Slideshow: tour the new Ripley’s Aquarium with 18 exclusive photos

Two years of construction and $130 million later, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the 135,000-square-foot monument to marine life at the base of the CN Tower, finally opened its door yesterday. The attraction is designed to convert visitors into ocean enthusiasts (overnight aquarium camps for kids teach about biodiversity and conservation) and collect tourist dollars (adult admission costs $30). To achieve both those aims, it’s crammed with slick features: visitors can pet a shark, be hypnotized by jellyfish and get a behind-the scenes look at the equipment keeping the 15,000-plus marine residents alive. The showpiece, however, is a 100-metre-long underwater tunnel that allows you to gaze up at the sawfish and sea turtles floating by. Check out the slideshow below for a sneak peek of the magic.

$30 for adults, $10–$20 for children. 288 Bremner Blvd., ripleyaquariums.com/canada

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