This browser does not support the Video element.
Dispelling shark myths at the Georgia Aquarium
Exactly 50 years ago, the movie ''Jaws'' scared moviegoers and changed the way the world thought about sharks. The team of experts at Georgia Aquarium hopes to change some of those fears in the facility’s fascinating Sharks! Predators of the Deep gallery.
ATLANTA - Exactly 50 years ago, a little seaside town called Amity was terrorized by a great white shark lurking in the ocean. The result? Box office records were broken, careers were launched, and people around the world formed some pretty strong opinions regarding sharks.
This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the release of "Jaws," the blockbuster film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Peter Benchley. Upon its release, "Jaws" became an immediate sensation, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year (and, for a while, of all-time) and winning three Academy Awards. It also ignited a real fear of sharks in many moviegoers, something which the team of experts at Georgia Aquarium seeks to change in the facility’s fascinating Sharks! Predators of the Deep gallery.
Sharks! Predators of the Deep opened at Georgia Aquarium in 2020, filling more than a million gallons of water with multiple species, including great hammerhead, silver tip, and tiger sharks. Staffers say the goal of the gallery is to turn "fear into fascination" — and to bust the myths that surround sharks due mainly to their sinister portrayal in big-budget movies like "Jaws."
Along with being able to closely watch sharks through the gallery’s floor-to-ceiling acrylic windows, visitors can also opt for closer contact with the animals thanks to Georgia Aquarium’s Shark & Ray Interaction. The 75-minute experience includes putting on a wetsuit and slipping into a pool of water with animal experts, who will lead a hands-on interaction with some of the facility’s sharks and rays. The cost of the interaction is $100.99 for members and $105.99 for non-members.
In honor of "Jaws" reopening in select theaters this weekend for its 50th anniversary, we decided to spend the morning at Georgia Aquarium making a shark-themed blockbuster of our own! Click the video player in this article to check out our live interaction — and click here for more information on visiting Georgia Aquarium.
The Source: Information for this story comes from the Georgia Aquarium and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment websites and original reporting by Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken.