Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada opened on October 16, 2013, just southeast of the CN Tower in downtown Toronto, becoming one of the city’s most visited attractions almost overnight. Built at a cost approaching CA$130 million, the aquarium spans roughly 135,000 square feet and houses more than 5.7 million litres of water across ten themed galleries showcasing marine life from Canadian lakes to tropical reefs.
The aquarium’s signature experience is the Dangerous Lagoon, a 96-metre underwater tunnel with a moving walkway that carries visitors through a 2.84-million-litre tank filled with sand tiger sharks, sawfish, and sea turtles. Owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment, the attraction has drawn well over two million visitors annually since opening, surpassing 10 million total guests by 2018.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Opened: October 16, 2013
- Size: About 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m²); 5.7 million litres of water
- Species/Animal Count: More than 20,000 animals, 450+ species
- Annual Visitors: Over 2 million
- Famous For: The Dangerous Lagoon underwater tunnel with moving walkway
The Ride Experience
Visitors move through ten distinct galleries, starting with Canadian Waters and its native freshwater species before progressing to the vibrant Rainbow Reef and the immersive Dangerous Lagoon tunnel, where sharks and rays glide overhead on all sides. The Planet Jellies gallery and the Swarm exhibit, which uses mirrors to make a modest school of fish appear vast, round out a route built for both families and marine enthusiasts.
The largest tank alone holds about 750,000 US gallons (2.84 million litres), and the building was engineered with special shielding to keep the shark population undisturbed by outside vibration and light from the surrounding entertainment district.
A Downtown Landmark
Positioned steps from the CN Tower and connected to Union Station via the PATH-linked SkyWalk, the aquarium capitalized on one of Toronto’s busiest tourist corridors from day one. Construction began in August 2011, and the finished facility became the third aquarium operated by Ripley Entertainment, joining sister locations in the United States.
Since opening, the aquarium has remained a fixture of Toronto’s downtown core, credited with drawing millions of visitors to the waterfront area each year and cementing its place alongside the CN Tower and Rogers Centre as a must-see stop for tourists.
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Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada FAQs
When did Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada open?
It opened to the public on October 16, 2013, after construction began in August 2011.
How much water does Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada hold?
The aquarium holds about 5.7 million litres (1.5 million US gallons) of water in total, with its largest single tank holding around 2.84 million litres (750,000 US gallons).
What is the aquarium’s most famous exhibit?
The Dangerous Lagoon is the signature exhibit, featuring an underwater tunnel with a moving walkway that carries visitors past sand tiger sharks, sawfish, and sea turtles.
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Photo: EuroCarGT / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.