Formally dubbed, The Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, the Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri was the vision of Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops.
Soon after it first opened it was voted “best new attraction in America” by USA Today and annually ranks among the ten-best Aquariums in the United States.
The 1.5 million gallon (5.7 million liter) Aquarium showcases 35,000 individual fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals in a series of themed areas including an ocean shipwreck, a Louisiana swamp, an Ozark forest, and the Amazon rainforest.
Discover how you can swim with sharks; experience truly up close interactions with Gentoo Penguins, and equally engaging--sign up for back of the house aquarium tours that include the world-class sea turtle rescue program.
Come along and Join Tom Wilmer and associate producer Randi Hair for a most fascinating aquarium exploration.
Our back of the house exploration starts with Lauren Lockwood, a senior penguin-keeper at Wonders of Wildlife followed by a short chat with photo-team member Guinda Priest, a fourth year student at Ozarks Technical College.
We’ll then head behind the curtain for an incredibly fascinating and informative tour of what happens 24-7 behind the scenes at the Aquarium with Ben Houghton, curator of life sciences.
You are invited to subscribe to the seven-time Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel podcast, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory, Apple Podcast, and more than twenty other podcast hosting sites including iHeartRadio and Spotify
