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See more photos from Thursday's media tour in The World-Herald's Viewfinder photo blog.
Video: Zoo director Dennis Pate leads the media tour
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Visitors to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo are fond of the Scott Aquarium, and they have been uneasy with the idea of changing it.
Dennis Pate, director and CEO of the zoo, said people stop him and ask him why the aquarium has been closed and what’s being done to it. They’re afraid of losing their favorite exhibits, but he says not to worry.
“I’m here to tell you, it’s going to get a lot better,” Pate said Thursday afternoon during a hard-hat walk-through of the “new” aquarium.
Although some tanks are still empty and the glass for many of those with inhabitants was covered to protect them from construction dust, it was still possible to get an idea of what visitors will find once the building reopens in April.
One big thing: It will be way more spacious. The old aquarium layouts put people close to one another and made some areas congested, so it was hard to concentrate on the exhibits.
Smaller tanks have been combined into larger ones, and the walls are a soothing dark gray.
Visitors will also see curves — undulating walls and special effects. Most of the lighting will come from the exhibits rather than from overhead.
But the two most popular exhibits — the penguin display and the tunnel through the shark tank — won’t change too much. The viewing area in front of the penguins has been redone, and the exhibit will face a long mural of Antarctica’s coastline. Leaks were also repaired.
“The tunnel is still the iconic exhibit for the aquarium,” Pate said. “We didn’t mess with it. But we’re doing a better job of identifying the animals.”
Walking through the building is easier. Pate said workers removed eight sets of steps, creating a friendly environment for those pushing strollers.
There will be new graphics, sound systems, and heating and air conditioning. Three play areas and more hands-on exhibits should please children. TV monitors have been added for identifying the exhibits.
“The rock stars are the fish,” Pate said. “Everything will put emphasis on them.”
The new education and conference center is connected to the aquarium’s west side. The state-of-the-art facility will boast 13,000 square feet and also is set to open in April.
This is the first project that has been Pate’s from start to finish since he arrived in 2009. It’s one of the initial phases in the zoo’s master plan to remake the zoo over the next 10 to 15 years.
The total cost of the two aquarium projects is $10.5 million. The $6.5 million for the aquarium update came from the Walter and Suzanne Scott Foundation; the $4 million for the conference center came out of the general capital campaign fund.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1067, carol.bicak@owh.com
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