Some people adore cats, others love dogs, while many are fascinated by aquarium fish. They can spend hours watching these finned creatures glide through their glass underwater worlds. Now imagine how they feel when they enter enormous aquariums filled with marine life from oceans and seas around the planet! Even the toughest visitor might find themselves quietly overwhelmed by the sight.
Dekatop presents ten of the world’s most amazing aquariums, where spectacular exhibits, underwater tunnels and extraordinary marine animals offer visitors a glimpse into life beneath the waves.
1 Georgia Aquarium. Main tank: approximately 23.8 million liters
Located in Atlanta, Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005 and quickly became one of the world’s most famous marine attractions. Its Ocean Voyager exhibit holds more than 23 million liters of water, making it one of the largest single aquarium habitats in the world. The enormous tank is home to whale sharks, manta rays and thousands of other fish. Visitors can walk through a 30-meter underwater tunnel and watch these remarkable creatures swimming overhead. It is an experience that makes the ocean feel surprisingly close.
2 Dubai Aquarium. Main tank: approximately 10 million liters
Situated inside The Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai Aquarium is one of the city’s best-known attractions. Its enormous main tank houses thousands of aquatic animals, including sharks and rays, and can be viewed through a giant acrylic panel. Visitors can also explore an underwater tunnel and visit the adjacent underwater zoo. The aquarium’s impressive viewing panel has attracted considerable attention for its size and engineering. Rather than relying on record-breaking claims, however, its real appeal lies in the spectacular view of marine life in the heart of a bustling shopping mall.
3 Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Main tank: 7.5 million liters
Located in Ocean Expo Park in Japan, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium opened in 2002 and is famous for its enormous Kuroshio Sea tank. Holding approximately 7.5 million liters of water, it measures about 35 meters wide, 27 meters long and 10 meters deep. Through a huge acrylic viewing panel, visitors can observe whale sharks, manta rays and schools of fish moving through the water. The aquarium also showcases the rich marine biodiversity of Okinawa, whose warm seas support coral reefs and an extraordinary variety of aquatic species.
4 L’Oceanogràfic. Main tank: approximately 7 million liters
Part of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain, L’Oceanogràfic is one of Europe’s major marine attractions. The complex brings together habitats representing different marine environments, from the Mediterranean and tropical seas to polar waters. Its largest aquarium, the Oceans exhibit, holds approximately 7 million liters of water. Visitors can explore underwater tunnels, observe sharks and rays, and learn about the remarkable diversity of life in the world’s oceans. The complex is an architectural attraction in its own right, combining striking modern design with marine science and conservation.
5 Turkuazoo Aquarium. Former main-tank capacity: approximately 4.9 million liters 
Turkuazoo opened in Istanbul in 2009 and became one of Turkey’s best-known large aquariums. It featured themed aquatic habitats and a spectacular underwater tunnel, allowing visitors to see sharks, rays and other marine animals from close range. The attraction was later rebranded as SEA LIFE Istanbul, so Turkuazoo is its historical name rather than the name used for the attraction today. Its tunnel and large marine exhibits helped introduce many visitors to the underwater world without having to leave the city.
6 Monterey Bay Aquarium. Main Open Sea exhibit: approximately 4.5 million liters 
Monterey Bay Aquarium in California opened in 1984 on the site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row. Its location connects the aquarium’s exhibits directly to the rich marine ecosystems of the Pacific coast. One of its most impressive attractions is the Open Sea exhibit, which holds approximately 4.5 million liters of water and features large ocean animals and schooling fish. Another highlight is the towering Kelp Forest exhibit, which recreates an underwater ecosystem found along California’s coast. The aquarium is also internationally recognised for its marine research and conservation work.
7 uShaka Sea World. A spectacular collection of marine habitats
Located in Durban, South Africa, uShaka Sea World is part of the larger uShaka Marine World entertainment complex. Its aquarium is designed around a shipwreck theme, with exhibits featuring sharks, rays, tropical fish and other marine animals. Visitors can explore underwater viewing areas and learn about ocean habitats, while the complex also offers educational activities and other marine attractions. The Cargo Hold restaurant provides an especially memorable experience, with views into a large aquarium habitat that makes dining feel like an underwater adventure.
8 Shanghai Ocean Aquarium. Underwater tunnel: 155 meters
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is one of China’s best-known aquatic attractions, located in the Lujiazui financial district near the Oriental Pearl Tower. Its themed zones take visitors through a range of aquatic environments, from the Yangtze River and Amazon rainforest to Australian waters and polar habitats. The highlight is its 155-meter underwater tunnel, where visitors can watch marine animals swimming above and around them. The aquarium also features a dedicated China zone focusing on aquatic life native to the Yangtze River, including endangered species.
9 Aquarium of Genoa. More than 70 tanks
Built for Genoa Expo ’92, the Aquarium of Genoa has grown into one of Europe’s leading aquariums. Its exhibition route includes more than 70 tanks and habitats featuring animals from a wide range of marine and freshwater environments. Visitors can encounter dolphins, sharks, penguins, manatees, jellyfish and many other species. The aquarium focuses on aquatic biodiversity and conservation, offering a journey through ecosystems from tropical seas to colder ocean waters. Its location in Genoa’s historic port also makes it a natural stop for visitors exploring the city’s maritime heritage.
10 Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA). Main tank: 3 million liters
Located at Hillarys Boat Harbour near Perth, the Aquarium of Western Australia, known as AQWA, showcases marine life from the state’s vast coastline. Its Shipwreck Coast exhibit holds approximately 3 million liters of flowing seawater and is Australia’s largest single aquarium exhibit. Visitors can travel through a nearly 100-meter underwater tunnel surrounded by sharks, rays, turtles and fish. The attraction also features coral reef habitats and exhibits representing marine environments from the cool southern ocean to the tropical waters in the north of Western Australia.
