Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies opened in 2000 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, bringing a massive indoor ocean experience to the heart of the Smoky Mountains. The 115,000-square-foot facility holds roughly 1.3 million gallons of water and is home to around 10,000 marine animals representing more than 350 species, from gentle rays to toothy sand tiger sharks.
The aquarium’s signature feature is a clear acrylic tunnel ranked among the longest underwater viewing tunnels in the world, where a 340-foot moving walkway carries guests beneath sharks and schooling fish. Beyond the tunnel, visitors can watch African penguins waddle through the Penguin Playhouse and get face-to-face views of a giant Pacific octopus, making it one of the most-visited attractions in the Smokies.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Opened: 2000
- Size: About 115,000 sq ft; around 1.3 million gallons of water
- Species/Animal Count: About 10,000 animals across 350+ species
- Annual Visitors: About 1 million
- Famous For: One of the world’s longest underwater viewing tunnels
Inside the Aquarium
The aquarium is organized into themed galleries that trace a journey from freshwater mountain streams to the open ocean. Shark Lagoon is the headline exhibit, housing sand tiger, blacktip, and bonnethead sharks alongside the long glass tunnel that lets guests walk directly beneath them without getting wet.
The Penguin Playhouse holds a colony of African penguins in a climate-controlled, roughly 30,000-gallon saltwater habitat, while other galleries showcase a giant Pacific octopus, Japanese spider crabs, and colorful reef fish. Interactive touch tanks and daily dive shows round out the experience for visitors of all ages.
A Smokies Landmark
Since opening in 2000, the aquarium has become one of the anchor attractions drawing travelers to downtown Gatlinburg, complementing the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It draws roughly a million visitors a year, many of whom combine a visit with cabin stays and other mountain attractions in the area.
The facility also made headlines in 2016 when staff chose to shelter in place with the animals during the devastating Gatlinburg wildfires, successfully protecting the collection through the crisis and reopening shortly after.
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Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies FAQs
When did Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies open?
It opened in 2000 in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
How many animals live at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies?
The aquarium is home to about 10,000 animals representing more than 350 species, housed in roughly 1.3 million gallons of water.
What is the aquarium’s most famous feature?
Its clear underwater tunnel, ranked among the longest in the world, lets visitors walk beneath sharks and other marine life on a 340-foot moving walkway.
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