The Vancouver Aquarium will reveal part of the most significant expansion in its 58-year history this Friday—a sustainably designed state-of-the-art space, and the first of three notable additions to the marine centre. Following the $45-million phase one makeover, the recently added 55,000-square-foot facility is bustling with new interactive areas, animal exhibits, and other aquatic experiences. Highlights include a re-designed indoor and outdoor entry complex; the Teck Connections Gallery, which welcomes guests with an expansive 360-degree overhead projection of ocean bodies; and a 120-seat theatre for educational programs and lectures. After taking an extensive stroll through one of the city’s top attractions, refuel in the new bi-level café and enjoy 100 per cent sustainable Ocean Wise dishes. The new and improved Aquarium will open June 13.
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Once through the main entrance, visitors move into the Ocean Courtyard. At over 6,000 square feet, this open-air welcoming space provides opportunities for programs, visitor orientation, special events, and a place to relax on warm summer days.
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The dual-coloured metal panelling on the east wall changes from pink to green as you walk by, just the way fish scales do.
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A visual display of the many generous supporters of the aquarium is featured inside the entrance along the wall.
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The glowing, ceiling-mounted, 14-foot globe in the Teck Connections Gallery is a combination of a literal map and impressionistic art, focusing attention on the 73 per cent of the earth’s surface that is covered by water.
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Bill Reid’s statue, “Chief of the Undersea World”, was first unveiled on the aquarium’s original plaza in 1984; it has been brought back to permanently preside over the entrance.
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Located on the lower level, the Teck Engagement Gallery accommodates up to 120 people in amphitheatre-style seating and is an ideal space for presentations, public programs, lectures, and film screenings.
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The exhibit featuring British Columbia’s iconic coho salmon educates visitors on the importance of choosing sustainable seafood. It also highlights Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise exhibit, and welcomes visitors to the new café.
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The canopy at the aquarium’s new main entrance features Douglas fir beams and has translucent inflatable lens-shaped plastic domes that allow natural light to illuminate the entranceway.
