b'AttractionsEXPANDED TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM NOW RANKED AMONG THE BEST IN UNITED STATESAfter years of anticipation, the Texas State Aquarium officially opened in 1990, bringing life back to North Beach and adding the most significant new visitor attraction to the Coastal Bend in its history. Before long, sea turtle, otter and shorebird exhibits were added, and the Aquarium earned accreditations as a federally permitted animal rescue facility, and from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. In 2003, the Aquariums first major expansion, the $15 million Dolphin Bay, opened to rave reviews, adding a new dimension of entertainment for visitors. Over the subsequent decade, through its success at attracting some 500,000 visitors per year, earning federal, state and NGO grants for vital conservation and rescue projects, and especially the continued generous support of thousands of private donors, the Aquarium added and renovated dozens of exhibits that span the vast spectrum of marine sea life species.In addition to functioning as a center of education on the Gulf of Mexico and its coastal habitats, much of the op-erations of the Aquarium are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sealife in duress. A record pop-ulation of cold-stunned sea turtles were rescued from area beaches and bays during the historic Texas Freeze of February 2021. Working with Texas Parks & Wildlife, the National Park Service and area marine research institutions, the TSA managed to save thousands of cold-stunned turtles, nurse them back to health, and release them back to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A new science facility is in the works that will allow the Aquarium to expand its conservation mission that includes providing hands-on, field experience for area marine science students.In 2017, the Texas State Aquarium doubled in size and took its place among the biggest and most diverse aquar-iums in the U. S., when the $60 million Caribbean Journey wing opened its doors. Families visiting the Aquari-um should consider making it a full day to take it all in. Most popular attractions are the Dolphin Bay show and aquarium viewing theater, the Jungle exhibit that features flamingos, sloths and bats, stingray and shark exhibits and touch pools, the Islands of Steel rig habitat tank, the Eagle Pass raptor rehabilitation sanctuary that features an American Bald Eagle rescued in Alaska, the Swamp Tales tank where you can see baby alligators and sea turtles, the classic Flower Gardens coral reef tank that replicates the famed Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanc-tuary in the Gulf of Mexico, and the new headliner at the Texas State Aquarium, the 400,000 gallon Caribbean Sea shipwreck habitat that is viewed through the longest acrylic window in North America, at 68 feet.2710 N. Shoreline Blvd. on North Beach(800) 477-GULFTexasStateAquarium.org112THE COASTAL BEND GUIDE TheCoastalBend.com'