Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Looking forward, The Living Planet holds a vision for the future that includes a larger aquarium for the people of Utah. The new Aquarium, located in Draper at 12033 S. Lone Peak Parkway, will be an iconic and unique building, encompassing over 136,000 square feet. It will provide a new and exciting activity in which the whole family can participate throughout the entire year. In addition to pure entertainment, it will offer educational programs, field trips, and hands-on learning that would not otherwise be accessible to Utah's children.

The first floor of the new Aquarium will feature marine, freshwater, and rain forest exhibit galleries, a 400 seat banquet hall, café and gift shop. The Discover Utah Gallery will exhibit freshwater aquatic species, amphibians and mammals indigenous to Utah. The North American River Otter Exhibit will be the premiere attraction showcasing these lively animals in both an indoor and outdoor environment.

The Ocean Explorer Gallery will host a myriad of marine species such as octopus, stingrays, seahorses and other deep sea creatures. The highlight feature of this gallery will be the 300,000 gallon shark tank with a 40-foot walk-through tunnel.

The Journey To South America Gallery will be a vibrant exhibition of rainforest species and will include Amazon river giants, free-flight tropical birds, Caiman, giant Anaconda, Electric Eels, poison arrow frogs and dozens of other exotic Amazon species.

The Penguin Encounter will feature up to 50 birds and may include several penguin species. The Penguin Encounter will be the centerpiece of the Bottom of the World exhibits which include the Deep Sea Gallery and the interactive undersea submersible.

A scale model replica of an ocean-going National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessel will serve as the gateway for our visitors' educational adventure and reinforce TLPA's mission which is to inspire people to explore, discover and learn about Earth's diverse ecosystems.

The second floor will include access to the upper levels of the South America Gallery, Penguin Encounter and the Research Vessel, as well as a changing exhibits gallery, café, interactive play area, and the only 4D theater experience in Utah. The Aquarium will present exciting 4D films, interactive nature films as well as provide space for lectures and educational presentations.

The Changing Exhibits Gallery will allow for new and unique exhibits to be brought in every 12-18 months, providing a fresh experience for guests.

The Education Center will feature classrooms equipped with scientific equipment, which will support onsite education programs reaching K-12 and university students. It will expand the base of operations for the outreach education team that travels throughout the state to deliver core-curriculum based, science and math oriented programs.

The Sandy location will close September 8, 2013 to allow for transition into the new building.

Aquarium Expansion at a Glance:

Official Name: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Site Location: 12033 S Lone Peak Parkway, Draper UT
Size: 136,000 square feet, 44-62 exhibits, 1 million gallons of water
Cost: $24 million -- Funded by donors, grants, corporate sponsors and financing
Groundbreaking: October 24, 2012
Opening: December 2013*
*Dates subject to change due to weather and unforeseen circumstances