Immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of the Tennessee Aquarium like never before.
The Aquarium is pleased to offer new ways for guests to peek behind the curtain to see just what it takes to feed and care for our animals. With two different tours available, you will be able to customize your visit with the tour that best suits your interests and schedule.
Experience the unseen magic of the Tennessee Aquarium alongside a knowledgeable Aquarium educator as you go on an exclusive guided tour or participate in feeding some of our marine life. Whether you’re a long-time Aquarium member or a first-time visitor, our in-depth tours are guaranteed to enhance your experience!
All tours are subject to availability and must be booked online before your Aquarium visit. Please visit the registration link to view available dates and times.
Deeper Dives: A Guided Tour
Price per participant: $45 for Members / Non-Members can add a Deeper Dives: A Guided Tour onto their Aquarium admission ticket for $50
Availability: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings one hour before the Aquarium opens. Start time varies by day. Please check the registration link for your tour’s start time. (Please note that Chattanooga is in the Eastern time zone.)
Age requirement: All participants must be at least 8 years old. Participants between the ages of 8-17 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Group size: Limited to a total of 8 guests. A minimum of 2 participants is required to book a tour.
Say, “Good morning!” to some of the Aquarium’s amazing animals during this exclusive guided tour that takes place before opening hours. You will have the opportunity to soak in the beauty of the Aquarium and greet the day alongside our animals and animal care staff.
A knowledgeable Aquarium educator will spend 1.5 hours guiding you and your party through the River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings, where you will gain a new perspective on your favorite exhibits and get a peek behind the scenes to see how the animals are cared for each morning. You will even have the unique chance to meet one of our ambassador animals during your tour.
Set your alarm clock and experience the magic of mornings here at the Tennessee Aquarium!
Deeper Dives: Feeding Frenzy
Price per participant: $30 for Members / Non-Members can add a Deeper Dives: Feeding Frenzy tour onto their Aquarium admission ticket for $35
Availability: Wednesday and Friday from 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. (Please note that Chattanooga is in the eastern time zone.)
Age requirements: All participants must be at least 8 years old. Participants between the ages of 8-17 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Group Size: Limited to a total of 6 guests. A minimum of 2 participants is required to book a tour.
Have you ever wondered why the Aquarium’s sharks don’t snack on their exhibit mates? You’re not alone! Join an Aquarium educator and aquarist behind the scenes of Ocean Journey. During this experience, you’ll assist in feeding our Secret Reef exhibit and learn about the diets of our marine life. Our largest exhibit, Secret Reef contains 618,000 gallons of water and is home to sharks, a Green Sea Turtle, rays, colorful reef fishes, and more!
You will spend half an hour in the afternoon participating in a scatter-feeding experience, witnessing how the sharks and rays eat, and learning about the animals you meet from the aquarists who care for them. Feed your curiosity and our animals during this one-of-a-kind Aquarium experience.
The Feeding Frenzy tour involves contact with shellfish and other seafood. Those with allergy concerns are advised against participating or should contact us for more information.
Make your visit unforgettable by booking your Feeding Frenzy today!
Safety Policies
Aquarium education programs are following CDC recommendations for schools. This means that indoor mask requirements will be determined by current covid community transmission levels. When transmission levels are at green or yellow, masks will not be required for Deeper Dives tours. At red levels, masks will be required indoors for all Deeper Dives tours regardless of vaccination status.
All participants are required to complete a waiver and brief wellness self-assessment prior to their tour date.
Some areas during the tour may not be fully accessible due to loud sounds, bright or low lighting, uneven terrain and/or tight spaces. Please contact our Education Department at (423-785-3066) or (edu-mail@tnaqua.org) for specific information pertaining to accessibility accommodations and allergy concerns.
Getting ready for your tour
- All participants must wear comfortable closed-toe shoes.
- Plan to arrive ten minutes before your designated start time.
- Deeper Dives: A Guided Tour will meet in front of River Journey.
- Deeper Dives: Feeding Frenzy will meet in the Ocean Journey lobby.
- All participants must sign a waiver in order to participate in the tour. Participants aged 8-17 will need a waiver signed by their accompanying paid adult.
Reservation Policies
- A minimum of 2 participants are required to book tour.
- The Aquarium reserves the right to cancel. In the event that the Aquarium cancels program, participants will be notified and offered a full refund or an opportunity to reschedule.
- No refunds for cancellations made less than 7 days prior to program start date.
- Cancellations made more than 7 days prior to the program will receive a full refund.
- Cancellations may be done via phone at 423-785-3066 or by email.
- Refunds will not be issued for no-shows.