Landry's opened the Downtown Aquarium in 2003 on a six-acre site built around two old city landmarks, Fire Station No. 1 and the Central Waterworks Building, and filled it with about 500,000 gallons of tanks. Inside the Aquarium Adventure exhibit, kids wander from a Louisiana swamp to a shipwreck, a sunken temple and a rainforest. The showstopper is the Maharaja's Temple, where the tigers live: Apollo, a Bengal rescued as a cub in San Antonio, and Zara and Kirana, Sumatran sisters born in 2023 who arrived in 2025 through a conservation breeding program. Outside, the Shark Voyage train rolls through a tunnel surrounded by sharks, the Diving Bell Ferris Wheel lifts you above the grounds, and there's a carousel and small drop tower for younger riders. You can stroll the grounds for free and pay only for what you ride.
What to expect
- The lot directly behind the building is $15, or $18 for valet; pay by QR code.
- No outside food, coolers or even bottled water; there are concession stands outside.
- Strollers stay out of exhibits and ride lines, and there's no stroller check.
- Leave the aquarium exhibit and you can't return unless you hold the all-day wristband.
- The aquarium exhibit is indoors; the rides are outdoors and close in bad weather.
What to do
- Watch the tigers swim and climb at the Maharaja's Temple
- Ride the Shark Voyage train through the shark tunnel
- Take the Diving Bell Ferris Wheel for a view of the downtown skyline
- 2003Opened
- About 500,000 gallonsTank volume
- 6 acresSite
- 1 Bengal, 2 SumatranTigers