Chattanooga, Tenn. (March 17, 2022) – Every morning before the Tennessee Aquarium opens its doors to the public, its expert staff is hard at work caring for its more than 12,000 finned and four-legged residents.
Now, guests can see what happens behind the scenes with the launch of the new Deeper Dives guided tours. This intimate experience takes groups of up to eight on an immersive adventure to discover the people and places in the Aquarium rarely seen by visitors.
Guests will get VIP treatment as a knowledgeable guide leads them to some of the Aquarium’s most exciting fresh or saltwater exhibits. They will get a chance to view animals like the toothy Sand Tiger Shark or the primordial Lake Sturgeon from a brand-new angle.
Along the way, guests will experience firsthand how animals are nurtured and nourished with live feedings or a wild encounter with an animal ambassador. They could even cross paths with husbandry staff hard at work performing fun enrichment activities.
Guests will also learn about important exhibits like the Flooded Amazon Rainforest or the Lemur Forest, which feature some of the world’s most biologically diverse habitats with animals found nowhere else on earth.
“Not everyone gets an opportunity to see these animals where they are naturally found,” says Aquarium Educator I Davis Kelley-Luker, who helped design the Deeper Dives tour. “I’m excited to bring that experience to our guests while explaining how they exist in that ecosystem together.”
The tours offer an opportunity to experience a little more of the Aquarium than guests get to see on a routine visit. Even veteran guests who think they’ve seen it all can learn something new about their favorite animals.
The tour’s limited group size makes it the perfect gift for special occasions like birthdays and weekend getaways.
“I’m also excited to showcase all the incredible behind-the-scenes work our animal care staff performs that most people don’t get to see on a regular visit,” Kelley-Luker says.
Deeper Dives tickets are $40 for Aquarium members and $85 for non-members and include regular Aquarium admission following the tour.
Tours officially begin Thursday, March 24. They are offered weekly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, and start times vary by day.
Learn more here.