Good Day Atlanta takes annual Spring Break trek to Tennessee Aquarium

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - What do the North American river otter, macaroni penguin, alligator snapping turtle, and sand tiger shark all have in common?

Yes, they’re all animals. But they’re also all animals you can learn more about by visiting Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium.

This morning on Good Day Atlanta, we made the two-hour drive up to Chattanooga for our annual Spring Break trip to the aquarium, a tradition which began many years ago and which we don’t plan on ending anytime soon! 

First opened in 1992 as part of a major transformation of the city’s historic riverfront area, the Tennessee Aquarium includes two separate buildings — River Journey and Ocean Journey — and a nearby IMAX theater. And right now, throughout the entire campus, guests can enjoy the incredible work of National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. 

The aquarium is currently displaying images from Sartore’s National Geographic Photo Ark, a project in which the photographer is documenting every animal species under care at the world’s zoos, aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries. Sartore has been working on the project for nearly two decades so far, and has photographed more than 15,000 species. The images at Tennessee Aquarium are being displayed on banners and graphics and through video projections, and will remain on exhibit through the end of the year. And yes, some of them were actually taken during the photographer’s visits to Tennessee Aquarium.

Along with checking out the incredible photographs this morning, we also spent some time behind-the-scenes at the aquarium, learning more about the fascinating animals and the scientists who care for them. Click the video player in this article to check out our morning in Chattanooga — and click here for more information on planning a visit to Tennessee Aquarium.