Tennessee Aquarium

The Tennessee Aquarium occupies two buildings at the foot of Broad Street on the downtown riverfront, and after public hours both open for private events with the exhibits running. The Lupton Room in the River Journey building seats 200 at rounds or holds 500 for a cocktail reception, with an outdoor pavilion taking another 350. The Ocean Journey building seats 50 for dinner or more than 200 reception-style among the shark and penguin exhibits. Renting both buildings accommodates up to 1,500 guests, and the adjacent IMAX Great Hall and 325-seat 3D theater can be added for presentations or screenings.

Events are booked through an inquiry form on the aquarium's site, with catering arranged through its events team. Guests can move through the galleries during the event, which does a lot of the entertaining on its own. The Aquarium is best for corporate receptions, milestone birthdays, and holiday parties where walk-around exhibits matter more than a seated program.