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Cetacean-Free Facilities: Established & Proposed, North America
The Good News: While aquariums continue to experience growth, more than six dozen established and proposed facilities in North America have declined to exhibit cetaceans - for ethical and economic reasons.

Alphabetical by state or province

United States

California

  • Cabrillo Beach Marine Museum, San Pedro (since 1934, slated for $50 million expansion)
  • Dana Point Marine Institute, Dana Pt. (proposed)
  • Genesis Aquarium, Long Beach (proposed, $100 million)
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay (since 1984, AZA accredited)
  • Pier 30 Undersea World, San Francisco
  • Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco
  • Steven Birch Aquarium Museum, La Jolla (Scripps, $14 million expansion in 1992)
  • Underwater World, Crescent City
  • World of the Pacific, Los Angeles (proposed, $250 million)

Colorado

  • Colorado Aquarium, Inc., Westminster (proposed, $50 million)
  • Colorado's Ocean Journey, Denver (proposed, $50 million)
  • Rocky Mountain Aquarium Foundation, Estes Park (proposed, $50 million)

Connecticut

  • Maritime Center, Norwalk ($30 million, open since 1988)
  • Science Center of Connecticut, West Hartford

Delaware

  • Delaware Museum of Natural History, Wilmington

District of Columbia

  • National Aquarium (Commerce Building - Oldest in U.S.)

Florida

  • Coral Sea Aquarium, Tarpon Springs
  • Florida State Aquarium, Tampa ($90 million, opened 1995)
  • Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, Stuart
  • Key West Aquarium, Key West (opened 1934)

Georgia

  • Atlanta Undersea World, Atlanta (proposed, $22 million)

Hawai'i

  • Waikiki Aquarium, Honolulu (since 1904, AZA accredited, $30 million expansion in 1992)

Louisiana

  • Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans ($42 million, opened in 1990)

Maine

  • Maine Aquarium, Saco
  • Mt. Desert Oceanarium, Bar Harbor
  • Mt. Desert Oceanarium, Southwest Harbor
  • Ocean Adventure, Newcastle

Maryland

  • Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons

Massachusetts

  • Fisheries Aquarium, Woods Hole
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute's Exhibit Center, Woods Hole (opened 1930)

Michigan

  • Belle Isle Zoo & Aquarium, Royal Oak (since 1904, AZA accredited)

Minnesota

  • Underwater World, Bloomington (proposed, $17 million)

Mississippi

  • J.L. Scott Marine Education Center, Biloxi
  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson

Nebraska

  • AK-Sar-Ben Aquarium, Gretna

New Hampshire

  • Seacoast Science Center, Portsmouth

New Jersey

  • Thomas H. Kean New Jersey Aquarium, Camden ($52 million, opened 1992)

New Mexico

  • Albuquerque Biological Park, Albuquerque

New York

  • Buffalo Harbor Center, Buffalo (proposed, $68 million)

North Carolina

  • NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher, Kure Beach (opened 1976, AZA accredited)
  • NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach (opened 1975, AZA accredited)
  • NC Aquarium at Roanoke Island, Manteo (opened 1976, AZA accredited)
  • NC Maritime Museum, Beaufort

Ohio

  • Wilmington Aquarium, Cleveland (proposed, $30 million)
  • Great Rapids Aquarium, Cleveland (proposed, $100 million)

Oklahoma

  • Tulsa Aquarium, Jenks (proposed, $13 million)

Oregon

  • Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport
  • Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport ($14.5 million, opened 1992 - rehab only, temporary home of "Keiko")
  • Seaside Aquarium, Seaside

South Carolina

  • Ripley's Sea Adventure, Myrtle Beach ($35 million, opened 1997)
  • SC Aquarium, Charleston (proposed)

South Dakota

  • South Dakota Discovery Center & Aquarium, Pierre

Tennessee

  • Memphis Zoo Gardens & Aquarium (opened 1906, AZA accredited, $24 million renovation in 1990)
  • Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga ($45 million, opened 1992, AZA accredited)

Texas

  • Dallas Aquarium, Dallas (Part of Dallas Zoo, opened 1936)
  • Houston Zoological Gardens and Kipp Aquarium, Houston
  • San Antonio Zoo & Aquarium, San Antonio (opened 1914, AZA accredited)
  • Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi ($31.5 million, opened 1990)
  • University of Texas-Pan American Coastal Studies Lab, South Padre Island

Vermont

  • Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich

Virginia

  • Nauticus National Maritime Museum, Norfolk (opened 1994)
  • Virginia Beach Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach
  • Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point

Washington

  • Arthur D. Feiro Marine Lab, Port Angeles
  • Marine Science Center, Port Townsend
  • Marine Science Center, Poulsbo
  • Of Sea and Shore Museum, Port Gamble
  • Seattle Aquarium, Seattle (opened 1977, AZA accredited)

Canada

British Colombia

  • Pacific Underground Gardens, Victoria

New Brunswick

  • Aquarium and Marine Center, Shippagan
  • Huntsman Marine Aquarium Museum, St. Andrews

Newfoundland

  • Newfoundland Freshwater Resource Center, St. Johns
  • Ocean Science Center, St. Johns

Nova Scotia

  • Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Luneburg

Ontario

  • Ripley's Sea Adventure, Toronto

Prince Edward Island

  • Prince Edward Island Maritime Aquarium, Cavendish

Quebec

  • Aquarium du Quebec, Quebec City
  • The Biodome, Montreal (opened 1992, $58 million)

This list does not necessarily represent an endorsement of facilities identified.