The aquarium exhibits hundreds of species and thousands of animals across its seven major galleries, all of which reside in more than 11 million US gallons (42,000 m3) of water.

[3] A $250 million donation from the foundation of local businessman and The Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus provided the bulk of the funding needed to build and stock the new facility.

[6][2] In November 2001, Bernard Marcus announced his vision of presenting Atlanta with an aquarium that would encourage both education and economic growth.

The world's largest when it opened in November 2005, the aquarium originally encompassed 550,000 square feet (5.1 ha; 13 acres) of covered space, and its exhibits held 8 million US gallons (30,000,000 L) of fresh and saltwater.

[15] After the show ended following a two-season, twenty-episode run, Discovery+ began streaming the series, and the Georgia Aquarium subsequently partnered with the service to produce more content about animal experiences and conservation.

[16] The aquarium was designed around a 6.3 million US gallon (24,000 m3) whale shark exhibit,[6] making it the first institution outside of Asia that houses the giant species.

The aquarium's most famous specimens were four young sharks named Ralph, Norton, Alice, and Trixie, after the primary characters from The Honeymooners.

[25] In 2010, Maris and a new male, Beethoven, were returned to the Georgia Aquarium while Natasha remained with a potential mate in San Antonio.

Maris died in October of the same year,[30] reigniting the debate as to whether the captive beluga breeding program was humane or successful.

[32] The aquarium's animals are displayed in seven galleries and exhibits: Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Explorers Cove, Cold Water Quest, Southern Company River Scout, Dolphin Coast, Truist Pier 225 and Aquanaut Adventure: A Discovery Zone.

Cold Water Quest features animals from the polar and temperate regions of the world and contains most of the mammal species in the Aquarium's collection.

[33] The largest exhibit, Ocean Voyager, built by the Home Depot, contains 6.3 million U.S. gallons (24,000,000 L) of water[34] and several thousand fish.

[35] This exhibit is designed to feature the life of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and showcases the Aquarium's whale sharks and manta rays as well as a 100 ft (30 m) underwater acrylic tunnel and one of the world's largest viewing windows.

[37][38] Aquanaut Adventure: A Discovery Zone contains several smaller exhibits and multiple hands-on activities, including an augmented reality scavenger hunt using the aquarium's mobile app.

[citation needed] The acquisition of the male beluga whales, previously suffering in an inadequate environment, was hailed by Marcus as a prime example of the type of conservation activities the aquarium should be involved with.

[43] The aquarium is involved in research initiatives that focus on whale sharks in the Yucatán Peninsula, beluga whales in Alaska, penguins in South Africa, manatees in Quintana Roo, Mexico, loggerhead sea turtles on the Georgia coast and spotted eagle rays in Sarasota, Florida.

The aquarium is partnering with Florida Atlantic University and the federal government to monitor the health of these animals, and to identify potential threats such as pollution and emerging infectious diseases.

[34] Located on the west side of the facility, the exhibit features space for live presentations, observation windows, and opportunities for visitors to interact with animals.

[44] Beluga whales are very sensitive to sound, and while officials had not noted any excessive amounts of stress, it was decided to remove them anyway and eliminate the possibility.

[47] The seller was Jim Jacoby, a metro Atlanta developer and member of the Georgia Aquarium board of directors, who bought the park in 2004 and re-developed it.