Dallas World Aquarium

At the Dallas World Aquarium, sea-life from numerous oceans and seas have made themselves at home. There are numerous aquatic exhibits that educate the public on plants and animals from different regions of the world.

The Dallas World Aquarium is three stories tall. The bottom two floors focus on marine life and the top floor feels more like a zoo. Although visitors to the Dallas World Aquarium might expect to find a building filled with fish, most visitors would be pleasantly surprised that there are tropical birds, vampire bats, monkeys, jaguars, and cute little penguins that make the aquarium feel like more of a habitat for all animals and not just fish. Dallas World Aquarium attempts to offer a broader learning experience by making the variety of animals on display larger. The bottom half of the aquarium has The Cenote exhibit. The Cenote is a 400,000 gallon aquarium tank that surrounds guest through a 40-foot tunnel. The aquarium encases the entire walls and ceiling of the tunnel allowing visitors to literally walk under the tanks and have a four-dimensional experience of viewing the marine life. A variety of ocean life such as sharks, sting rays, and giant groupers can be found in The Cenote.

There are five other main exhibits at the Dallas World Aquarium. The exhibits are Wilds of Borneo, Orinoco - Secrets of the River, The Aquarium, South Africa's exhibit, and the Mundo Maya exhibit. The Mundo Maya exhibit is a broad exhibit that features birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians. The exhibit has a large range of different bird species. Hummingbirds, storks, and even eagles are part of the display at the Mundo Maya. The star of the exhibit is the Jaguar and Ocelot. They take turns in a three-story exhibit equipped with climbing space and access to water.

Although portions of the Dallas World Aquarium may feel like a zoo, many of the animals that are housed in the aquarium will not be found in typical zoos. The aquarium showcases hundreds of animals and provides most of them with a highly similar environment that matches their natural habitat. Many of the water based animals seem to be properly accommodated with these conditions.

The Dallas World Aquarium also leaves room for interactive entertainment. Performances, feedings, and talks are given at differ times during the day. The main animals involved in the interactive portion of the aquarium are the crocodiles, otters, jaguar, sharks, and penguins. Fans of the Dallas World Aquarium who want to have a consistent link to the animals at the aquarium have access to internet net-cams that follow the manatees and leafy sea dragons around in their tanks.

Dining is also available at the Dallas World Aquarium. There are four areas where food can be purchased, six bars, and two restaurants are located at various points throughout the aquarium. On the first floor of the aquarium is a restaurant called The Reef Room. Cafe Maya is located on the third level and has an outdoor patio area where customers can dine. The admission fee for adults is $18.95 and children pay $10.95.