THE VITAL ROLES AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION, AN ECONOMIC DRIVER, AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE

The Tennessee Aquarium’s Leadership team entered 2021 feeling cautiously optimistic that they could continue rebuilding the momentum that was lost during the pandemic. Yet despite reassuring signs that they were on the path to recovery, the promise of success in the months ahead was anything but certain.

Even with a downward trend in Covid-19 cases in the community and throughout the country, they maintained a cautious approach to the operations. The capacity limits and timed-entry ticketing system were kept in place, and the  housekeeping team continued their efforts to ensure the campus was cleaned often and rigorously. ­

Despite lingering challenges in 2021, however, they regained much of the ground that was lost and celebrated noteworthy advances that reinforced the vital roles as a travel destination, an economic driver, an educational resource and a pillar of conservation science.