Although the entire aquarium is decorated for the birthday, the Rotunda is party central. At the center of the Rotunda is a giant birthday cake replica, surrounded by jugglers, stilt walkers and other circus performers. Preschoolers will thrill at seeing their favorite Fisher-Price® Little People®—including Sonya Lee® and Eddie®—come to life to dance, hug and pose for photos. (Although older children seemed to love the Little People® just as much as the young ones. A group of tween girls started dancing with Sonya Lee during our visit.) The Little People®, joined by the aquarium's shark mascot Gill, will be appearing throughout the day at regular intervals. Other activities include face-painting and hippo-themed arts and crafts presented by A.C. Moore. And don't forget to sign Button's birthday card on the gigantic coloring wall presented by Crayola®!

However, the highlight is the chance to sing "Happy Birthday" to Button while she feasts on her very own hippo-friendly birthday cake made of watermelon, strawberries, veggies and served on a bed of hay. (Don't worry, Button's exhibit mate Genny the Hippo gets a cake too so she doesn't feel left out. Of course, the African porcupine who shares the exhibit with Button and Genny felt a little put out by his lack of cake. He made a run for the cakes himself but was lured away with a banana—but not before displaying his quills!) The unique West African River Experience exhibit is where the cake eating takes place, which gives you a chance to check out Button's home and see her swim underwater. The good thing about weighing 3,000 pounds and not having to worry about your weight is that Buttons and Genny get two cakes a day—ensuring ample opportunity to be part of this crowd-pleasing event during your visit to the aquarium. Of course, seeing a hippo nosh may make you and the kids hungry so head on over to the Feeding Frenzy Cafe to sample hippo cupcakes, cookies and other treats.

If the aquarium's non-stop birthday party fun isn't enough, why not sign-up for a meet and greet with Button and her hippo pal Genny? For an additional $15, you can purchase tickets for a behind-the-scenes tour of the hippo's night quarters. Not only will you get an exclusive sneak peek at a rarely seen part of the aquarium's most popular exhibits, you'll also be helping a great cause. Proceeds from each ticket benefit the IUCN International Hippo Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping hippos in the wild. Tickets are first-come, first-serve so get to the aquarium early to get your backstage pass!

Expect your visit to Adventure Aquarium to last a few hours (a typical visit is 3 hours). With more than 200,000 square feet of space, more than two million gallons of water and 6,500 animals, there is a lot of ground to cover. The fifth largest aquarium in the country, the Adventure Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world to exhibit hippos and one of only two aquariums to feature a hammerhead shark. Also known as "America's Most Touchable Aquarium," there are numerous opportunities to touch everything from sharks to lobsters, shrimp and crabs. Another highlight is the all-new Stingray Beach Club, which gives visitors a chance to touch and feed curious stingrays. (Don't worry about germs though! There are numerous hand-sanitizing stations at all touching exhibits.) There's even a 4D theatre, which is currently featuring Dora & Diego's 4-D Adventure: Catch that Robot Butterfly. (Tickets to the theater are an additional charge of $5 if purchased with your ticket or $7 if purchased at the theater counter.) Strollers are permitted or can be rented for $4 for a single or $6 for a double.

Admission to Adventure Aquarium is $22.95 for adults and $17.95 for children ages 2 through 12. To avoid a line at the door, you can order tickets online or call 856-365-3300. Adventure Aquarium is located at 1 Riverside Drive on the Waterfront and is easily accessible from I-95, I-295, I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway), The New Jersey Turnpike and NJ Route 30. Public transportation options include the RiverLink Ferry from Penn's Landing, the PATCO High Speedline, or the River Line train. Parking costs $10. Nearby attractions  include Camden Children's Garden (which adjoins the aquarium and offers discounted tickets of $3.50 if you enter through the Aquarium Gate located by the penguin exhibit), Battleship New Jersey and the Riversharks Baseball stadium.