Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo opened on November 4, 2008, inside the Dubai Mall, instantly becoming one of the largest suspended aquariums on Earth. Its centerpiece is a viewing panel that once set a Guinness World Record as the largest acrylic panel ever made, measuring roughly 32.88 meters wide and 8.3 meters high, giving mall visitors a direct window into a 10-million-liter tank without ever buying a ticket.
For those who want to go deeper, a paid walkthrough leads guests through a 48-meter glass tunnel offering a 270-degree view of the marine life, while the Underwater Zoo on the mall’s second floor showcases rainforest, rocky shore, and ocean-themed habitats. Together the attractions house around 33,000 animals across over 140 species, including roughly 400 sand tiger sharks and rays, plus otters, penguins, and a resident crocodile known as King Croc.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: The Dubai Mall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Opened: November 4, 2008
- Size: About 10 million liters (2.6 million gallons) main tank
- Species/Animal Count: About 33,000 animals, over 140 species (including about 400 sharks and rays)
- Annual Visitors: About 5 million
- Famous For: Record-setting acrylic viewing panel and 48m shark tunnel
The Ride Experience
Guests exploring Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo can walk through the 48-meter glass tunnel for a 270-degree view of hundreds of sharks and rays gliding overhead, or ride a glass-bottom boat across the tank’s surface. For the boldest visitors, cage snorkeling and shark diving experiences bring them face-to-face with the tank’s roughly 400 sharks and rays.
Upstairs, the Underwater Zoo groups animals into three zones — rainforest, rocky shore, and ocean — letting visitors trace a journey from freshwater otters and piranhas to coastal penguins and finally the open-ocean predators visible through the aquarium’s massive viewing panel.
Records and Recognition
The aquarium’s main viewing panel earned a Guinness World Record for the largest acrylic panel, surpassing Japan’s Churaumi Aquarium at the time. The achievement, combined with the sheer volume of the tank, has made the attraction one of Dubai Mall’s signature draws since it opened alongside the mall in 2008.
Because the main tank is visible for free from the mall’s ground floor, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo functions as both a paid attraction and an ambient centerpiece of one of the world’s busiest shopping malls, drawing an estimated 5 million visitors annually.
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Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo FAQs
When did Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo open?
It opened on November 4, 2008, as part of the Dubai Mall complex.
How big is the main tank at Dubai Aquarium?
The main tank holds about 10 million liters (roughly 2.6 million gallons) of water and features a record-setting acrylic viewing panel.
How many animals live at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo?
The attraction is home to around 33,000 animals representing over 140 species, including about 400 sharks and rays, along with otters, penguins, and crocodiles.
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Photo: Maxim Gavrilyuk / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.