With the glow of Memorial Day weekend on the horizon, America is almost in its summer era, but at the Tennessee Aquarium, the fun has arrived ahead of schedule.
The air of celebration is thick around the Aquarium today with the news that it finished strong in this year’s USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice award to name America’s Best Aquarium.
The public ranked the Chattanooga institution No. 3 in this annual contest — tied for its highest-ever standing — beating out a national field of aquariums as far away as Texas, California and Connecticut.
News of this latest accolade adds to the fervor surrounding the downtown institution that kicked off the year with the opening of the all-new Scuttlebutt Reef gallery. This latest addition to the Ocean Journey building is a showcase of colorful, if sometimes bizarre, ocean oddities that represent a who’s who — and sometimes a “What’s that!?” — of marine life.
As they explore the new gallery, guests will investigate ocean mysteries in a thrillingly colorful collection of exhibits paired with fun interactive elements and bilingual displays. Among other species, they’ll meet enormous purple sea slugs and light-refracting jellies, fish that can “walk,” two-jawed Moray Eels, glow-in-the-dark sharks and a bustling, 6,000-gallon living reef featuring dozens of species of fish, corals and other marine invertebrates.
Also in Ocean Journey, it’s all eyes on the nests as Egg Watch 2026 continues in the Penguins’ Rock gallery. Breeding season for the Aquarium’s colony of Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins began in April with the birds busily building nests and pairing off. To date, several expectant parents-to-be have eggs with potential to yield chicks. Guests can observe all the frenetic energy from inside the gallery or, in preparation for a visit, via the Aquarium’s always-live webcam at tnaqua.org/livestream/penguins-rock/
To ensure even more guests can embark on an adventure from the mountains to the sea, the Aquarium is offering extended hours this holiday weekend.
- Friday, May 22 — 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Saturday, May 23 — 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Sunday, May 24 — 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Monday, May 25 — 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Additionally, guests visiting during evening hours this Saturday and on select Saturdays throughout the summer can take advantage of bars that will be setup in the River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings. On these dates, bars will operate from 4 p.m. until close. Offerings include beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages (soda and/or mocktails) and can be purchased with cash or card.
Visitors to Chattanooga will find the Aquarium at the epicenter of a safe, walkable community with many other attractions and dining options within easy, strollable reach. Details about upcoming downtown events, dining options and more can be found at the Chattanooga Tourism Company’s website, visitchattanooga.com
Back this summer, a popular combination ticket will bundle same-day access to one of the nation’s preeminent zoological facilities with a legendary Chattanooga attraction.
The Tennessee Aquarium + Rock City Combo Ticket lets guests begin their day on the downtown riverfront, coming face-to-face with playful North American River Otters and toothy Sand Tiger Sharks. As the sun creeps toward the afternoon horizon, they can make their way up nearby Lookout Mountain for an afternoon or evening of fairytale wonder at Rock City Gardens.
Beginning Saturday, May 23, the single-day combo ticket bundle will be available for purchase exclusively online, offering savings on both attractions that set the stage for one unforgettable day in the Scenic City. Combo passes are $64 for adults and $54 for youth ages 4–17. Children under 4 receive free admission to the Aquarium and Rock City. Guests must use tickets during operating hours at both attractions on the same day.
Guests looking to pair their Aquarium visit with a thrilling giant screen adventure will find plenty of options to satisfy their inner cinephile on Chattanooga’s largest screen at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater. During Memorial Day weekend, visitors can choose from a pair of thrilling giant-screen adventures:
- Wild Asia: Life at Extremes 3D (Screening at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) — Tour the landscapes and wildlife of the world’s largest continent in this latest cinematic voyage from the natural filmmaking experts at BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit.
- Coral Sea 3D (Screening at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) — Take the pulse of “the beating heart of the sea,” while exploring the life-rich waters of the Pacific Ocean’s Coral Sea, home to the Great Barrier Reef.
Fans of giant screen films with a more of a pop-culture bent can visit the IMAX Theater to catch a pair of limited-run Hollywood films in the coming days.
- Top Gun (Wednesday, May 20) — Feel the need for speed one last time during the final screening of this legendary Tom Cruise-led blockbuster as part of a limited-run in honor of its 40th anniversary.
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 21-June 11) — The latest romp through a galaxy far, far away focuses on the unlikely relationship between a highly skilled bounty hunter and his amphibian-eating, force-wielding foundling companion.
For a full screening schedule or to make advance ticket purchases, visit tnaqua.org/imax and explore all the Aquarium summer fun at tnaqua.org/summer/
Getting ready for your trip to Chattanooga and need some entertainment to make the miles go by quicker? Dive deeper into the Aquarium’s innerworkings and learn more about its residents and research programs through its official podcast, The Podcast Aquatic. Episodes go live bi-weekly. Listen and learn more at tnaqua.org/podcast/