A Letter from our Executive Director

• 2007 Georgia Aquarium Annual Pass
• Aqua Vino – Join Us!
• 4R Animals Find Home in Cold Water Quest presented by Georgia Pacific
• GEORGIA AQUARIUM WELCOMES 3,000,000^th GUEST
• Announcing The Correll Center for Aquatic Animal Health
• Creature Feature
• Atlanta CityPass Debuts in September
• Zoo Atlanta – A to Z & Boo at the Zoo
• Stone Mountain
• Philips Arena – Sesame Street Live
• Wine South Atlanta
• Downtown Connects Card
• Georgia Aquarium In the News!
• Visitor Tips & Updates

2007 Georgia Aquarium Annual Pass

Your response to our 2006 annual pass program was remarkable. We are now thrilled to announce the opening of our annual pass program for 2007. Starting Sept. 1, 2006, Georgia Aquarium will begin offering 2007 annual passes. Experiencing the Georgia Aquarium’s 120,000 animals and 500 different species in more than eight million gallons of water is impossible in just one visit. Be sure to reserve your pass today as the number of available annual passes is limited. AND we have added some great new benefits for 2007!

2007 Benefits

• Guaranteed admission with advance reservations
• Special Member’s Entrance – NEW!
• 10% gift shop discount
• 10% café discount
• 10% Deepo’s 3D Undersea Wondershow discount – NEW!
• 10% Georgia Aquarium Behind the Scenes Tours discount – NEW!
• 10% Georgia Aquarium commemorative photos discount – NEW!
• 10% Georgia Aquarium parking garage discount – NEW!
• Downtown Connect Card – NEW!
• Members only hours and events – NEW!
• Georgia Aquarium bi-monthly e-newsletter – NEW!
• Discounts on Aquarium programs

Renew Today!

By purchasing an Annual Pass, you pay for the entire year in just over two visits! You can enjoy this one-of-a-kind aquarium experience again and again for only:

• Adult $62.50
• Child (3-12) $45.50
• Senior (55+) $51.50

Splash Now! Program

For only an extra $10 you can activate your pass today and get 2006 benefits through Dec. 31!

2007 passes and benefits are valid from Jan. 1, 2007, through Dec. 31, 2007. With a Splash Now pass your benefits can start today!

Aqua Vino – Join Us!

Celebrate the world’s finest wines, exquisite cuisine and extraordinary wildlife art while you gaze at the wonders of the sea in the world’s largest aquarium on Oct. 21, 2006, from 7:30-11 p.m. You’ll enjoy a diverse collection of international wines, while tasting delectable fare created by Wolfgang Puck Catering. You’ll see things you’ve never seen before in our living collection and in the wildlife art exhibition, including newly created paintings, glass and sculptures. You will not want to miss the opportunity to bid on amazing silent auction packages, all benefiting our veterinary services and conservation medicine programs.

Georgia Aquarium is dedicated to becoming the global source for aquatic animal health and aquatic conservation. We partnered with the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, establishing the first ever integration of a teaching hospital with an aquarium. This program will expand beyond the walls of the aquarium as we build partnerships with reputable global conservation partners in an effort to affect global aquatic conservation. Proceeds from Aqua Vino will support and help grow this important part of our mission, “to be an entertaining, educational and scientific institution featuring exhibits and programs of the highest standards, offering engaging and exciting guest experiences and promoting the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world.”

Click here to purchase tickets or to become a sponsor of Aqua Vino 2006.

We are looking for talented artists specializing in wildlife or water-themed art to be a part of our wildlife art exhibition weekend Oct. 20-22, 2006. Guests will be able to purchase your artwork during Aqua Vino with a percentage going back to support Georgia Aquarium’s Veterinary Services and Conservation Medicine Program. For more information on participating in our art exhibition, please email fundraisingevents@georgiaaquarium.org

4R Animals Find Home in Cold Water Quest presented by Georgia Pacific

With the groundbreaking and innovative research taking place at Georgia Aquarium, we want to give our supporters every opportunity to enjoy our facility and be involved in its development. The 4R program enables faithful patrons and aquatic animal lovers to do just that. By contributing to the 4R program we are able to fund the Rescue, Relocation, Rehabilitation and Research of our extensive and expanding exhibits.

As many visitors may recall, the 4R Program was primarily utilized during the relocation of Nico and Gasper, our two male beluga whales, from their previous unsuitable habitat located in a Mexico City amusement park. Building upon a successful launch, the 4R program extended its efforts when it rescued Nav and Diego, two orphaned California sea lions. Georgia Aquarium was contacted by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, who had rescued and nursed the pups back to health. The facility then released them back into the wild twice with no success. It was determined that the pups would not be able to survive on their own in the wild due to lack of hunting skills. This left them in great need of a safe domestic home. Thanks to the generous contributions to the 4R program, Georgia Aquarium was able to provide housing and transportation, thereby rescuing Nav and Diego from being euthanized. Nav and Diego now reside with six other sea lions in Georgia Aquarium’s Cold Water Quest presented by Georgia Pacific.

Click here to learn more or support Georgia Aquarium’s 4R Program.

AQUARIUM WELCOMES 3,000,000^th GUEST

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, exactly nine months since opening, Georgia Aquarium welcomed our three millionth guest, becoming the first U.S. aquarium in 75 years to record the milestone number within the first year. It has been reported that Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium recorded four million guests the first full year after it opened on May 30, 1930.

Cathy Kleiser and her children, Becky and Ben, of Toronto, Canada, were greeted by Aquarium benefactor Bernie Marcus and Executive Director Jeff Swanagan. The Kleiser family received numerous gifts from the Aquarium, including an annual pass for 2007 and prizes from Aquarium sponsors: Accenture, AirTran Airways, BellSouth, The Coca-Cola Company, Comcast, Georgia-Pacific, Glenn Hotel, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, The Home Depot, Kenwood, Marriott Marquis, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton Atlanta, Southern Company, SunTrust Bank and Turner Broadcasting.

It was Bernie Marcus who, at the opening of the Aquarium, first predicted that three million people would visit the Aquarium in its first year, while others believed the number would run somewhere around two million. “The people of Atlanta and Georgia have embraced this Aquarium from its very first day,” Marcus said. “And, we have been fortunate to have visitors from every U.S. state, as well as foreign guests. I am particularly pleased that many of our annual pass holders have visited two and three times in nine months. They have found there is something new to see and experience each time they come, and we plan to continue adding to the excitement of the galleries.”

Governor Sonny Perdue applauded the Georgia Aquarium staff. “The team at Georgia Aquarium ensured that each of the three million guests had a positive and unique experience during their visit,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Georgia Aquarium’s customer-focused strategy is setting an inspiring example that we’re working hard to replicate in state government. The Aquarium is one of the many reasons that downtown Atlanta is recognized as a tourist destination around the world.”

Announcing The Correll Center for Aquatic Animal Health

A.D. “Pete” Correll, retired chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and his wife Ada Lee have helped ensure the success and planned expansion of Georgia Aquarium’s aquatic animal medicine and aquatic conservation programs through their $2.5 million gift.

Pete Correll explained that their participation is “to help grow the spectacular gift that Bernie and Billi Marcus made to Atlanta and Georgia by presenting us with the Georgia Aquarium.”

Both Pete and Ada Lee Correll are graduates of the University of Georgia (UGA). Pete Correll is a member of the Aquarium’s Board of Advisors. The Corrells were particularly gratified by the unique opportunities that the Correll Center will offer UGA students and faculty in both research and teaching.

The 10,000 square-foot Correll Center for Aquatic Animal Health is a partnership between Georgia Aquarium and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. UGA faculty and graduate students research and train at the Correll Center, the first aquatic veterinary teaching hospital integrated into an aquarium.

Creature Feature

The leafy and weedy sea dragons that reside in Georgia Aquarium’s Cold Water Quest, presented by Georgia Pacific, may look more like floating plants than aquatic animals. That is because the sea dragon’s appearance allows it to blend into kelp and algae beds in order to protect itself from predators. In order to blend in, the sea dragon’s fins, located on the back, sides and stomach, are almost invisible, allowing it to appear more like it is floating along rather than swimming.

The sea dragon is indigenous to Southern Australia, but we received ours from a certified collector. Because the sea dragon is on the threatened species list, only certain collectors are allowed to capture them for breeding. Only gravid males (those containing eggs) can be caught. Once the eggs hatch, the collectors are required to release these male sea dragons back into the wild.

Along with the sea otters, the sea dragons are the most expensive animal to feed in Cold Water Quest. The sea dragons are fed live and frozen mysid shrimp three times a day. Because many of the young sea dragons are not accustomed to eating frozen shrimp, the Aquarium has to continue to serve live shrimp, which adds up to a cost of at least $50,000 per year.

The sea dragons are also a very difficult exhibit to maintain, according to Georgia Aquarium biologist Kerry Gladish. Gladish is responsible for maintaining the habitat of the sea dragons, which includes feeding them three times a day and monitoring their environment closely. In order to feed them, Gladish pours their food through a tube that she lowers into the water. She has to make sure the sea dragons are eating enough and that there is no competition among the group.

Gladish also follows a specific lighting schedule for the sea dragons. “They are on a 12- hour cycle right now (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.),” Gladish said. “We put covers over the exhibit every night to keep the ambient light in the gallery from entering the exhibit.” Any mistake in their care could result in stress among the group.

A sea dragon has an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years and it reaches sexual maturity between 18 months to two years old. Gladish is hoping both our weedy and leafy sea dragons will mate. “When the animals are ready to mate, we will need to change the light cycle to replicate their natural environment, which means the lights can be on 24 hours a day to induce mating,” Gladish said. Other aquariums have had success in breeding the weedy sea dragons, but no one has successfully bred the leafy sea dragons. By looking closely at the exhibit, the sea dragons can be caught practicing their courting dance, which involves curling their tales as they slowly twist up toward the surface of the water.

Atlanta CityPass Debuts in September

CityPass celebrates its tenth year with Atlanta, a city revealing a new era with the biggest line-up of attractions in its history. Atlanta CityPass launches Sept. 6, showcasing the city’s fresh face, historic traditions, architecture and attitude and its distinctive flavors, while introducing visitors to ground-breaking ideas. Like all urban CityPass programs, the price will be close to 50% of the combined admission prices, which puts the Atlanta CityPass at $59 for adults and $45 for children age 3-12. Booklets will be valid for nine days from the first day of use and may be purchased on-line in advance or at the first attraction visited.

The Atlanta CityPass line up includes:
Georgia Aquarium, High Museum of Art, Inside CNN Studio Tours, The World of Coca-Cola, Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Zoo Atlanta OR Atlanta History Center.

Purchase or learn more about Atlanta’s CityPass – CLICK HERE!

Zoo Atlanta – A to Z & Boo at the Zoo

Zoo Atlanta has some exciting events coming up this fall. Hop on MARTA’s A to Z route that runs from Georgia Aquarium to Zoo Atlanta for Boo at the Zoo, Atlanta’s premier Halloween event for kids. Stroll through festive pathways and enjoy live music, spooky storytelling, fortune tellers and a haunted barn. There are three chances to attend Boo at the Zoo; Oct. 21, 27, or 28 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Exclusively on Oct. 28, the zoo will celebrate the first birthday of Kali and Kazi, their extremely rare gorilla twins, with a gorilla-sized birthday party, complete with birthday cake and party favors!

For more information, visit www.zooatlanta.org or call 404.624.9453.

Stone Mountain

Georgia Aquarium is pleased to announce a new addition to an Atlanta tradition. Stone Mountain Park has added some of your Aquarium friends to their laser-show. You can kick back and relax on the lawn at Stone Mountain Park, and see the world's largest laser-show spectacular featuring some of the animals from the world’s largest aquarium. A Stone Mountain Park signature event and an Atlanta tradition, the show combines colorful lasers, surround sound and special effects into a 40-minute light show, choreographed to popular and patriotic music. Visit Stone Mountain Park’s Web site for more details.

Philips Arena – Sesame Street Live

Georgia Aquarium is offering you the opportunity for a special discount when Sesame Street Live “Super Grover! Ready for Action” comes to Philips Arena Sept. 7 -10. When Super Grover loses his super-ness, Sesame Street needs a hero! Never fear, your favorite Sesame Muppet friends are here. Get set to join The Fabulous Five, a new team of Sesame heroes, as they work to put the "super" back in Super Grover.

Use the password “DOROTHY” to take advantage of this special offer!

Wine South Atlanta

Be sure to visit Georgia Aquarium’s booth at the 7th Annual Wine South Festival. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Gwinnett Convention Center. Bringing together over 600 wines and Atlanta’s top restaurants, the Grand Festival Tasting is one of the most celebrated wine and food events of the year.

Your all-inclusive ticket to the Grand Festival Tasting grants you one-on-one interaction with world-renowned wine educators, sips of the best wines, food samples and cooking demonstrations by Atlanta’s top chefs, interactive seminars with wine industry insiders and much more!

For more information click here.

Downtown Connects Card

The Downtown Connects Card brings you the opportunity to experience the best Downtown Atlanta has to offer at a discounted price! Whether you're a Downtown Atlanta resident, out-of-state visitor or simply traveling in from the suburbs, the Downtown Connects card enables you to enjoy all Downtown Atlanta has to offer at a discounted price.

The free program provides special offers and discounts at Downtown attractions, restaurants, hotels, stores and museums throughout Downtown Atlanta. The card can be downloaded online or picked up at any of the many offering affiliates for unlimited use while in Downtown Atlanta.

Central Atlanta Progress brings you this card in pursuit of encouraging native Atlantans and visitors alike to enjoy all that Downtown Atlanta has to offer. The promotion of the card seeks to highlight Downtown Atlanta's assets while strengthening customer loyalty at Downtown Atlanta's businesses

Georgia Aquarium In the News!

Georgia Aquarium has remained in the national and international spotlight this month, following the media attention that surrounded the arrival of two more whale sharks, Alice and Trixie, in June. The Aquarium will be featured in a segment in the travel section of The New York Times, and the Discovery Channel satellite media tour promoting “Shark Week” broadcast live to 2.2 million people across the nation from the Ocean Voyager ballroom window.

The Discovery Channel Canada recently filmed a one-hour special titled “What’s That About,” which offers a look at what it takes to operate the world’s largest aquarium. The show will run this month in Canada and throughout 40 other countries, including the U.S. in 2007. Georgia Aquarium also recently hosted “La Ley de la Selva,” the Chilean version of Animal Planet and the country’s top show, for a 30-minute special on the Aquarium.

Locally, WXIA will continue showing weekly Georgia Aquarium segments on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of “2+2=WOW,” the WXIA documentary on Alice and Trixie, which will soon be sold on DVD in the Aquarium gift shop. More than 5,000 copies of, the first documentary produced by WXIA, “Window to Wow!” have been purchased by our guests.

Georgia Aquarium will also serve as the backdrop in the fall fashion spread for Atlanta Peach magazine. Be sure to pick up your copy when it hits the stands in a couple of weeks.

Visitor Tips & Updates

In an effort to ensure efficiency of your future visits, annual pass holders who have not taken their photo will be required to have their photo taken upon entry into the Aquarium. Annual pass holders should visit the Annual Pass Fulfillment area to have their photo taken and receive an annual pass card before entry. Please arrive prepared to have your permanent pass made with a photo ID and order confirmation number.

Coming soon! Check the Georgia Aquarium Web site before your next visit for information on how you can download an audio tour of the Aquarium to your iPod or other MP3 player. This new offering will allow you to experience a narrated guided tour of the exhibits. We will provide more details in upcoming newsletters and our website as we develop and expand this new program.

Our guests have told us that their visit is much more enjoyable when they leave their large strollers at home. We encourage you to bring a smaller or umbrella stroller. Complimentary stroller parking is available at our Information Desk/Coat Check and additional stroller corrals are available outside our galleries. Strollers are not permitted in the 4D theater.

Now that school is back in session, weekdays are a great time to visit Georgia Aquarium! After Labor Day, our hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please continue to check our Web site for extended hours.

Georgia Aquarium offers timed tickets in order to reduce your wait time, maintain our building capacity and provide you with the best experience possible. Please visit our Web site to make reservations and secure your timed tickets for your next visit.

MARTA is the most effective way to travel in Atlanta – and the most convenient. Travel to the Aquarium with MARTA’s Atlanta Tourist Loop. One-way trips are only $1.75 (need exact fare), and transfers to other MARTA buses and trains are free. Kids under six ride free.

Go from Georgia Aquarium to Zoo Atlanta using MARTA’s new A-Z bus route. Enjoy sea and land animals all in one day! Georgia Aquarium is connected to the Five Points MARTA Train station by bus Route 97. Route 97 runs from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Route 97, also known as The “A to Z,” runs seven days a week between the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta via the MARTA Five Points train station.

We are delighted to announce the addition of two new guest enhancements, The Ballroom Buffet and The Sea Lion Patio Grill. The Ballroom Buffet will be open to all guests during peak attendance periods, subject to availability. Guests will be able to choose from an array of foods, consisting of burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, variety of pasta, salads, chef’s choice of fish, desserts and soft drinks. Open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the buffet will be held in either the Artic or Indian ballroom. Located alongside the outdoor Sea Lion exhibit, Sea Lion Patio Grill will operate every weekend and during peak attendance periods, weather permitting. The grill will serve burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, ice cream and soft drinks from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Georgia Aquarium E-Newsletter | September 2006
225 Baker St, Atlanta, GA 30313

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