Aquarium of the Pacific aounces $53 million expansion

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is plaing a $53 million expansion project to solidify its place as a major research and public education institution, officials aounced Wednesday.

The Pacific Visions wing is the first major expansion since the aquarium opened in 1998. Work is expected to begin in 2017, with the addition slated to open the following year.

Officials said $40 million have been raised to date.

“The idea is to create programs that will engage, educate and empower the public to create a better future,” Jerry Schubel, CEO of the aquarium, said Wednesday, flanked by donors and city officials.

“Through our exhibits and our programs, we hope to bring people together to build the social capital that’s necessary to address the major environmental issues that we’re faced with today.”

While the aquarium is an important tourist destination, its most significant role is as a research and academic institution where people can deepen their scientific knowledge, said Mayor Robert Garcia.

“We know that the aquarium is a leader in education and environmental advocacy,” Garcia said. “It has the capacity to take on our big challenges.”

What to expect

A small model unveiled Wednesday showed the whale-shaped project’s exterior: A facade made out of light-diffusing glass panels that changes hue in tandem with shifting sunlight and cloud conditions.

The project designer, San Francisco-based firm EHDD, is incorporating a glazed, acid-etched glass that will eliminate direct reflection of trees and sky, which can confuse birds and prove fatal when they crash into the glass.

Designers are also hope to attain a 2 Green Globes rating from the Green Building Initiative, the equivalent of an LEED Silver rating.

Inside, there will be four major additions:

• A two-story, 300-seat Pacific Visions Theater featuring a 180-degree curved screen and 30-foot floor projection disc geared at giving visitors an immersive experience during movie presentations.

• A main entrance and front plaza, including an expanded ticketing area and special member’s entrance.

• A changing exhibit gallery, adding 6,000 square feet for live animal or multimedia displays.

• An art gallery and orientation gallery, and 26-foot-wide by 8-foot-tall media wall.

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Funding

While much of the project’s $53 million price tag will come from private donations, the city is contributing a $15 million matching grant toward the effort, Garcia said, noting that the financial commitment was made during former Mayor Bob Foster’s tenure. The money comes from the city’s Tidelands fund, which includes oil revenue.

Major donors include a $5 million matching grant from John and Michelle Molina and Mario and Therese Molina; a $5 million grant from American Honda Motor Company and a number of private donations.

When complete, the Pacific Visions wing will increase the aquarium’s capacity to two million visitors per year.