There Will Be No Whale Sharks In Shreveport

We finally have an official opening date for Shreveport-Bossier's newest big attraction. The Shreveport Aquarium is set to open on August 31st.

As these things go, the Aquarium's construction has moved at a rapid pace.  It was only last September that Planet Aqua Group and the City of Shreveport announced that the aquarium would be moving into the Barnwell Center on the riverfront. The Center originally opened in 1970 as the R.S. Barnwell Memorial Garden and Art Center and housed a botanical conservatory.  It has been closed since 2012.

Officials with the City and Planet Aqua Group are endeavoring to manage expectations for what the aquarium will offer.  With a relatively limited space of 21,000 square feet, there will not be room for huge tanks filled with giant animals like whale sharks.  There will be about 20 different exhibits, many of them offering a hands-on experience where attendees will be able to touch a variety of sea life.

According to the Shreveport Times over 2,500 people applied for the positions that will be filled in order to operate the aquarium and its attached restaurant.  60 people will be hired and aquarium officials will begin the selection process soon.

Admission price for the Shreveport Aquarium will be $12 for adults and $8 for children.