Greater Cleveland Aquarium, Cleveland

The Greater Cleveland Aquarium, located in the historic FirstEnergy Powerhouse building along the west bank of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland’s Flats district, is the city’s premier aquatic attraction. Opened in January 2012, the 70,000-square-foot facility is home to 55 exhibits spread across nine themed galleries showcasing both local and exotic marine life. It is the only independent, free-standing aquarium in Ohio, marking the end of a 26-year period during which Cleveland lacked a public aquarium.

The current facility follows in the footsteps of the original Cleveland Aquarium, established in Gordon Park in 1954. That aquarium, housed in a 1930s bathhouse-turned-trailside museum, was a collaboration between the Cleveland Aquarium Society, the City of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It featured 50 exhibits of freshwater and marine species, including sharks, eels, and octopuses, and underwent a significant expansion in 1967. Financial challenges and structural issues eventually led to its closure in 1985, and its exhibits were transferred to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

The idea for a new aquarium surfaced in 2009. Initially, the vision was for a larger, 100,000 to 125,000-square-foot facility, but ultimately the project was scaled down to its current size. Local developer Jeffrey Jacobs, the driving force behind the project, integrated it into the historic Powerhouse complex, which he owned. The Greater Cleveland Aquarium was officially opened to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 19, 2012. Today, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium draws visitors with its diverse marine displays and emphasis on both regional ecosystems and exotic aquatic environments.