Texas State Aquarium opened on July 6, 1990, on Corpus Christi’s North Beach, growing into the largest aquarium in Texas and one of the largest in the United States. Run as a nonprofit and accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1995, it receives no state funding despite its official name, relying instead on admissions, memberships, and donations to fund both its exhibits and its animal rehabilitation work.
The aquarium’s signature space is the H-E-B Caribbean Sea, home to a 400,000-gallon shark habitat viewed through the longest acrylic display window in North America. A major 2017 expansion called Caribbean Journey doubled the facility’s footprint, adding a 4D theater and new habitats alongside longtime favorites like Dolphin Bay and Tortuga Cay, the aquarium’s sea turtle rehabilitation exhibit.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
- Opened: July 6, 1990
- Size: about 6.3 acres
- Species: more than 320 species
- Annual visitors: about 530,950
- Famous for: 400,000-gallon Caribbean Sea shark tank with North America’s longest acrylic viewing window
Exhibits and Animal Habitats
Beyond the shark tank, Texas State Aquarium features Dolphin Bay, home to four Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, and the Caribbean Jungle, where flamingos and a two-toed sloth share a lush walkthrough habitat. Interactive spaces like the Stingray Lagoon and Coral Reef let visitors get close to marine life, while Tortuga Cay showcases sea turtles recovering under the aquarium’s care.
A Federally Permitted Rescue Facility
Since 1993, Texas State Aquarium has operated as a federally permitted animal rehabilitation center, treating injured sea turtles, dolphins, and other Gulf Coast wildlife with the goal of returning them to the wild. This conservation mission runs alongside its role as a public attraction, giving visitors a window into ongoing rescue and research work on the Texas coast.
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Texas State Aquarium FAQs
Where is Texas State Aquarium located?
It sits on North Beach in Corpus Christi, Texas, along the Gulf Coast.
How many species does Texas State Aquarium have?
The aquarium is home to more than 320 species of sea and land animals.
When did Texas State Aquarium open?
It opened to the public on July 6, 1990, and later doubled in size with the 2017 Caribbean Journey expansion.
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Photo: Smcafee87 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.