Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans

Open daily except Monday, the Aquarium of the Americas features enhanced exhibits and a wonderful new animal collection.

Popular exhibits at the Aquarium include FROGS!, Adventure Island, Horses and Dragons from the Sea, and one of the most unusual residents in the Mississippi River Gallery - "Spots" the white alligator!

Visit old favorites, too - including our beloved penguins and sea otters Buck and Emma.

Special Schedule Notes

The Aquarium is open:
-New Years eve
-New Years day
-Martin Luther King Day
-Lundi Gras
-Labor Day Monday

The Aquarium is closed:
-Mardi Gras day
-Thanksgiving day
-Christmas eve
-Christmas day

Aquarium Exhibit Highlights

Penguins
The penguin colony at the Aquarium features two species of warm-water penguins: African black-footed penguins and Rockhopper penguins. Don't be surprised that there's no snow in their habitat! There are 17 species of penguin in the world and just two of them live in the Antarctic. The penguins at the Aquarium like cool but not cold temperatures. Their exhibit is about 68 degrees, but the water in their exhibit is cooler at about 60 degrees.

African black-footed penguins are found in the South and Southwest portions of Africa. They are the most numerous penguins in our exhibit and many of the birds were born there! The Rockhopper penguins came to New Orleans from Chile. You can easily spot them in the exhibit because they have orange feet and bright yellow tufts of feathers above their eyes.

At the Aquarium it takes two staff members to feed these birds: one to feed them and the second to keep track of what each bird eats. That way, we'll make sure our birds are getting plenty of the food and vitamins they need to stay healthy. Penguin feedings at the Aquarium are 10:30 am and 3:00 pm daily.

The entire penguin colony survived Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and was evacuated to Monterey Bay Aqaurium in California. On May 22, 2006 they returned home with our beloved sea otters - safe on the wings of FedEx.

Sea Otters
The Aquarium is home to two lively Southern sea otters, Buck and Emma. The Southern Sea Otter is most commonly found in waters of the north Pacific or central California - a perfect habitat for these animals who like to spend most of their day playing in the kelp forests. Our two sea otters came from Monterey Bay Aquarium in Californa when they became unable to live on their own in the wild. Come join us for the Sea Otter Feedings at the Aquarium at 2:00 pm daily.

Horses and Dragons from the Sea
The Aquarium's seahorse gallery is populated by creatures that are magical and mystical. In Seahorses, you'll learn interesting facts and encounter all kinds of incredible creatures like the seadragons whose flowing appendages conjure thoughts of mystical sea monsters. There are only 32 known species of seahorses and they live in some of the world's most threatened habitats. As their habitats decline, so do their populations. The Aquarium's husbandry is working to ensure the survival of these amazing animals through its own breeding programs, and cooperation with an international conservation team called Project Seahorse.

FROGS!
An new exhibit based on an old favorite. FROGS?Beyond Green has a new home at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas! Located on the second floor near the Sea Otters this popular exhibit features milk frogs, poison dart frogs and other favorite amphibians - in brand new habitats made beautiful with orchids and exotic plants. Lots of interactive fun, too!

White Alligator
The most unusual and mysterious resident of the Aquarium lives in the Mississippi River Gallery - "Spots" the big white alligator. One of just 18 rare white alligators found in a Louisiana swamp in 1987, Spots is white but he is not albino. He is leuclistic; a gene mutation gives him his white color and steely blue eyes. White animals are considered good luck in Cajun lore and that's certainly true for this alligator. Spots and his siblings (all male, by the way) probably wouldn't have lived long in the wild since their white coloring wouldn't camouflage them from other animals anxious to dine on tiny hatchings. Goodwill ambassadors from Louisiana, Spots and his brothers are celebrities the world over! They've appeared on many news and entertainment programs including the Tonight Show, CNN, Today Show, Nashville Network, and CBS Morning News.

Caribbean Reef
Discover the creatures of North and South America underwater! Enter the Caribbean Reef through the Aquarium's 30-foot-long aquatic tunnel where you'll lurk with creatures of all shapes and sizes, surrounded by 132,000 gallons of water.

Hotel pick-up and drop-off are not included in the price of the ticket. Please order online, or call us toll-free at 888-794-8288.