aquarium was added to the restaurant area. Upon its reopening July 14, 2005, the facility was renamed Downtown Aquarium. Exhibits A major theme for this landlocked aquarium is the relationship between inland freshwater ecosystems and the ocean. The original design of the aquarium was zoogeographic. It focused on the path to the ocean taken by two rivers, the Colorado River in North America and the Kampar River in Indonesia. The Colorado River Journey included exhibits of endangered fish, including desert pupfish; gamefish such as bass; and North American river otters, among other species. It ended with a large exhibit depicting the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), into which the actual Colorado River empties. The Indonesia River Journey included exhibits of animals such as Asian arowanas, rainbowfish, and endangered Sumatran tigers, among other species. It ended with a large exhibit depicting the southern Pacific Ocean. In addition to these two journeys, the aquarium housed a large sea otter exhibit. After the 2005 renovations, the two journey paths remain, but are no longer arranged in a strictly zoogeographic pattern. For example, tanks on the second pathway (formerly the Kampar River Journey) depict African and South American freshwater ecosystems; other tanks are mixed community aquaria. The sea otter exhibit was moved to the North America exhibit area, and replaced with North American river otters (Lontra canadensis), to make room for the restaurant tank. The facility features several interactive exhibits, including a horseshoe crab touch tank and a stingray touch-and-feed tank. The aquarium continues to focus on conservation. To that end, it houses numerous endangered or threatened species: 12 species of fish, six of reptiles, two of mammals, and two of birds. It participates in the AZA's Species Survival Plan for Sumatran tigers. Education A volunteer program administered by the Deep Blue Sea Foundation, a nonprofit group, is in place. The Deep Blue Sea Foundation was formed after Landry's purchased the aquarium to ensure the educational goals of the original founders would continue to be met. The aquarium also periodically hosts for-cost educational seminars. References External links Aquaria in Colorado Buildings and structures in Denver Tourist attractions in Denver Restaurants in Colorado