The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia at Pemberton Place, is billed as the “world’s largest aquarium” with more than 8.1 million US gallons (31,000 m³) of marine and freshwater housing more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species. The aquarium’s notable specimens include four young whale sharks, three beluga whales and a manta ray
Funded mostly by a $250 million donation from Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus, the aquarium was built on a 20 acre (81,000 m²) site north of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Marcus credited his 60th birthday dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1990 as among the inspirations behind his desire to build an aquarium in Atlanta.