The Georgia Aquarium holds the title, but "largest" depends on how you measure it

Yes, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is the largest aquarium in the United States by water volume. It contains 11 million gallons of water across its exhibits. However, the answer shifts if you measure by physical building size or number of animals — different aquariums lead in different categories, so what "largest" means depends on what you're counting.

The Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005 and held the world record for largest aquarium until 2012, when the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan surpassed it. Within the U.S., though, no other facility matches its water volume.

Key Takeaways

  • The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta contains 11 million gallons of water, making it the largest by volume in the United States.
  • The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan has held the world record since 2012 with a larger water volume.
  • Other major U.S. aquariums like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago are smaller by water volume but rank highly in other measures.
  • The Georgia Aquarium's size allows it to house large animals like whale sharks and beluga whales that require substantial space.

How the Georgia Aquarium compares to other major U.S. facilities

The Georgia Aquarium's 11 million gallons puts it well ahead of other major American aquariums. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, often ranked among the best in the country for exhibit design and conservation work, holds roughly 750,000 gallons. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, one of the oldest and most visited, contains about 5 million gallons — less than half the Georgia Aquarium's volume.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, holds approximately 12.9 million gallons, which would make it larger than Georgia — but most sources count it as a separate category because much of that volume is in its outdoor lagoon system rather than traditional indoor exhibits. By the standard measurement of main indoor tank volume, Georgia remains the largest.

What the Georgia Aquarium's size allows it to house

The massive water volume exists because the Georgia Aquarium was built specifically to house whale sharks and beluga whales — animals that need enormous space. The Ocean Voyager exhibit alone, which contains the whale sharks, holds 6.3 million gallons. A whale shark can reach 40 feet in length, and keeping such an animal requires tank dimensions and water volume that most facilities cannot provide.

The beluga whales live in the Cold Water Quest exhibit, which uses another significant portion of the facility's total volume. These large marine mammals were a major reason the aquarium was designed at such a scale when it opened.

How aquarium size is actually measured

When people say an aquarium is "the largest," they usually mean water volume in gallons — the standard metric in the industry. However, you could also measure by building square footage, number of exhibits, number of animals, or species diversity, and different aquariums would rank differently on each scale.

The Georgia Aquarium's claim to "largest in the U.S." is based on water volume, which is the most common way the industry reports size. If you were measuring by number of species or total animal count, the answer might be different. The Shedd Aquarium, for example, houses over 32,000 animals across more than 1,500 species, while the Georgia Aquarium focuses on fewer species with larger individual tanks.

The world record and how it changed

The Georgia Aquarium held the world record for largest aquarium from its opening in 2005 until 2012, when the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan opened its new Kuroshio Sea tank. That tank alone contains 7.5 million gallons, and the entire Okinawa facility exceeds 22 million gallons total. Several other aquariums worldwide have since surpassed Georgia's volume, but none in the United States.

Losing the world record did not change the Georgia Aquarium's status within the U.S. or its role as a major tourist attraction and research facility. The record itself is less important to most visitors than the experience of seeing the animals and exhibits.

Why size matters for animal welfare

Large water volume is not just about breaking records — it directly affects the animals' living conditions. Whale sharks and beluga whales are highly mobile in the wild and cover vast distances. A larger tank allows for more natural behavior, better water quality management, and more space for the animal to swim. The Georgia Aquarium's size was a deliberate choice to meet the needs of these specific species rather than a marketing gimmick.

That said, larger tanks do not automatically mean better conditions. Tank design, water filtration, temperature control, and enrichment activities all matter as much as raw volume. The Georgia Aquarium invests heavily in all these areas, but size alone does not determine animal welfare.

Visiting the Georgia Aquarium and what to expect

The Georgia Aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta and is one of the most visited aquariums in the world. The facility includes not just the massive Ocean Voyager exhibit but also exhibits focused on tropical fish, river systems, and cold-water species. Most visitors spend three to four hours exploring the main exhibits.

The aquarium operates year-round and offers various ticket options, from general admission to special experiences like behind-the-scenes tours. It also functions as a research facility and participates in animal conservation programs, so part of admission fees support work beyond the exhibits themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Georgia Aquarium bigger than the Monterey Bay Aquarium?

Yes, significantly. The Georgia Aquarium holds 11 million gallons compared to Monterey Bay's roughly 750,000 gallons. However, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is often ranked higher for exhibit design, conservation impact, and visitor experience despite being much smaller by volume.

Can you see whale sharks at any other U.S. aquarium?

The Georgia Aquarium is the only facility in the United States that houses whale sharks. A few other aquariums worldwide have them, but the Georgia Aquarium's Ocean Voyager exhibit was specifically designed to accommodate these massive fish.

How does the Georgia Aquarium compare to aquariums in other countries?

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the United States but ranks behind several international facilities. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan, the Dubai Aquarium, and a few others in Asia have larger water volumes. However, it remains one of the most visited and well-known aquariums globally.

What animals require the most water volume at the Georgia Aquarium?

The whale sharks and beluga whales account for the majority of the facility's water volume. The Ocean Voyager exhibit with the whale sharks alone uses 6.3 million gallons, making it the single largest tank in the facility.