Slated to open in late 2018, Pacific Visions is designed as a biomorphic structure that suggests the form of a whale and evokes the size, depth, variability, luminosity and biological diversity of the Pacific Ocean. The building will house a state-of-the-art immersive theater, expanded special exhibition and art galleries, and additional space for live animal exhibits. It will provide a revitalized front plaza and exhibition hall with space for installations, performances and cultural events.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is developing the $53-million project as the second and final phase of a Campus Master Plan adopted in 2005. The plan’s aim is to enhance the institution’s role as a community gathering place where scientists, policymakers and the public can celebrate the inhabitants and ecosystems of the Pacific Ocean and explore today’s most important environmental issues. When completed, Pacific Visions will increase the institution’s audience capacity to 2 million visitors a year.
“Pacific Visions represents an unprecedented opportunity to help our growing audience examine the vital and changing relationship between humans and the World Ocean and choose paths to make that relationship sustainable,” said Dr. Jerry R. Schubel, Aquarium of the Pacific president & CEO. “We want our visitors to leave Pacific Visions feeling more deeply engaged with the living ocean, knowledgeable about the challenges that face it and us, and empowered to make better decisions and share their new understanding with others.”
Pacific Visions will incorporate a 300-seat immersive theater and dedicated art gallery, which will serve as a hub for the Aquarium’s cultural events and exhibitions integrating science, technology and the arts.
It will also incorporate a range of technologies and media design developed by Emmy Award-winning Cortina Productions. Digital exhibits using real-time data will enable the Aquarium to address breaking scientific discoveries and current and emerging environmental topics. When visitors leave the Aquarium, they will be able to remain connected and share the experience through the Pacific Visions app with friends and family, according to a press release from the Aquarium.
“Institutions like the Aquarium of the Pacific serve a vital role in helping us understand— and better care for— the world around us,” said U.S. Congressmember Alan Lowenthal, who serves California’s 47th District. “In just a short time, the Aquarium of the Pacific has redefined the modern aquarium. It has become a leading force in educating the next generation about the importance of the ocean and scientific research, fostering a community of students, families, friends, and scientific experts who learn together. I look forward to seeing how the new Pacific Visions wing will broaden that community and reinforce our collective responsibility to build a more sustainable future.”
Members of the public can support this project by making an online donation at aquariumofpacific.org/news/pacificvisions and on site while visiting the Aquarium.
