Less than a week after reopening following 96 days without a visitor, the Tennessee Aquarium is in the running to be named one of the nation’s best aquariums.
The Aquarium is among 20 finalists nominated in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards. The 20 facilities named as finalists in the annual awards were selected by a panel of zoological and tourism experts for being “the best in North America for their high-quality exhibits and visitor interactions,” according to a statement from the Aquarium.
Being nominated for a national award gives the community something to rally behind and be proud of at a difficult time, said Aquarium President and CEO Keith Sanford.
“Being nominated by these experts is a reflection of the hard work we do every day to inspire our guests and help them feel better connected with the natural world,” Sanford said. “We’re delighted to be chosen, and we’d be even happier to see ourselves on top when the contest is over.”
The Aquarium reopened on Thursday after nearly 100 days of closure in response to the coronavirus crisis. The loss of visitors cost the Aquarium 90% of its revenue, and keeping the facility running and caring for the 10,000 animals who live there put a big dent in financial reserves and derailed plans to pay off debt.