Aquarium of the Atlantic

Aquarium of the Atlantic is a location on the Showman's Pier in Atlantic City in Fallout 76, introduced in the Expeditions: Atlantic City update part one, Boardwalk Paradise.

Background[]

The Aquarium of the Atlantic was a pre-War attraction and conservation center, located in Atlantic City. Advertised with neons along the boardwalk, it allowed visitors to observe aquatic species in their habitats, including sharks, manta rays, marlin, tuna fish, sea turtles, reptiles, and marine mammals.^[1] During the Great War, the aquarium was evacuated, with the last aquarium worker stuck inside the facility after trying to make sure the rest of the staff would make it out unharmed. While the aquarium was well stocked with water and food, enabling him to take care of the animals and himself,^[2] especially since auto-feeders were just restocked before the attack, it was cut off from all communications: Radio due to being underwater and internal communications on the fritz.^[3] While he coped well, his wards didn't. Marty and Mary, the two beluga whales, suffered the most. With no guests, the pair became listless and barely consumed any food.^[4]

The situation took a turn for the worse when the north wing suddenly imploded, with the caretaker only surviving due to a last-minute check on the whales. The entire north wing imploded and suffered a total lockdown.^[5] The final act of the tragedy unfolded when the caretaker accidentally stepped on a stonefish, the most venomous known species in the world, while cleaning out a tank. Though he injected himself with anti-venom, it failed to work. After several days of hallucinations and pain, he passed away in the gift shop.^[6]

Eventually, the aquarium was secured by the Showmen, with its vast internal spaces used as combat arenas for its most spectacular entertainment shows. The decomposed body of the caretaker was not removed, left behind in the gift shop,^[7] and neither were the remains of the beluga whales, killed when their tank emptied catastrophically.^[8]

Layout[]

The aquarium is a fully enclosed location located underwater, accessible from the terminal end of Showman's Pier. If entered during The Most Sensational Game, it is the site of the third event, with the target located in one of the major areas (the beluga whale exhibit, Shark's Den, or Siren Theatre). Otherwise, it is populated by civilian visitors to Atlantic City and friendly Showmen, offering a variety of comments on the location, particularly the exhibit. Almost every space is decorated with fish-related decals, fixtures, and of course aquariums, created with the clever use of environmental props. It is the first completely underwater location in the series, as Vault 120 was cut from Fallout 4.

The aquarium has a roughly square layout, with the lobby and elevators at the southern end and Mother Charlotte and the Triton's Den restaurant in the northeast. From the entrance hall, players enter into the Great Hall with a giant whale model suspended from the ceiling. To the east, directly across from the Great Hall entrance, is the destroyed beluga whale exhibit, with an adjacent observation lounge overlooking the Atlantic Ocean floor. The exhibit provides access to both the visitor areas and backstage or technical areas (also accessible through employees-only doors).

To the south (right) of the Great Hall, on the upper floor, is a small connecting chamber with the manta ray petting room and restrooms. The lower floor has several hallways with exhibits, as well as access to an eastern employee-only technical area with several workbenches, which connects back to the beluga whale exhibit. There is another technical area to the west (directly to the right when entering from the Great Hall, marked by the red light), which contains the note Still trapped and a safe; this area eventually leads to the Siren Theater. The Siren Theater is found by heading south, and is where trained fish would entertain visitors. The theater is overlooked by a pair of offices to the east and west. Both the beluga whale exhibit and the theater have large connecting halls passing through the ocean floor into the Shark's Den, another area that once showcased predatory species.

The Shark Den's exit to the northeast passes again through the ocean floor and the gift shop, ending in the Triton's Den restaurant area above the king crab habitat.^[9] To reach the restaurant, players must pass through the habitat and ascend the stairs in the back, depositing them in the main room of the restaurant. In the back is the VIP lounge, where Mother Charlotte and Veracio Cruz are located.

Inhabitants[]

• Mother Charlotte, leader of the Showmen
• Veracio Cruz, creator of The Most Sensational Game

Notable loot[]

• Camouflaged bastard - Note, next to the dead aquarium worker in the gift shop.
• The lone vulture - Note, in the VIP section of the Triton Restaurant, on a window ledge near Mother Charlotte.
• The Mouse and the Bull - Note, on a table across from where Mother Charlotte is found in the VIP section at the end of The Most Sensational Game.
• North wing implosion - Note, on a desk in the eastern office overlooking Siren Theater.
• Still trapped - Note, in the western technical area near the Siren Theater (the one marked by the red light), on a desk next to a safe.
• Trapped - Note, on a counter directly across from where one spawns in after entering from the Showman's Pier.
• Worry - Note, on the lower levels of the aquarium, in the eastern technical area that connects to the beluga whale exhibit, on a desk.

Scrap

• There is a total of 96 silver forks and knives in the Triton Restaurant.
• There is a total of 7 aquarium wet floor signs about the premises.

Appearances[]

The Aquarium of the Atlantic appears only in Fallout 76, introduced in the Expeditions: Atlantic City update part one, Boardwalk Paradise.

Behind the scenes[]

• Multiple developers contributed to the design of this location. Environment artist Max Ramirez was responsible for world building, asset creation, texturing, cluttering, lighting, placing FX, rigging/animating fish and optimizing the space. David Dobert was the level designer and also worked on clutter and set dressing. Lead environment artist Andrew Collins, art director Jonathan Rush and lead level designer Craig Bernardo provided feedback and support. Concept artists Grant Hillier, Erlson Neba and Joon Choi also contributed to the design of the aquarium.^{[Non-game 1]}
• The real-life Atlantic City Aquarium is located on the northeastern end of the boardwalk, though it has been closed since 2019.

Gallery[]

Locations

Notes

References[]

Non-game

v · d · e Expeditions: Atlantic City Quests Main All the World's a Stage · Honor Bound · Opportunity Knocking · Sins of the Father · Tax Evasion · The Most Sensational Game · The Human Condition Side Custodial Compulsions · Regent of the Dead Locations Atlantic City · Atlantic City Boardwalk (Showman's Pier · Aquarium of the Atlantic) · Casino Quarter (Quentino's Night Club · The Neapolitan Casino) · Flooded city center (City hall · Community center) Items Weapons Circuit Breaker · Cremator Apparel Saltwater taffy outfit Characters Appalachia Abbie Russo · Adelaide · Antonio Russo · Ashley Ortega · Del Lawson · Dicer · Evelyn Russo · Initiate Gaines · Jeremiah Hopkins · Johnny Bills · June Seaver · Lane Platte · Marty · Vin Russo Atlantic City Anna Barone · Billy Beltbuckles · Buttercup · Carmen · Civilian escortee · Concerta Lombardi · Fabio Mondadori · Fast Nicky · Frieda Lane · Gene · Jordy · Juchi Batsuuri · Jullian Batsuuri · Mother Charlotte · Pete Rutledge · Sal 'Sticky Fingers' · Saltwater Sam · Showman duker · Stanley Soriano · Timothy Lane · Veracio Cruz · Zayde · Walter Creatures Jersey Devil · Lesser Devil · Overgrown Factions Atlantic City Municipal Government · Lombardi Family · The Showmen