[2] The classical theme of the aquarium's entrance, along with many areas inside, draw inspiration from the lost city of Atlantis.

The Town of Riverhead bought the land in 1995 with the hopes the Okeanos Foundation of Hampton Bays, New York would operate it as part of a rehabilitation project of the Peconic waterfront.

[3] On July 1, 2011, it changed its name to Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center after undergoing a $24 million expansion including a brand-new Exhibition Center, a 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) Sea Star Grand Ballroom (which joined its successful catering component, Atlantis Banquets & Events), as well as construction of a 100-room waterfront Hyatt Place hotel.

[citation needed] Indoor exhibits include Amazon Rainforest, American Alligators, Archer Fish, Best Buddies (clownfish & anemone), Birds, Bugs and Butterflies Exhibit, Coral Reef, Cuttlefish, Discus Fish, Electric Eel, Flounder Find, Form & Function, Giant Pacific Octopus, Jellyfish, Local Rocky Shores, Lost City of Atlantis Shark Exhibit, Marmosets, Megalodon Display, Moray Eels, Ocean Creatures of the World/Crab Villa (Japanese spider crab), Piranha, Poseidon's Treasure Room, Puffer Fish, Ray Bay, Sand Shark Lagoon, Schooling Fish (common Pacific silver moonfish), Seahorses, Shipwreck/Artificial Reef (Lion Fish), Tidal Marsh, an interactive touch tank and Turtle Bay (Australian snake-necked turtle, red-eared sliders and east African black mud turtles).

[5] Outdoor exhibits include Ancient Reptile Ruins (green tree python and mangrove monitor), Creatures of the Night (Brazilian prehensile-tailed porcupine and Pallas's long tailed bats), Gator Invasion, Koi Pond, Interactive Salt Marsh, Lost Temple of Atlantis (Japanese snow monkeys), Otter Falls (North American river otters), Penguin Pavilion (African penguin), Ray Bay, Sea Lion Coliseum, Seals and Critter Corner.