"Newport, Kentucky..June 2001 " a Newport Travel Page by butterflykizzez04

http://www.newportaquarium.com/

A state-of-the art facility, the Newport Aquarium brings to the banks of the Ohio River some of the world's most advanced, creative technology -- not to mention amazing animals -- all designed to take you around the globe, visiting each continent, every ocean and hundreds of waterways in between.
And what a way to travel: Underwater tunnels. See-through floors. Walk-around exhibits. And a touch pool. No one before has combined, with such mesmerizing flare, the magic of entertainment and the power of education.

We'll sweep you away . .

How It All Began
The Newport Aquarium grew out of the vision of five Greater Cincinnati businessmen who wanted to share with the city their mutual love for fish and the environment.

Planning began in 1990. Groundbreaking took place in November 1997. Less than 18 months later, the doors opened May 15, 1999.

Since opening the Newport Aquarium has hosted millions of visitors, resulting in a tremendous annual economic impact on the Greater Cincinnati area.

On May 29, 2004, the Newport Aquarium opened a new permanent exhibit featuring Asian small-clawed river otters, lorikeets and pythons. This exhibit is part of a $4.5 million expansion paid for with private funds. Temporary/rotating exhibit and additional event space is slated to open in 2005.

Art That Surrounds You
His precision with a paintbrush is matched only by his eye for light, color and pure captivation. He's Eric Henn, a Franklin, Ohio, native whose artistry will surround you with 17 wall-blanketing murals. He'll carry you to the dark, humid Southern Bayou... to the frightening ocean's depths where giant squid and great whites roam...to the colorful tranquility of the coral reef.

Each mural is so intricate and lavish, they'll invite you to step inside.

An Arctic scene, stretching 120 feet long and 22 feet high, beckons you to join nearly 100 playful seals balancing on icebergs. Notice the two polar bears, so life-like you can see each hair in their wintry coats and their warm breath as it hits the arctic air. Eric spent nearly three full days painting each bear, with more than 40,000 brush strokes and 32 colors devoted to their fur coats alone.

A 25-foot long Plesiosaur with sharp-toothed mouth open wide, sends a shiver right through you as it harks back to the days of dinosaurs.

The colorful Coral Reef scene surrounds you with the beauty of the deep as you enter the Aquarium. This is our longest mural, measuring 98 feet long. It's also our most detailed, requiring 35 days or 420 hours to complete. One detail: there are more than 500 bubbles streaming from the featured diver's mask.
Quick Facts
Our creative design and amazing collection of critters will mesmerize and mystify. Catch your breath, because we're going in . . .

• 1 Million Gallons of Water
• 100,000 Square Feet
• 2.5 Levels
• 7,000 Marine Animals
• 600 Species
• 66 Exhibits
• 200 Feet of Clear, Underwater Tunnels
• 3 Sections of See-Through Flooring
• 380,000-Gallon Shark Tank
• 17 Larger-than-life Murals
• 12 Themed Galleries
• 16 Original Soundtracks

One of the Nation's Largest Open-Air Shark Viewing Exhibits
Five of the World's Only Seamless Underwater Tunnels

Designed to Dazzle
It's not just our curious critters that amaze and captivate. Our building is more than spectacular, too. In fact, we've put just as much energy and ambition into our interior design as we have into our animal selection. We think you'll agree that the result is nothing short of amazing. Here's a sneak-peak at what's inside:

Seamless Acrylic Tunnels
Look Ma, No Bands! Our underwater tunnels, totaling 200 feet, are among the very few in the world that are completely seamless. Designed and manufactured in Colorado, each is one solid piece of acrylic, resulting in a 100% unobstructed view of the watery world that surrounds you. You'll walk on the wet side in a Kelp Forest; a Moray Eel Hideaway; a flooded Amazon Rainforest; a colorful Coral Reef; and a shark feeding ground, Surrounded by Sharks.

See-Through Floors
Step lively 'cause sharks are swimming and 'gators slinking under foot! We've added three sections of acrylic flooring that give you one of the most unexpected views in the country. In 'Gator Bayou, a wooden footbridge that crosses a reptilian swamp, is fitted with two large see-through sections, so that, without notice, you're looking down into the beady eyes of ferocious man-eaters. You'll step onto a third piece of acrylic in Surrounded by Sharks, where swarming predators will be on all sides, overhead and, suddenly, underneath you. Unsettling? You bet ya.

Visiting the Aquarium
Some of the world's most magical and mysterious underwater creatures are showcased here with unrivaled engineering marvel and a heavy splash of showmanship.
The Newport Aquarium features thousands of animals and nearly 600 species, including tropical sharks, Antarctic penguins, American alligators and fish from all over the world. In all, there are 66 exhibits totaling one million gallons of fresh and salt water.

Conveniently located, easily accessed and staffed by a family friendly team, we'll make your visit as enjoyable as it will be entertaining and educational.

Allow two hours for your visit. You won't want to miss a thing.

Hours*
The Newport Aquarium is open 365 days a year, with extended summer and holiday hours to maximize visitor enjoyment. Open daily: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.