Visitors arriving to the Tennessee Aquarium during the holidays will find seasonal delights sure to cheer even the grinchiest of guests.
The Aquarium’s annual Holidays Under the Peaks celebration starts the weekend following Thanksgiving and will continue to dazzle visitors through Sunday, Dec. 29.
The holiday trappings and fun activities begin with seasonal music and décor in the lobby of the River Journey building. As guests explore both Aquarium buildings, they will see a host of glimmering sights, including a sparkling tree whose yuletide glow is synced to the jolly jolts of the Aquarium’s Electric Eel, Miguel Wattson.
As usual, Santa Claus will take a break from his work at the North Pole to venture south during Holidays Under the Peaks to indulge his love of SCUBA diving with weekend dips into the River Giants and Tennessee River exhibits.
Guests can catch a glimpse of SCUBA Claus rubbing scales with native freshwater fishes and getting beard to fin with leviathans from around the world at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) and Christmas (Dec. 25).
St. Nick might be underwater, but he’s confident that wishes whispered to him through the acrylic still come through loud and clear, thanks to some special Santa magic.
Whether the weather outside is delightful or frightful, visitors during this cheeriest of seasons may be surprised by Aquarium educators, who will be on hand during unscheduled programs to offer insight about the facility’s coldest habitats, such as Penguins’ Rock (42 degrees) and Vancouver Island (53 degrees).
Across the street, a beloved holiday favorite will be “all aboard” at the IMAX 3D Theater. The Polar Express 3D returns to Chattanooga’s largest screen with daily showings from Nov. 29 to Dec. 29. Families who want to cozy up and watch the film in their pajamas while sipping a comforting cup of hot cocoa can get tickets for the PJs & The Polar Express 3D event, happening at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. Tickets are available here.
The theater’s other family-friendly offerings will include Moana 2 (Nov. 27-Dec. 12) and Mufasa: The Lion King (beginning Dec. 20).
The theater’s offering of 45-minute films will continue daily screenings during Holidays Under the Peaks. Animal Kingdom 3D features stunning footage to connect viewers of all ages with the animal “families” around the world. Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D brings the planet’s largest animal to the only screen in Chattanooga large enough to do it justice. Finally, dinosaur fans will be thrilled by T.REX 3D, which blends stunningly realistic animation of the “Tyrant Lizard King” with footage of a modern excavation of a juvenile T. Rex fossil in the Dakota Badlands.
Just in time for the holidays, the Tennessee Aquarium also will serve as the final stop for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour. From Dec. 21 to Feb. 28, Aquarium visits will feature a host of fun activities and opportunities, from photo-ops with character standees and informative posters featuring additional information on Aquarium residents pulled directly from the mega-popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons video game. As part of this free enhancement to the guest experience, Animal Crossing fans can also participate in timed weekend stamp rallies on Jan. 11-12 and Feb. 22-23.
If you want to gift someone an entire year of adventures for the holidays, consider purchasing an Aquarium Membership this holiday season. Memberships begin at $135 for a named member and guest to $195 for families (two named adults and five children ages 5-17). With so much to see and do in the River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings, a membership provides an entire year of unlimited admission, so Aquarium fans can slow down and take their time to appreciate at their own pace over the course of repeat visits. For giant screen fans, deluxe Memberships also include unlimited access to 45-minute IMAX films at the IMAX 3D Theater. Learn more at tnaqua.org/gift.
Note, the Tennessee Aquarium is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Learn more about Holidays Under the Peaks at tnaqua.org/holidays/.