The grand opening of the New York Aquarium’s newest exhibit— Donald Zucker and Barbara Hrbek Zucker Ocean Wonders: Sharks!—will be held by the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Coney Island landmark on Saturday, June 30, according to a press release.
The new three-story 57,500-square-foot exhibit building will take visitors through nine galleries that house more than 115 marine species, including 18 species of sharks and rays. Highlights include large sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, and other marine species that live off the coast of New York. There will also be innovative displays, including a shipwreck and shark tagging vessel.
The purpose of the exhibit is to drive awareness of the importance of sharks to the health of the world’s oceans, educate visitors about the severe threats sharks face, and inform guests about the diverse array of marine wildlife that exists in the waters around the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut tri-state area. The exhibit will also highlight the work that WCS’ New York Aquarium scientists are doing to protect sharks throughout the region and around the world, plus illustrate how the choices we all make in our day-to-day lives affects sharks and their marine habitats.
“The opening of Ocean Wonders: Sharks! is a transformative moment for the New York Aquarium. The exhibit inspires awe and admiration for sharks and opens our visitors’ eyes to what they truly are – keystone species in the world’s ocean which, as top predators, helps to regulate the populations of other species, bringing a vital balance to a healthy ocean. The exhibit will connect millions of visitors with the wildlife and habitats in New York waters and expands the Wildlife Conservation Society’s global commitment to shark and ray conservation,” said WCS CEO and President Cristián Samper, in a press release.
The aquarium opens at 10 a.m. year-round.
