Oahu - Waikiki Aquarium

http://www.waikikiaquarium.org/

My primary memory of the Waikiki Aquarium is that it was small. It was fine, but nothing really stuck out to me.

I think that is somewhat of an underestimation of it. First of all, in doing some research for this article, I realize that it is much more historic than I realized. It was started in 1904, making it over a hundred years old even when we were there, and the second oldest public aquarium in the United States, second only to the Woods Hole Science Aquarium in Massachusetts. (There were other aquariums that opened earlier but have since closed.)

Fittingly, the aquarium is surrounded by history, located near the even older Honolulu Zoo, the World War II Memorial Natatorium, and Diamond Head.

Also, it is right next to a natural reef, which makes for some nice correlation between the aquarium and the nature that surrounds it. It was established to show the world the reefs.

The other thing that makes me think I may have underestimated the aquarium is that I have seen so many positive comments on it. It seems to be very popular, especially the 1:00 Monk Seal feedings. However, I also see that in 2004, just two years before we visited, they appointed a new director who saw potential and was going to focus on modernization and expansion, so it seems possible that it would be a different experience if we visited there now.

Based on all of that, I have to consider the Waikiki Aquarium as worth checking out.