A new 35,000sq ft (3,250sq m) Sea Life aquarium has come to Michigan, with the Auburn Hills attraction boasting more than 150,000 gallons of water, making it the state’s largest aquarium.

Merlin Entertainments – owner of the Sea Life brand – has worked with the city and the Great Lakes Crossing outlet mall’s management company, Taubman Centers, for the development, which features more than 30 marine life displays, including shrimp, starfish, seahorses, sharks and rays, as well as a tropical ocean tank with a walk-through tunnel. The new aquarium also includes a showcase of marine life specific to the Great Lakes.

“North America is a very important growth market for Merlin, and we believe that Michigan, and particularly Great Lakes Crossing Outlets is the ideal location for Sea Life,” said Glenn Earlam, managing director of Merlin Entertainments’ Midway Attractions group.

“We are particularly delighted to be working with Taubman, and hope this will be just the beginning of a developing relationship with them and we really appreciate the cooperation and excellent working relationships we have established with the City of Auburn Hills, Oakland County, and the State of Michigan. These were key factors in our decision to come here. This support, together with our proven success in other similar projects nationwide, underlines our belief that Auburn Hills, and particularly Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, is a perfect location for a quality family-based leisure attraction.”

Sea Life Michigan opened its doors 29 January and houses more than 5,000 marine creatures. It is the seventh Sea Life aquarium in the US and the 42nd worldwide.