CHANGING LIVES AND INSPIRING LEARNING THROUGH SCIENCE AND WONDER.
Unique among aquariums in Western NC, Catawba Science Center offers fresh and saltwater aquarium galleries for visitors to explore. See a variety of saltwater fish, including a porcupine puffer fish, garden eels and seahorses — and of course our 8,000 gallon shark and stingray habitat!
Our freshwater gallery features a wide collection of aquatic life from around the globe including amazonian river turtles, freshwater stingrays, and our 6,000 gallon oxbow habitat!
The Catawba Science Center is honored to be named one of the 150 Best Aquariums to visit in the United States by EverythingFishkeeping!
Click below to download and play the Spot the Sea Life Game courtesy of : EverythingFishkeeping.com
Observe our LIVE brown-banded bamboo shark & southern stingray in this marine habitat. You may even get splashed by our mascot Splashy!
The Saltwater Wall of Life features a variety of marine habitats that our puffer fish, seahorses, and garden eels call home.
Come to the Amazon Basin to see our remarkable freshwater fish, frogs, snakes, and Amazonian river turtles. Look closely, and you may also find our freshwater stingrays!
Get an underwater view of a variety of fish found in an Amazon Oxbow lake – including catfish and exceptionally large red-bellied pacu. Learn about oxbows, or crescent-shaped lakes in lowland Amazonia that form when a river changes course.
Visit the Freshwater Wall of Life to meet our three-foot electric eel and learn why he isn’t actually an eel at all! This area displays species native to various habitats in South America, whitewater & blackwater streams, plus an up-close look at predators, camouflage, and various fish species.
