Hawaii Waikiki Aquarium Tour

Waikiki Beach, with its clear waters and soft sands, is probably the most famous beach in Hawaii. This beach stretches roughly from north to south. At the southern edge of the beach, the bustling scene gives way to the tranquility of the Pacific Ocean. Under the shade of tall coconut trees, a one-story building appears by the roadside, marked with the English word “Aquarium.” This is the Waikiki Aquarium. 🌴 The Waikiki Aquarium opened in 1904 and is the second oldest public aquarium in the United States. It is now affiliated with the University of Hawaii. Despite its relatively small size, this century-old institution holds several “firsts” in American aquarium history: it was the first to display the giant clam and the first to showcase the Pacific coral reef ecosystem. As an “academic” aquarium, Waikiki Aquarium excels in exhibition design, conservation, and education. In 2003, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association awarded the Munson Aquatic Conservation Exhibit Award to the “South Pacific Marine Community” display here. 🏆 For more details, see my article: Hawaii Waikiki Aquarium Notes. Jin Wencheng. World of Life. 2017(10) 1. The first image above is the entrance of the aquarium. The second image is the fringing reef display. 2. Hawaiian Monk Seal Exhibit 3. Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi), a species endemic to Hawaii 4. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Exhibit 5. Kaneohe Bay Exhibit on Oahu 6. Irregular Rice Coral (Montipora dilatata), named for its varied shapes, is endemic to Hawaii. Kaneohe Bay is one of its few known habitats. There are several clusters in the Kaneohe Bay display, a rare treasure indeed. 🌊 7. Kona Coast Exhibit 8. Red-toothed Triggerfish (Odonus niger) 9. Giant Clam Breeding Display 10. “Where Sea Meets Land” Exhibit 11. Underwater section of the “Where Sea Meets Land” Exhibit 12. Hawaiian Stream Ecosystem Exhibit 13. Hawaiian endemic freshwater fish: Hawaiian Goby (Eleotris sandwicensis) 14. Three invasive freshwater fish species in Hawaii: Sucker Fish, Arapaima, and Black and White Stingrays #Hawaii #Aquarium #USA #Tropical #Waikiki