scout, and Tropical Diver are all worth planning to visit on separate days in order to be able to take it all in.

3. L’Oceanogràfic – 11 million gallons

Address: Carrer d’Eduardo Primo Yúfera, 1B, 46013 València, Valencia, Spain

The Oceanographic or L’Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, is located in Valencia, Spain. One of their separate tanks that measures 1.8 million gallons is designed especially to harbour large marine mammals such as sharks and rays. In a different tank that is even larger, measuring 6.9 million gallons, you can find dolphins, among many other sea creatures. In total, they house about 45,000 different species of fish.

The architecture of the building itself alone is worth a visit, and its impressive architecture is definitely Insta-worthy. Designed by Spanish architect Felix Candela, this futuristic building houses different ecosystems that are housed in the nine elegant underwater towers.

2. The South East Asia (S.E.A.) Aquarium – 12 million gallons

Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098269

Located on the Sentosa Island of Singapore, the S.E.A. Aquarium was the largest aquarium in the world until 2012. Home to more than 100,000 aquatic creatures, the S.E.A has the most impressive collection of manta rays in the world. It comprises 49 different habitats, from the Open Ocean, passing through the Arabian Gulf, and finally in Southeast Asia.

You can see the showcased unusual species such as Japanese spider crabs, guitarfish, and chambered nautilus. It is a very unique venue, with its centerpiece being the Open Ocean tank, which houses more than 50,000 animals in 4.8 million gallons of water. If that doesn’t sound impressive, I don’t know what does.

1. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom – 12.9 million gallons

Address: 3GWP+VHX, Xiangzhou, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China

To top off our list, we introduce you to the largest public aquarium in the world: The Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. It is located in the city of Zhuhai, in the southern province of Guangdong, in China. The facility has eight different zones, all enormous, and they all present different themes.

Among some of them you will find a dolphin cove, a polar horizon, ocean avenue, and five others, all more spectacular than the other. The world Guinness record for the largest aquarium window also goes to S.E.A, with measurements of 4.190 square feet.

The most visited amusement park in the world, it is our top choice. If you have to pick just one, I would go with this option. Although you will surely need more than a week to see everything!

These are the 15 largest aquariums in the world. Have you visited any of them?