Tennessee Aquarium

The rivers of the southeastern United States harbor some of the highest freshwater diversity on the planet. The Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute furthers the mission of the Tennessee Aquarium by conducting scienftific studies, restoring and protecting our regions natural ecosystems, and educating the public to take conservation action. Scientifiic research is performed in a LEED Gold-certified freshwater science center on the banks of the Tennessee River. There, our scientists identify wich southeastern waters have the greatest biodiversity. This is vital for our conservation planning in the Southeast because it can be used to identify hotspots of diveristy that need protection. One signature program is the propagation and reintroduction of Lake Sturgeon to the Tennessee River. The Tennessee Aquarium and its partners have released more than 400,000 Lake Sturgeon.

The Tennessee Aquarium is a leader in environmental and conservation education and has received overwhelming acclaim for its education programs. Frequently honored for its conservation education and research work, the Aquarium has also received awards for its customer service and visitor experience, including Conservation Education of the Year from the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Office of the Governor Environmental Stewardship award, and the North American Conservation award. Aquarium educators have connected more than 2.5 million students with the natural world through the Aquariums dynamic living collection. School groups can select from several activities, including self-guided tours of the Aquarium, standards-based classroom programs, and educational IMAX films. The Aquarium offers complimentary admission and bus transportation for economically disadvantaged students in Title 1 schools.