Not many places in Austin offer visitors encounters with a boa constrictor, an octopus and a tank full of sharks under one roof. “We have over 1,000 species of animals,” said Alui Hernandez, chief operating officer of Austin Aquarium. “There’s a lot to see here.” The aquarium opened on US 183, near Anderson Mill Road, in December 2013, Hernandez said. Since then it has been offering visitors interactive experiences with marine life, birds and reptiles. Hernandez said the most popular exhibit in the aquarium is the stingray tank, which takes up almost an entire room in the facility. “Everyone loves to feed and touch the stingrays,” she said. She said one of her favorite things about working at the aquarium is getting to see children reach into the stingray tank. “Getting to touch a stingray for the very first time and [seeing] their face light up—you can’t put money on that,” she said. Children can also interact with exotic birds—Austin Aquarium allows visitors to enter two netted aviaries. Octopus encounters are also available by request, Hernandez said. “We have a giant Pacific octopus here,” she said. The octopus, Calypso, is always on display, but by appointment ($30 for members, $40 for nonmembers), customers can also go behind the scenes to interact with Calypso, either by feeding, touching or providing her with toys for play. “Octopuses are really amazing creatures,” she said. “It’s a really neat experience.” On weekends and holidays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the aquarium puts a mythical mermaid on display, Hernandez said. The mermaid can be found in the stingray tank, and she reads stories to children who visit, she said. Daily passes to the Austin Aquarium range from free for children age 2 and younger to $15 for guests age 12 and older. The aquarium is offering a 25 percent discount on family memberships ($105) and birthday parties.

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