Oklahoma Aquarium

Oklahoma Aquarium

Main entrance
Date opened May 28, 2003 (2003-05-28)[1]
Location Jenks, Oklahoma, United States
Coordinates 36°01′10″N 95°57′26″W / 36.019488°N 95.957165°W / 36.019488; -95.957165Coordinates: 36°01′10″N 95°57′26″W / 36.019488°N 95.957165°W / 36.019488; -95.957165
Land area 72,000 sq ft (6,700 m2)
Website www.okaquarium.org
The mangrove environment near the Stingray Touch Tank.
A fish tank at the Oklahoma Aquarium

The Oklahoma Aquarium is 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m2) public aquarium built in 2002 and opened on May 28, 2003 in Jenks, a southern suburb of Tulsa.

The facility, designed by the architecture firm SPARKS[2] and constructed by Ross Group, features eight exhibits including sites that focus on invertebrates, Oklahoma species, Ozark habitats, a coral reef, and sharks.[3]

The aquarium also formerly housed the Karl and Beverly White National Fishing Tackle Museum, a major collection of 30,000 pieces of antique fishing tackle donated by Karl White.[4] Mr. White withdrew his collection in 2010.[5]

In July 2003, Discovery Channel's naturalist and filmmaker Nigel Marven (along with crew) documented four bull sharks at home in the architecturally innovative half-million gallon tank. The resulting shots and commentary were featured in the 2003 edition of Discovery Channel's Shark Week series.

The Oklahoma Aquarium receives part of the funding of the 1 cent county sales tax approved in 2005 by voters under Vision 2025.[6] The state legislature has authorized a specialty Oklahoma Aquarium license plate option with some of the fees going to support the facility.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Our Mission". okaquarium.org. Oklahoma Aquarium. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. ↑ Cramer, James P.; Yankopolus, Jennifer Evans (2005-11-01). Almanac of Architecture & Design 2006. Greenway Communications. pp. 301–. ISBN 9780975565421. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. ↑ Oklahoma Aquarium. "Exhibits". Oklahoma Aquarium. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Zullo, Allan; Bovsun, Mara (2004). Amazing But True Fishing Tales. Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 249–. ISBN 9780740742095. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Luther tackle collector hopes to lure bigger museum". News OK. April 8, 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. ↑ Federal funding of museums : hearing. DIANE Publishing. pp. 40–. ISBN 9781422321225.
  7. ↑ Oklahoma; Group, West; Company, West Publishing; Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company (2008). Oklahoma statutes annotated. West Group. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
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