Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium occupies 500 W Sunshine St in Springfield, directly connected to the flagship Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and the company’s national headquarters. Created by Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris, the nonprofit attraction pairs a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium with immersive wildlife galleries built around one message: conservation. USA TODAY readers have voted it America’s Best Aquarium.
The Aquarium Adventure follows water from Ozark streams and caves to the open ocean, with about 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds along the way. Sharks glide past a sunken shipwreck, and river otters and alligators draw steady crowds. The Wildlife Galleries take a different approach, placing visitors in detailed habitat dioramas that hold one of the largest collections of record-setting game animals ever assembled. A guided back-of-house tour shows the life-support systems and animal-care work behind the tanks.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Book timed-entry tickets online through the official site, especially for weekends, holidays and summer. Weekday mornings bring the lightest crowds outside school field-trip season. Plan on three to four hours to see both the aquarium and the galleries. Confirm current hours and pricing before you go. Parking is shared with Bass Pro Shops, so leave time afterward to explore the giant store next door.
