Residents and visitors to Rio de Janeiro will soon be able to swim with sharks at the new marine aquarium (Aquário Marinho do Rio de Janeiro). South America’s largest marine aquarium is scheduled to open in March 2016.

Located in the Port Area in a former warehouse, “Aqua Rio” will house 8,000 animals of 350 different species, including sharks, sea turtles,  and stingrays.

Members of the public will be able to dive among sharks and many other species in a 7-meter deep diving tank holding approximately 3.3 million liters of water.

Also, it will be possible to walk underneath the aquarium through a six-ton acrylic tunnel. Children will be able to spend the night at the aquarium, sleep in the tunnel and watch the underwater world.

Aqua Rio works in partnership with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Research Center of Marine Biology. The aquarium has been financed by the private sector. Visitors will be charged a R$40 entrance fee. Schools and staff will enter for free.