- One million visitors walk through aquarium tunnel and underwater zoo
- World’s largest acrylic viewing panel showcases over 33,000 aquatic animals
It’s official now: Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo has become one of the most visited attractions in Dubai.
This leisure attraction at The Dubai Mall recently welcomed its one millionth visitor, a landmark achieved in less than seven months of its opening. Having over one million paid visitors – who have experienced the aquarium tunnel and underwater zoo – complements the several thousands of visitors to the mall, who have free access to aquarium views.
In addition to a tour of the walk-through tunnel for close encounters with species like Sand Tiger Sharks, Rays and Giant Groupers, paid visitors can also tour the Underwater Zoo, located directly above the Aquarium on Level 2. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo has been constantly adding to the appeal to visitors with a diverse collection of aquatic animals, currently at over 220.
Mr. Arif Amiri, Senior Director, Emaar Properties PJSC said: “Leisure attractions are an integral part of the shopping mall experience today. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is by far the most popular, must-visit destination for the city’s residents and tourists from all around the world. To add to the excitement, new attractions – both in terms of diversity of species and engaging activities for visitors – are being added regularly. We look forward to achieving many such milestones.”
Mr. Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dubai today, and has been driving strong visitor flow to the mall. The milestone of having one million paid visitors, in less than seven months, also highlights the success of The Dubai Mall as one of the most popular leisure destinations in the city.”
A new attraction at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is the Shark Dive, introduced for the first-time ever in the region within a mall environment. The newly-introduced Shark Dives have opened doors to professionals as well as first time divers.
The Dubai Aquarium measures 51m x 20m x 11m and features the Guinness World Record for the largest viewing panel at 32.8m wide x 8.3m high. With the capacity to hold 10 million litres of water, the aquarium illuminates the marvels of the ocean and showcases one of the most diverse collections of aquatic life worldwide. The 270-degree walkthrough tunnel enables visitors to get closer views of the aquatic animals.
Underwater Zoo features penguins, seals, crocodiles and water rats, among its rich diversity of species. It offers an interactive approach to educating children and visitors on the ecology and sustainability of marine life. Following the journey of a raindrop in the sky, falling from the tropical rainforest to the wide open seas, children can walk through various aquatic environments.
Visitors to the aquarium revel at the sight of underwater divers feeding the Sand Tiger Sharks. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo organises exclusive programs for children as well. Tours of the aquarium and zoo inform them of the important messages of environmental care in a fun and interactive way. A team of marine educators help visiting school groups and visitors to understand animal behavior.
Amongst other leisure attractions at The Dubai Mall are the Olympic-size Dubai Ice Rink and The Waterfall, which traverses four levels of the mall. SEGA Republic, the region’s first SEGA indoor theme park; KidZania®, a unique children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept and the 22-screen Reel Cinemas will open later this year.
