Located on the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga and surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains, the Tenness ... ee Aquarium tells the story of the river – following the path of a raindrop from the streams of an Appalachian Forest to the Gulf of Mexico – from the mountains to the sea. Although the Aquarium has grown in size and in animal population since it’s opening in 1992, its story and its mission as a private, non-profit institution have remained the same; ‘to inspire wonder, appreciation and protection of water and all life that it sustains.’ read more