Abstract
Zoos and aquariums attract millions of visitors each year and are home to many different species of flora and fauna. Now, more than ever, zoos and aquariums are moving away from being a place of entertainment and committing to a greater focus on education. The Georgia Aquarium (GAI) is the largest aquarium in North America housing over 11 million gallons of saltwater. This study investigated the influence GAI has on visitor conservation learning and behavior based on visitor perceived knowledge using surveys. There were 775 people who responded to the study and most of the respondents were between 18-45 years old, visited the aquarium with family or a significant other, and had visited the aquarium before. The results suggest that GAI positively influences its visitors. Visitors scored education and research as the top reasons why aquariums are important while scoring entertainment and outreach as the least important. The findings also suggested that age and who you visit with may influence your perceived learning, especially if you are visiting alone , with a significant other, or with family. Interestingly, whether visitors had been to the aquarium previously or not did not affect their perceptions. This study adds to the continuing conversation on how aquariums may encourage sustainable conservation efforts and environmental stewardship.