Maui Ocean Center is in the running for best aquarium

The Maui Ocean Center is in the running for best aquarium in the country. USA TODAY selected the Maui Ocean Center as a nominee on its Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The Maui aquarium is among a list of 20 under consideration by the publication as the best for their high-quality exhibits and visitor interactions.

Exhibits at the Maui Ocean Center include artifacts, traditional tools, and artwork dedicated to past and present life in Hawaiʻi. “The aquarium also offers thrilling experiences and attractions like a cage-free shark dive in a 750,000-gallon tank, snorkeling tours, a turtle lagoon, and a 3D humpback whale experience,” according to the publication. 

Voting is open now until Monday, May 13 and is available online.

Other aquariums being considered include: Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey; Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana; Downtown Aquarium in Denver, Colorado; The Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida; Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia; Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah; The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut; Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California; Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut; National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland; New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts; Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky; OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona; Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois; Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas; Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia; and the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri.