Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

What Loveland Living Planet Aquarium does

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Draper, Utah, operating a single public aquarium venue at 12033 Lone Peak Pkwy. The facility houses multiple themed habitats including Ocean Explorer, Journey to South America, Discover Utah, Deep Sea Lab, Penguin Research Station, and the newly opened Ford Expedition Asia cloud forest exhibit spanning 10,890 square feet within the Sam & Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center. Core offerings include general admission tickets starting at $17.95 under dynamic pricing, annual memberships with Bring-a-Friend Plus tiers, premium animal encounters (Penguin and Stingray), Yoga with the Sharks, EECO Voyager immersive experiences, and on-site amenities including a café and gift shop. The aquarium also operates education programs (summer camps, field trips, homeschool visits), event rentals (birthday parties, weddings, corporate events in the Oceans and Islands Ballrooms), and conservation initiatives such as Otter Spotter and Adopt an Animal.

The revenue model combines transactional ticket sales, subscription-style memberships, one-time event rentals, retail and food service, and charitable donations. Marketing is executed through the company website, email newsletter, and active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Threads. The aquarium holds AZA accreditation, denoting adherence to industry standards for animal care, conservation, and education, and it maintains affiliations with the Zoological Association of Parks (ZAP), the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK), and the Museums for All (M4A) accessibility program. A co-located Coral Cove Childcare partnership at the adjacent Here We Grow Draper location extends the brand into early-childhood education. The organization employs 101–250 people and serves a market that is exclusively Utah-based, with no geographic expansion beyond the single Draper facility.

Name

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Legal name

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Website

https://thelivingplanet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aquarium in Draper, Utah, operating a single venue with multiple themed habitats, animal encounters, education programs, and event rentals serving families, schools, corporate clients, and individual visitors across Utah.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium and Educational Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE), Wildlife Watching & Encounters (Birding, Whale Watching, Primates) (THAJAIAC)

Keywords

• Aquarium education programs
• Marine life exhibits
• Animal encounter experiences
• Wildlife conservation programs
• Family entertainment venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Draper

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual admission tickets sold to visitors with dynamic pricing that varies by demand. Tickets start at $17.95 for plan-ahead pricing. Children 2 and under are free. Discounts available for teens, students, seniors, military, and children ages 3-12.
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering unlimited visits, with membership paying for itself after two visits. Some tiers include Bring-a-Friend Plus benefits allowing members to bring 2 or 6 guests per visit.
3. Event Rentals: Private event hosting including weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and proposals in the aquarium's Oceans and Islands Ballrooms.
4. Retail and Food Service: On-site gift shop and cafe services for visitors.
5. Donations and Charitable Giving: Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting donations, animal adoptions, and charitable contributions from the public.
6. Experiences and Encounters: Premium animal encounter experiences including Penguin Encounters and Stingray Encounters available for additional fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public aquarium in Draper, Utah that sells admission tickets, annual memberships, premium animal encounters, educational programs (summer camps, field trips), and private event venue rentals. Its core offering is in-person visitor experiences centered on diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem exhibits, including the 10,890 square foot Ford Expedition Asia cloud forest habitat, plus penguin and stingray encounters, yoga with sharks, and animal encounter programs.

Product overview

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a single unified attraction venue dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover and learn about Earth's diverse ecosystems. The aquarium offers a portfolio of interactive experiences including EECO Voyager immersive voyages, animal encounters (Penguin and Stingray), yoga programs, and theatre presentations. The facility houses multiple themed habitats including Ford Expedition Asia (a 10,890 sq ft cloud forest), Deep Sea Lab, Discover Utah, Ocean Explorer, and Penguin Research Station. The aquarium provides event services including birthday parties at Tuki's Island, private events, and weddings in the Oceans and Islands Ballrooms. Additional offerings include educational programs (Summer Camps, Field Trips), membership passes, Coral Cove Childcare, conservation initiatives (Otter Spotter, Adopt an Animal), and an online gift shop. The venue generates revenue through ticket sales (starting at $17.95), memberships, event rentals, and charitable donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daytime Admission Tickets General admission tickets to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium with plan-ahead pricing starting at $17.95, dynamic demand-based pricing that never decreases, and discounts of $3 for teens, students, seniors, and military and $5 for children ages 3–12; children 2 and under are free. Sold to individual visitors and families.
• Annual Memberships Annual membership programs offering unlimited aquarium visits, with membership paying for itself after two visits. Higher tiers include Bring-a-Friend Plus benefits allowing 2 or 6 guests per visit. Sold directly to individuals and households.
• Penguin Encounters Premium hands-on animal encounter experience allowing visitors to interact with penguins at the aquarium, available for an additional fee beyond general admission.
• Stingray Encounters Premium hands-on animal encounter experience allowing visitors to interact with stingrays at the aquarium, available for an additional fee beyond general admission.
• Yoga with the Sharks Yoga experience conducted near the aquarium's shark exhibit, combining wellness programming with marine life observation, available for a separate fee.
• Birthday Parties Booked birthday celebration packages held at the aquarium's Tuki's Island party space, marketed to families with children.
• Private Events and Weddings Venue rental for private events, weddings, proposals, and corporate functions held in the aquarium's Oceans and Islands Ballrooms.
• Summer Camps Seasonal youth educational programs run during summer break, featuring aquarium experiences for school-aged children.
• Field Trips and School Programs Group educational visits for schools, homeschool groups, and youth organizations, with curriculum-aligned programming offered during the school year.
• Corporate Group Tickets Group ticket packages sold to businesses for corporate outings and team-building events at the aquarium.
• Online Gift Shop E-commerce storefront offering aquarium-themed merchandise and gifts, operated through a Muzemerch partnership.
• Adopt an Animal Symbolic animal adoption donation program that allows individuals to sponsor specific species at the aquarium, with contributions supporting animal care.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreOthersAZA accreditation signifies that the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium meets the highest standards for animal care, conservation, education, and visitor experience. AZA-accredited facilities must meet rigorous standards and undergo thorough evaluation.
• Museums for All (M4A)minorOthersPartnership to provide accessible museum and aquarium experiences to families with limited incomes through reduced admission pricing.
• Zoological Association of Parks (ZAP)coreOthersAffiliation with the Zoological Association of Parks providing professional network and standards for zoo and aquarium operations.
• American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK)minorOthersAffiliation with professional organization for zoo keeping staff providing professional development and networking opportunities.
• Coral Cove ChildcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located childcare center at the aquarium offering children weekly penguin encounters and sea life experiences as part of their program. Located at Here We Grow Draper location adjacent to the aquarium.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Aquarium: Nonprofit aquarium in Baltimore with AZA accreditation, comparable exhibits, membership tiers, and education/community programs similar to Loveland's offerings.
• Tennessee Aquarium: Nonprofit AZA-accredited aquarium in Chattanooga with similar regional positioning, freshwater/saltwater exhibits, and educational programming at a comparable scale.
• Denver Zoo: Nonprofit AZA-accredited zoological institution in Denver with comparable mission, memberships, school programs, and event rental offerings. Comparable in scale and structure as a regional nonprofit attraction.
• Shedd Aquarium: Major nonprofit aquarium in Chicago with AZA accreditation, comparable revenue model (admissions, memberships, events, donations), and similar educational mission. Directly comparable in scale and operating model.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Iconic nonprofit aquarium with AZA accreditation, strong membership program, and educational programming. Comparable in nonprofit structure, exhibit portfolio, and conservation focus.
• Georgia Aquarium: One of the largest nonprofit aquariums in the U.S. with AZA accreditation and a similar mix of large-scale exhibits, memberships, events, and educational programs.
• New England Aquarium: Nonprofit AZA-accredited aquarium in Boston with similar exhibit diversity, research programs, and educational mission. Comparable in revenue model and nonprofit structure.
• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas: Nonprofit aquarium in New Orleans with AZA accreditation, similar exhibit portfolio, membership programs, and educational mission; comparable in scale and visitor experience model.

Broad incumbents

• SeaWorld Entertainment: For-profit operator of marine-themed parks with aquarium-style exhibits. Overlaps in marine wildlife viewing and educational entertainment but is a much larger, publicly traded theme park operator with broader rides and experiences.
• SEA LIFE (Merlin Entertainments): Global chain of branded aquariums operated by Merlin Entertainments, often inside larger attractions. Comparable in core product (aquarium exhibits) but operates as a for-profit portfolio operator rather than a single-site nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tlpa2004/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelivingplanetaquarium
• Instagraminstagram.com/lovelandlivingplanet
• TikToktiktok.com/@livingplanetaquariumut?lang=en
• Xx.com/LivingPlanetUT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Loveland Living Planet Aquarium