Austin Aquarium Coming Soon
The Austin Aquarium is the perfect place to take your kids of the weekend that doesn’t consist of moon bounces and junk food. Having fun and still learning something? Yep, the Austin Aquarium is coming in Winter of 2013 and offers exactly that.
The Austin Aquarium will feature reptiles, warm and cold water fish, and birds of many different species. The many exhibits will house sharks just like the one on the blog entitled “Jimmy John Shark“, stingrays, tropical fish, otters, fur seals, sea turtles, a giant pacific octopus, and a rain forest area. The exhibits will showcase 10,000 animals from over 3,000 species! In addition to all of this, there will also be a play area for the kids. Hey parents – that means you can kick your feet up and rest for a bit, winning!
Aside from the actual exhibits, the Austin Aquarium will also offer special encounters. These special encounters consist of close up play time with an octopus, joining the morning rounds of fish and animal care, taking part in behind the scenes tours, and even the chance to stay after closing and sleep beside the sharks! The aquarium will also host birthday parties, field trips, and many other events.
Admission prices for the Austin Aquarium won’t break the bank ($15 and under) and if you order online you can receive a discount. Another perk to the Austin Aquarium is that foster kids receive free admission! Both owners have adopted foster children into their families and believe that aquariums can be curative for foster children.
The Austin Aquarium is slated to open toward the end of 2013. The aquarium will be open to members only for the first ten days and will open to the public after that. Memberships are the way to go if you plan on frequenting the aquarium and are 50% right now through their website. The Austin Aquarium is on Facebook too, so follow along to keep up to date on the grand opening.
Controversy Over the Austin Aquarium
The Austin Aquarium is not without controversy however. In recent weeks, reports have surfaced about the owners’ other aquarium in Portland, Oregon and problems with the animals there as well as issues with code compliance. The Austin Chronicle published an article, “Austin Aquarium Gets the Fisheye,” about the troubles with the yet-to-be opened site. We hope that the issues mentioned get cleared up and this Austin Aquarium opens up on time(and is not guilty of some of the bolder allegations about animal treatment), because we look forward to having a great aquarium in the area for all to enjoy.
image courtesy of cuppyuppycake