CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2022, and on April 26, they experienced another milestone. The aquarium welcomed its two millionth general admission visitor.
The Britt family from Bratenahl were the lucky visitors and the aquarium made sure that they wouldn’t go home without something special to commemorate the milestone. The Britt family received a two-year annual pass and an aquatic-themed gift basket valued at $200.
“We come for our little guy . . . he loves seeing turtles and sharks, and he’s always talking about the octopus,” explained Chelsea Britt. “We’re into marine biology and we really appreciate nature,” added Josiah Britt.
The 10th anniversary and two millionth visitor aren’t the only accomplishments for the aquarium this year. Almost exactly a decade after it opened, the curation team announced the rare births of weedy sea dragons. The births were an event that few aquariums in the world have witnessed.
“These hatchlings were a great way to kick-off our tenth anniversary year,” says curator Ray Popik, one of five team members who have been with the Aquarium continuously since its construction. “This is a major accomplishment and we’re excited to document and share what we learn from the process with others focused on the care and conservation of this delicate species,” he says. Today the Aquarium is home to 3,600 animals representing 250 fresh and saltwater species.
The aquarium has undergone a lot of changes in the decade it has graced the Nautica Waterfront District. According to aquarium officials, almost all of its galleries have been rethemed and only the red-bellied piranha habitat has remained in its original form.
Greater Cleveland Aquarium is open 363 days a year. For more information, visit greaterclevelandaquarium.com.
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Editor's note: The video above is from and unrelated spotlight by The Greater Cleveland Aquarium's youtube channel