New England Aquarium - The Future

The Future

Cambridge Seven Associates is working with the museum on upgrades to the Giant Ocean Tank, as well as creating other exhibits. As a final part to their five year $42 million dollar upgrade, which started in 2007, the New England Aquarium will begin renovating the Giant Ocean Tank around Labor Day of 2012 to July 2013. The 200,000 gallon tank will receive enlarged viewing windows, a new reef inside it, enhanced lighting, and a reflective domed ceiling overhead. In addition, the wooden wall encircling the ocean tank would be replaced with a transparent acrylic wall to facilitate better viewing, a new ramp would be constructed from the fourth floor elevator to the top of tank, a new education center will be located on the top floor, giant screens will be added that connect to divers helmet camera for onlookers to see, and on the ground floor a new exhibit called the Blue Planet Action Center will be constructed to show the aquarium's conservancy efforts. During the renovation the Giant Ocean Tank's inhabitants will be temporarily relocated to the penguin exhibit. Most of the aquarium's penguins would be moved to the aquarium's animal care center in Quincy. However, the little blue penguins will stay at the aquarium in a temporary exhibit near the New Balance Marine Mammal Center. By June 2013 the animals should be back in their home with 70-80 new species of sharks and fishes.

As of October 5, 2012, the aquarium's renovation has begun with the penguins being moved into their new temporary homes. Also construction has started on the Giant Ocean Tank with the penguin exhibit temporary renamed as the Tropical Oceans exhibit.