Vancouver Aquarium, The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre was formed initially as the Vancouver Public Aquarium Association in 1951. Officially Canada's first public Aquarium, it was opened on June 15, 1956. The Vancouver Aquarium always has been a self-supporting, non-profit organization receiving no annual government operational funding.When it opened it became the 5th Aquarium in North America. The Graham Amazon Gallery section invites you to experience and discover the extraordinary diversity and interdependence of aquatic and terrestrial life in the Amazon as they walk through a re-creation of South America’s tropical rainforest. The Amazon is the most species-rich area of the world. Another interesting section are the butterflies at the Aquarium that mostly come from Costa Rica. They are bred at a butterfly farm and are shipped in the chrysalis or pupa stage. They emerge as butterflies at the Aquarium. Return