Aquarium design stories

Aquarium design relates to the choices that owners, operators, developers, architects and exhibit designers make when planning and creating a new aquarium or refurbishing an existing attraction. With an aquarium, there are various elements to think about. These include the design of the building itself, the visitor experience and layout, and the animals and marine life that will feature. 

The design of aquariums is constantly evolving alongside our understanding of animals. Recent aquariums to open include Merlin’s Sea Life Aquarium in New Jersey, the National Aquarium in Abu Dhabi, Missouri’s Aquarium at the Boardwalk, the St Louis Aquarium at Union Station, and The Sea Shell in Vietnam. 

The Sea Life Aquarium offers 10 exhibits inspired by iconic landmarks in New York City and New Jersey. Highlights include an underwater tunnel filled with sharks and rays. St. Louis Aquarium, designed by PGAV Destinations, is housed within the 125-year-old Union Station and showcases its key features. Elsewhere, The National Aquarium at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi is the largest aquarium in the Middle East. It is home to 46,000 freshwater and marine creatures. 

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is the first SeaWorld park outside of the US. It boasts the world’s largest aquarium with 25 million litres of water.