Adventure Aquarium

The Adventure Aquarium, formerly known as the New Jersey State Aquarium is a for-profit entertainment attraction located in Camden, New Jersey, on the Delaware River Camden Waterfront by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It was originally opened in 1992. It reopened in its current form May 25, 2005. The aquarium houses approximately 8,000 animals that live in a variety of freshwater, semi-aquatic and marine habitats. The facility has a total volume of more than 2 million US gallons (7 600,000 L) and a public floor area of 200,000 feet (19,000 M2).

The New Jersey State Aquarium was designed to revitalize Camden's waterfront. It will serve as a focal point for high-rise residential buildings, a shopping center, and a hotel. This proposal was intended to change Camden's negative image and bring in additional revenue. The success of other cities, including Baltimore, with their own marine life centres inspired the New Jersey legislature to approve the bill. Governor Thomas Kean signed the bill into law. The aquarium was originally known as the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden. It was managed by the non-profit New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences. This organization was chartered in 1989 to manage the aquarium and promote its conservation and education mission. The Academy was responsible for the design and construction the original attraction together with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

The aquarium adopted a baby Cape porcupine on September 11, 2018. It was placed at Hippo Haven. The public was invited to name the animal using donation boxes. All proceeds went towards the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe.

In an effort to reduce oceanic pollutants, the Adventure Aquarium uses recycled cutlery and straws made from plant-based materials in accordance with Fins for the Future (a Delaware shore conservation initiative). The aquarium has been hosting an annual Hippo Awareness festival that supports the Turgwe Hippo Trust since 2014. It held a weekend of awareness about sea turtles on President's Day 2019. The aquarium also works with the Pine Knoll Shores Sea Turtle Program and the North Carolina Aquarium to care for and rehabilitate newly hatched turtles. Since 1998, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has included their African penguin exhibit in its species protection program. It has successfully bred 26 African penguins since then.

The Shark Bridge, a V-shaped suspension span, is located above the shark tank. This V-shaped suspension bridge measures 81 feet in length and was the longest in the world at 81 feet as of 2016.

In spring 2007, wind turbines were installed on North Building's roof.

The exhibits include the "West African River Experience", which features Nile hippopotamuses. The Walt Disney Company sent Genny and Button, two females, from their Animal Kingdom park in Lake Buena Vista. They were both eight and five years old, respectively. The animals can live up to 55 years in captivity.

The Jules Verne Gallery is also located in the North Building. It houses Japanese spider crabs and sea dragons, jellyfish, jellies, and giant Pacific octopus. Also, the Shark Realm features sand tiger and sandbar sharks. A 40-foot (12-meter-long) shark tunnel can be viewed from the ceiling. Visitors can swim with the sharks in the tank by arrangement. The Swim with the Sharks program allows guests snorkel along the perimeter of the tank through a concrete channel. Guests then end the swim by hand feeding the animals in the "ray tray".