Carry in Tennessee Aquarium?

[GreenFurniture]

Headed down with the family and can't remember if I can carry there or not.

I know that it's posted "No Carry" at the Ripley Aquarium in Gburg but can't remember if the same is true for Chattanooga.

Anyone have any information?

-thanks-

 

[chipperi]

Hmm their website doesn't say and I am sure calling them will get you a resounding NO!

What part of East TN? I am up near Bristol motor speedway.

 

[GreenFurniture]

I'm in Knoxville.

I guess I'll venture down there, with my trusty S&W tucked in and see how it goes.

 

[exar]

Concealed means concealed! Have fun in Chattanooga, if you've never been, it's one of the best aquariums i've been to and they have a 3-D I-Max theater.

 

[Dain Bramage]

You can probably carry in the aquarium, but only in the teeth; Lloyd Bridges style.

 

[sarge83]

Sign? What sign? Didn't see it.

 

[MD_Willington]

Carry a sting ray instead... one shot stopped Ol'Stevo, crickey mate!

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If there is any place where you must strictly adhere to Rule Four, I would think it would be an aquarium.

 

[General Geoff]

Pretty much. Heaven help you if you should miss.

 

[Guncrazy45]

The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga? I carry in there whenever I go, although I haven't been in about four months. Never noticed a sign.

At the Georgia Aquarium, though, you can't miss the signs--the streets around the place are lousy with them. Furthermore, they check bags and wand all entrants, albeit sloppily. You could almost certainly get in while carrying, if you're even just a little clever, but I don't have any idea what the penalty for getting caught would be.

EDIT: I never gave much thought to carrying at the TN aquarium, but something just hit me--I don't know if the place is owned by the city of Chattanooga, or a private corporation. If it is, indeed, government owned, then carry would be prohibited. There are plenty of places near the aquarium that are off-limits for carry, including the playground down the street, Coolidge Park, and the River Park a short hike down the River Walk. Not to mention all of the area restaurants that serve alcohol. I don't know if carry is prohibited on the River Walk itself, or just the section that runs through the River Park. At any rate, all of the prohibited zones are one of the big reasons I don't open carry around Chattanooga.

 

[marklbucla]

Carry a sting ray instead... one shot stopped Ol'Stevo, crickey mate!

That reminds me- I was just there a few weeks ago. Be sure to stop and watch that pond full of stingrays and sharks you can pet. One of them is real friendly!

 

[22-rimfire]

I'm almost positive that the Aquarium is privately owned. Other than public buildings and bars, I am not aware of any place you can't carry unless there are signs up. If the city did not allow carry, you couldn't even walk down the street since the city owns the street. Chattanooga is pretty gun friendly. Do pay attention with your parking though.

You're probably in Chatt right this minute. Hope you are enjoying the downtown area. It is pretty nice.

 

[clarence222]

Carry in Aquarium

They might not have ever gotten it passed, but I thought a year or so ago Tennessee was trying to change the CCW law to make it legal to carry in an establishment that served alcohol as long as you didn't consume alcohol while carrying. I thoought they had passed it but could be wrong.

 

[ArmedBear]

They may not want firearms in the acquarium, but probably not because they object to your defending yourself.

 

[F4GIB]

EDIT: I never gave much thought to carrying at the TN aquarium, but something just hit me--I don't know if the place is owned by the city of Chattanooga, or a private corporation. If it is, indeed, government owned, then carry would be prohibited. There are plenty of places near the aquarium that are off-limits for carry, including the playground down the street, Coolidge Park, and the River Park a short hike down the River Walk. Not to mention all of the area restaurants that serve alcohol. I don't know if carry is prohibited on the River Walk itself, or just the section that runs through the River Park. At any rate, all of the prohibited zones are one of the big reasons I don't open carry around Chattanooga.

That's a BIG list of prohibited venues. I thought Tennessee had a "good" carry law. What's the penalty? "D" Felony?

 

[Guncrazy45]

Off Limits for Carry in TN...

Yeah, there are a lot of places you can't carry in Tennessee.

Other than the usual schools, polling places, sports events, police stations, courthouses, bars, restaurants that serve alcohol and national parks, you ALSO aren't allowed to carry:

(1) in public parks,

(2) on playgrounds,

(3) civic center,

(4) any building, area or property that is run by any municipal, county or state government for recreational purposes.

There are a lot of good things about Tennessee firearms law, but the length of this list, and the vague language of item #4, are not among them.

Oh, and the offense is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by 11 months imprisonment and a fine of $2500. And probable forfeiture of the gun, any other guns you own, and loss of your Handgun Carry Permit.

 

[trueblue1776]

Has it escaped anybody that a building full of plate glass holding back two million gallons of water may be a bad establishment to let firearms into?

All rights and privileges aside, it's kinda like not taking a cellphone into a petroleum refinery.

If you stop a crime, but end up killing 50 people in the process, was anything good accomplished?

 

[Cannonball888]

I'd carry it in a sharkskin holster for better concealment.

 

[Kentak]

I hear there's a lot of crime in aquariums these days.

It's where they keep the goldfish, you know.

K

 

[Guncrazy45]

Has it escaped anybody that a building full of plate glass holding back two million gallons of water may be a bad establishment to let firearms into?

That would indeed be a bad situation. Good thing, though, that aquarium "glass" isn't actually glass. It's a very, very thick chunk of polycarbonate plastic, which can take an incredible amount of stress. While a bullet might mar, or even chip the surface, it's going to take more punishment than any handgun can deal to shatter it, or even crack it.

Of course, repairing said wall after a bullet hits it is going to a major PITA...

All rights and privileges aside, it's kinda like not taking a cellphone into a petroleum refinery.

I make it a point to talk on my cellphone while I'm pumping gas. There is no danger at all of explosion--the prohibition is an example of urban legend influencing the creation of pointless regulation.

I also leave my cellphone on whenever I fly on commercial aircraft--haven't been on a plane that's crashed or gotten lost, yet.

And to bring this back to guns, it's another myth that firing a bullet through the fuselage of a pressurized cabin at 35,000 feet will NOT cause the plane to rupture, or passengers to get sucked painfully into the void via a .45-inch hole.

 

[Gunnerpalace]

Crazy is right watch Mythbusters and you can see the test they did, as for self-defense, yeah you hit the perp you win, and if you miss the wall of water should stop him.

 

[trueblue1776]

I make it a point to talk on my cellphone while I'm pumping gas. There is no danger at all of explosion--the prohibition is an example of urban legend influencing the creation of pointless regulation.

Well, refineries don't allow electrical devices that aren't intrinsically safe. Also, it is less than cute when your celly goes off while surveying tanks on a supertanker. I have no idea about gasoline, but it strikes me as common sense that static charges generated by signals could detonate the blow off from sour crude stored in enormous steel tanks. But hey, I don't have a TV show that let's me destroy billion dollar refineries.

That's awesome that you thumb your nose at the 10 inch sticker at the pump though, like the Rev. Al Sharpton of gas stations.

 

[MudPuppy]

C'mon, this is thehighroad and so many are advocating illegal action?

 

[bakerj]

I was at the Ripley's aquarium a coulple of weeks ago an carried in a smartcarry. On the way out, I noticed a table with a metal detector wand on it and a three ringbinder that said "weapons log" on it. Nobody w as checking people on the way in.

 

[Erinyes]

I don't recall if there's a no guns sign at the Aquarium or not, but I do know that there are no metal detectors.

I do have to say, the Aquarium is absolutely amazing. Back in May they let everyone who worked in the local hospitality industry go for free (they even allowed one guest per employee). It was the first time in years I'd managed to actually visit. It really is a world class establishment. I'm pretty sure it's owned privately, as well. Just remember, concealed means concealed.

Hope you enjoy Chattanooga!