Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center — Aquarium in Riverhead

Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center and its collection

Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center, opened in 2000, is an aquarium in Riverhead, United States.

The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation was given space inside the building.

History

The town bought the land in 1995, expecting the Okeanos Foundation of Hampton Bays to run the aquarium as part of a waterfront rehabilitation scheme, but Okeanos failed to raise the money. Building started in 1999 and the doors opened on 15 June 2000.

Exhibits

A reef tank of 20,000 gallons counts, in the Western Hemisphere, among the biggest displays of entirely living coral. Indoors there are also sharks, a giant Pacific octopus, jellyfish, a Japanese spider crab, an electric eel and a touch tank. The legend of Atlantis supplies the styling of the entrance and the interior.

What the venue says

• Interactive Touch Tanks
• Shark Dives
• swimming with mermaids
• Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat
• On-site dining options are available (such as the aquarium's café) offering family-friendly bites, snacks, and beverages
• On-site parking is available for visitors directly adjacent to the facility.
• The facility is generally wheelchair and stroller accessible throughout its main indoor and outdoor exhibits, though some special tours or older pathways may have specific considerations.