Located next to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium opens since 2002. Covering an area of 20,500 square meters, the aquarium is one of world’s largest artificial aquariums and it receives nearly 2 million visitors every year. With the longest underwater viewing tunnel, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is highly recommended for a half-day trip for the family tour with children.
The outward shape of the building is like a pyramid. The aquarium is divided into nine distinct thematic zones, designed to replicate different habitats for the various species. It is home to more than 15,000 marine animals comprising of 450 unique species from five continents and four oceans.
Visitors could explore the Giant Salamander, Electric Eels, Spotted Seals, Weedy Seadragons, Jellyfish, Sand Tiger Sharks and other species there. Rounding off this amazing underwater world tour, visitors can view the world's first “China Zone”, housing endangered Chinese aquatic animals from the Yangtze River like the Chinese Sturgeon, Yangtze Alligator and so on.
In certain time, the visitors could see the aquarium staff feeding the marine animals. Visitors could not either miss the 155-meter underwater viewing tunnel, where the water creatures swim right above the head.
The aquarium opens daily from 09:00 till 18:00 except the Chinese New Year Holiday, Chinese National Day Holiday or the Summer Holiday. During these peak time, the aquarium extends the opening hour till 21:00 for the large amount of the visitors.
The aquarium exhibits the marine animals with introduction of their habits, history and the geographical and cultural features of their original regions. Hence the aquarium is suitable for the children or the students in an educational purpose. Not only as a tourist attraction, the aquarium also aims to protect and inspire marine conservation. It intends to raise the awareness of the public to pay more attention to protect the marine animals as well as the environment.