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Adventure Aquarium

December 15, 2023

The Adventure Aquarium, formerly the Thomas H. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium,[2] is a for-profit educational entertainment attraction operated in Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware River Camden Waterfront by Herschend Family Entertainment. Originally opened in 1992, it re-opened in its current form on May 25, 2005 featuring about 8,000 animals living in varied forms of semi-aquatic, freshwater, and marine habitats. The facility has a total tank volume of over 2 million US gallons (7,600,000 L), and public floor space of 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2).

Adventure Aquarium
39°56′42″N 75°07′52″W / 39.945°N 75.131°W / 39.945; -75.131
Date openedFebruary 29, 1992 (31 years ago) (1992-02-29)
(May 25, 2005 opened as Adventure Aquarium)
LocationCamden, New Jersey, U.S.
Floor space200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) (public areas)
Volume of largest tank760,000 US gal (2,900,000 L)
Total volume of tanks2 million US gallons (7,600,000 L)
MembershipsAZA[1]
Major exhibits11
Public transit access
  River Line
Aquarium
  PATCO Speedline
City Hall
Websitewww.adventureaquarium.com

History edit

Origin edit

The New Jersey State Aquarium was planned to revitalize the Camden waterfront, using the aquarium as a focal point for a shopping center, a hotel, and high-rise residential buildings.[3] This proposal aimed to counteract the negative image painted of Camden and draw in revenue that would further help the city.[4] Inspired by the success that other cities, particularly Baltimore, had experienced with their own marine life centers, the New Jersey legislature approved the bill that included the aquarium's construction order in the late 1980s, and Governor of New Jersey Thomas Kean signed it into law.[citation needed] Originally known as the Thomas H. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium at Camden,[5] the aquarium was operated by the non-profit New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences, an organization chartered in 1989 to run the aquarium and further its mission of education and conservation.[citation needed] The Academy oversaw the design and construction of the original attraction jointly with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

The original building was designed by the architectural firm The Hillier Group and became a centerpiece for a virtually abandoned area. Constructed primarily of cast concrete, accented by large glass and aluminum facades and topped by a large, white fabric dome, the aquarium was completed at a total cost of about $52 million. It opened on February 29, 1992.

In its first year of operation, the aquarium hosted 1.6 million visitors. But trouble arose almost immediately when visitor and critics' reviews turned decidedly negative.

The building's concrete nature was glaringly apparent both inside and out, as bare, grey concrete walls defined almost every public space. The cavernous rotunda, capped by the classic white dome, featured a deafening echo and was poorly lit. None of the exhibits were themed, and many of the tanks seemed to be lined up in neat, square rows. Graphics were almost non-existent, and the building itself tended to feel small. But the biggest problem was the animals themselves: as a New Jersey–based operation, the original aquarium displayed only native fishes, mainly brown and grey in color, and just about nothing else. By the next fiscal year (1993), attendance had plummeted to a mere 400,000. Alarmed, the aquarium's managers began a short period of intense renovation, just a year after opening day. This was featured on Michael Moore's television series TV Nation in 1995.

Renovation edit

The aquarium never closed during this reconstruction phase, but many exhibits were periodically offline or inaccessible, making the small building even smaller. But in 1994, Ocean Base Atlantic[6] debuted to the public. The new attraction, designed by award-winning experience designer Bob Rogers and the design team BRC Imagination Arts,[7] made use of the building's massive 760,000-U.S.-gallon (2,900,000-liter) Open Ocean Tank (the third largest on the continent). This new, themed exhibit introduced fish, birds, sharks, and sea turtles from all across the Atlantic Ocean, and not just from the coast of New Jersey. The new attraction opened to acclaim by the public and was also the Themed Entertainment Association's 1996 recipient of the "Award for Outstanding Achievement."[8]

The rotunda was upgraded with the addition of a large, spinning mobile in the domed ceiling, made from more than a thousand polished aluminum fish shapes. A one-man submersible hung from the center, its lights shining on the Command Center — a glorified information desk made to look like the bridge of an underwater lab. Even staff members complemented the new experience: the black and purple aquarium uniform, patterned on the then-hit TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation, was worn by anyone who worked in public view. These changes and modifications helped to improve the organization's image, boost attendance, and assist the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences' effort to stabilize the attraction for long-term operations.

On July 1, 1995, the New Jersey State Aquarium reopened after a further $4 million renovation to update the surroundings in order to draw in more visitors. The renovation framed the exhibits as part of a recreated Caribbean area and a replica of an actual shipwreck, the RMS Rhone.[9]

In 1997, to commemorate the site's fifth anniversary, the New Jersey State Aquarium debuted their shark mascot, Chomp.[10]

Over the years, the New Jersey State Aquarium once again fell into a period of stagnation, with yearly attendance holding at about 600,000. In 1999, the Camden City Garden Club announced plans to open a children's horticultural garden immediately behind the aquarium, on 4 acres (16,000 m2) of land between the waterfront building and the street. Construction moved quickly, both on the garden itself and a new facade, box office, and gift shop for the aging aquarium. The combined attraction opened in 2000, but did not greatly influence yearly attendance. Work began briefly on a ride attraction in the old gift shop, but was halted halfway through due to lack of funds. Now about thirteen years old, the aquarium started to see a gradual decline in admissions.

The new aquarium edit

In 2003, Columbus, Ohio-based Steiner + Associates began negotiations on a lease agreement for the existing aquarium and a development contract for the lands that surround it. The principal design and construction of a large addition on the north side of the building began in the winter of 2004. The Academy continued to operate the facility until September 7, 2004, when the doors were closed to allow a complete renovation of the existing structure.

As Steiner Entertainment took control of most operational aspects of the building (Guest Services, Marketing, Finance, Graphic Design, and Husbandry), the Academy remained to operate the Education and Research/Conservation departments. ARAMARK took over food services, and Securitas took over security of the facility.

In November 2007, officials at the Adventure Aquarium announced that Steiner + Associates had agreed to sell its controlling interest in both Adventure and Newport Aquariums to Atlanta-based Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.

Efforts were initiated in 1999 to expand the existing aquarium physically. As it became clear that the Academy lacked the financial ability to undertake such a project, the State of New Jersey (who owns the buildings and the land) began to look for potential investors, developers, and operators for the aquarium.

In December 6, 2009, volunteer diver Robert Large received a bite from a sand-tiger shark, permanently prohibiting him from diving again. The organization that oversaw the volunteer diver program at Adventure Aquarium, NJAAS, allegedly promised to cover all of his $75,000 medical expense; however, he received only $20,000.[11]

Exhibits edit

The South Building edit

The existing building became known as the South Building, and would continue to feature native Atlantic specimens in smaller tanks and the giant Ocean Tank on the first floor (formerly Ocean Base Atlantic), as well as more unusual animals on the second floor. In 2000, the exhibit called the Conservation, Outreach and Outreach Lab, or COOL, featured the adventures of a fictitious marine biologist, Dr. Marina del Mar. Her Ocean Base Atlantic laboratory, according to the storyline, is responsible for all of the animals, displays, and information presented in the building. It features Indo-Pacific, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Central and South American aquatic life such as the yellow-head jawfish and coypu.[12]

Added to this building as part of the heavy renovation was a new gateway to the Caribbean called “Irazu River Falls”. This 30-foot-tall (9.1 m) tropical, riparium waterfall-tank rests in the hollow of a large, 50-foot-tall (15 m) coral reef tank designed into the original building, but never completed. It is surrounded by lush green foliage and backed by a jagged, mossy rockface. The exhibit was rebranded as “Piranha Falls” in 2017.[13]

Also in this building is the “Adventure Theatre”, an auditorium refitted to show 4-D films and attractions. The 154-seat theatre, sponsored by Public Service Electric and Gas, includes a 3-D film shown with environmental effects (water ‘spray’, wind ‘gusts’, and hydraulic seat movements) that combine to bring riders closer to the experience. When it opened in July 2005, the Adventure Theatre became the first built-in 4D-capable auditorium featured in an American aquarium. SimEx-Iwerks provides the technology, and the ride films are shown daily.

Many of the animals in the South Building were simply moved to better facilitate traffic flow and the organization of species. Some of the new animals in the building include the critically endangered shark ray, Cuvier's dwarf caiman, an electric eel, and bat rays and stingrays. In 2007, the "Don't Just Look—Touch" campaign saw the addition of five new hands-on touch-exhibits to the building, including a complete refurbishment of the original “Touch-A-Shark” and “Meet-A-Creature” exhibits, plus the additions of “Touch-A-Ray”, “Touch-A-Jelly”, “Touch-A-Lobster” and “Touch-A-Shrimp” in the new Interactive Inlet area, on the second floor. Adventure Aquarium was one of very few facilities in the country that permitted its guests to voluntarily touch moon jellies, northern lobsters, or pink shrimp. The lobster, jellyfish, and shrimp touch tanks were subsequently removed during a 2012 renovation. That renovation turned the second floor into a “Kids’ Zone”, with exhibits redesigned for the education and entertainment of toddlers and small children. It also includes a small oceanic-themed play area.[14][15]

 
Penguin Island at Adventure Aquarium

The aquarium features African penguins in its only outdoor exhibit, “Penguin Island”, which opened in 1998. The enclosure was shut down in 2017 for a refurbishment, reopening again in 2018. This was to better replicate the natural, South African coastal environment of the penguins, adding heated rock fixtures and a larger, 17k-gallon saltwater pool, with underwater viewing windows.[16]

The aquarium once had a second outdoor exhibit, “Seal Shores”; this had originally opened with the aquarium in 1992, and housed harbor and grey seals. Seal Shores closed in October 2012, the resident seals being relocated to the National Zoo, Washington, DC.[17] The area has since been turned into a playground called “Penguin Park”.[18]

From June 7 to September 2, 2013, “Mighty Mike” (an American alligator from Lake Talquin, Florida) was featured at the Adventure Aquarium.[19] The alligator weighed 800 lbs. and was 14’ long. Florida residents discovered Mighty Mike in 2000, requesting that he be euthanized. Instead, a trapper relocated him, aided by local reptile expert, Bruce Schwdick. Since then, he has served as an ambassador animal, traveling between zoos and aquariums for educational purposes.[20]

Eight Australian little blue penguins arrived at the aquarium in 2016 and are located in an exhibit called Little Blue Beach. Initially born at the Taronga Zoo Sydney, Australia, the birds were transferred to the Bronx Zoo for quarantine purposes before finally relocating to the Adventure Aquarium. Their enclosure includes a 415-square-foot exhibit as well as a 9,230-gallon, 3-foot-deep saltwater pool.[21]

The aquarium rescued and rehabilitated a hatchling loggerhead sea turtle named Darwin in August 2017 and prepared it for life in the wild. The turtle was released in the fall of that year.[22][23]

The North Building edit

The rectangular expansion building added to the northern face of the old aquarium became known as the North Building. This structure accommodates three exhibits, a food service area, main entry atrium, gift shop, casual dining restaurant, and the CURRENTS banquet ballroom.

The exhibits include "West African River Experience", featuring Nile hippopotamuses. The two females, named Button and Genny, were sent by The Walt Disney Company from their Animal Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, at relatively young ages: eight and five, respectively. In human care, the animals may live to reach at least 55 years of age.

 
Shark at Adventure Aquarium

Also in the North Building are the Jules Verne Gallery, stocked with Japanese spider crabs, sea dragons, jellies, and a giant Pacific octopus, and the Shark Realm, featuring sand tiger, sandbar, and nurse sharks, all viewable from multiple floor-to-ceiling windows and a 40-foot (12-meter) shark tunnel, suspended directly through the center of the 550,000-U.S.-gallon (2,100,000-liter) tank. Visitors are offered, by appointment, the opportunity to swim with the sharks in the tank itself: the Shark and Ray Encounter program allows guests to snorkel along the outer perimeter of the tank inside a concrete channel before ending the swim by feeding the animals by hand in the "ray lagoon".

Above the shark tank is the Shark Bridge, a V-shaped suspension bridge. At 81 feet long, this was the longest V-shaped suspension bridge in the world as of 2016.[24]

Wind turbines were installed on the roof of the North Building in the spring of 2007.

On September 11, 2018, the aquarium adopted a newborn Cape porcupine. It was placed in Hippo Haven. The public was asked to name the animal via donation boxes. All proceeds went to the Turgwe Hippo Trust, located in Zimbabwe.[25]

Conservation efforts edit

The Adventure Aquarium, in an effort to reduce oceanic pollution, uses recyclable cutlery and plant-based straws in accordance with Fins for the Future, a Delaware shore conservation effort.[26] Previously to the COVID-19 pandemic, the aquarium held an annual Hippo Awareness festival that supported the Turgwe Hippo Trust.[27] On President's Day weekend 2019, it held a sea turtle awareness weekend in which it informed the public about the dangers of plastic products for sea turtle population.[28] Additionally, the aquarium works in tandem with the North Carolina Aquarium and the Pine Knoll Shores Sea Turtle Program to take in newly hatched turtles and rehabilitate them.[23] Their African penguin exhibit has been part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' species protection program since its creation in 1998. Since then, it has bred 48 African penguins.[29]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  2. ^ "A Splashy Debut".
  3. ^ Gonzales, Patrisia (1989-03-05). "A Vision of Camden's Future". The Philadelphia Inquirer. ProQuest 1853721772.
  4. ^ Gillette, Howard Jr. (2005). Camden after the fall : decline and renewal in a post-industrial city. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812205275. OCLC 759158205.
  5. ^ "TRAVEL ADVISORY; Sharks at Home in New Aquarium". The New York Times. 1992-03-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  6. ^ (PDF). BRC Imagination Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-24.
  7. ^ "New Jersey Aquarium Splashes on Color : Tourism: The $4-million make-over adds a few Technicolor fish and some Hollywood glitz. Design was spawned by Burbank company". latimes.com. July 30, 1995.
  8. ^ . teaconnect.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02.
  9. ^ Colimore, Edward (1995-06-30). "Spots to Have a Maritime of your Life". The Philadelphia Inquirer. ProQuest 1844172136.
  10. ^ Myers, Lisa Ann (1997-04-06). "Mascot helps mark building's 5th birthday". Courier Post.
  11. ^ Nark, Jason. "Shark-bit at Camden aquarium, longtime volunteer diver says medical bills have gone unpaid & his gig was deep-sixed". philly.com. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  12. ^ Boasberg, Leonard W. (2000-06-30). "See Some COOL Creatures in Camden". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  13. ^ "'Piranha Falls' Now Open At Adventure Aquarium". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  14. ^ Times, Kristie Rearick | South Jersey (2012-04-06). "KidZone, an interactive exhibit just for kids, is open at Camden's Adventure Aquarium". nj. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  15. ^ "Adventure Aquarium". www.adventureaquarium.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  16. ^ Hefler, Jan. "Endangered penguins splash it up in new digs at Camden's Adventure Aquarium". philly.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  17. ^ Writer, By Edward Colimore, Inquirer Staff. "Camden's Adventure Aquarium will get a revamp, including more penguins". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Adventure Aquarium". www.adventureaquarium.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  19. ^ Raphelson, Samantha (June 7, 2013). "Mighty Mike Returns to the Adventure Aquarium". Courier Post.
  20. ^ "Mighty Mike Returns to the Adventure Aquarium".
  21. ^ "Little Blue Penguins debut at Adventure Aquarium". mcall.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
  22. ^ Stamm, Dan. "Name Adventure Aquarium's Loggerhead Sea Turtle Hatchling". NBC 10 Philadelphia. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  23. ^ a b "Where to find baby animals at zoos and aquariums". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  24. ^ "Brave enough? Shark Bridge puts Adventure Aquarium guests inches above 30 sharks".
  25. ^ "Adventure Aquarium welcomes baby porcupine, asks visitors to help name it". KYW. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  26. ^ Paolino, Tammy (July 10, 2018). "Adventure Aquarium says no to plastic straws, yes to salads and sandwiches". Courier-Post. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  27. ^ "Adventure Aquarium Raises Thousands To Save Hippos In Africa". 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  28. ^ Contento, Nina. . www.snjtoday.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  29. ^ "And Now, A Slideshow Of The Four Baby African Penguins Born At Camden's Adventure Aquarium Last Month". PHILEBRITY. Retrieved 2019-04-24.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adventure Aquarium.
  • Official website
  • Camden Waterfront Marketing Bureau
  • New Jersey Department of Travel and Tourism
  • Battleship New Jersey
  • Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation
  • Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

December 15, 2023
adventure, aquarium, formerly, thomas, kean, jersey, state, aquarium, profit, educational, entertainment, attraction, operated, camden, jersey, delaware, river, camden, waterfront, herschend, family, entertainment, originally, opened, 1992, opened, current, fo. The Adventure Aquarium formerly the Thomas H Kean New Jersey State Aquarium 2 is a for profit educational entertainment attraction operated in Camden New Jersey on the Delaware River Camden Waterfront by Herschend Family Entertainment Originally opened in 1992 it re opened in its current form on May 25 2005 featuring about 8 000 animals living in varied forms of semi aquatic freshwater and marine habitats The facility has a total tank volume of over 2 million US gallons 7 600 000 L and public floor space of 200 000 square feet 19 000 m2 Adventure Aquarium39 56 42 N 75 07 52 W 39 945 N 75 131 W 39 945 75 131Date openedFebruary 29 1992 31 years ago 1992 02 29 May 25 2005 opened as Adventure Aquarium LocationCamden New Jersey U S Floor space200 000 sq ft 19 000 m2 public areas Volume of largest tank760 000 US gal 2 900 000 L Total volume of tanks2 million US gallons 7 600 000 L MembershipsAZA 1 Major exhibits11Public transit access River LineAquarium PATCO SpeedlineCity HallWebsitewww wbr adventureaquarium wbr comThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Adventure Aquarium news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Contents 1 History 1 1 Origin 1 2 Renovation 1 3 The new aquarium 2 Exhibits 2 1 The South Building 2 2 The North Building 2 3 Conservation efforts 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editOrigin edit The New Jersey State Aquarium was planned to revitalize the Camden waterfront using the aquarium as a focal point for a shopping center a hotel and high rise residential buildings 3 This proposal aimed to counteract the negative image painted of Camden and draw in revenue that would further help the city 4 Inspired by the success that other cities particularly Baltimore had experienced with their own marine life centers the New Jersey legislature approved the bill that included the aquarium s construction order in the late 1980s and Governor of New Jersey Thomas Kean signed it into law citation needed Originally known as the Thomas H Kean New Jersey State Aquarium at Camden 5 the aquarium was operated by the non profit New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences an organization chartered in 1989 to run the aquarium and further its mission of education and conservation citation needed The Academy oversaw the design and construction of the original attraction jointly with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority The original building was designed by the architectural firm The Hillier Group and became a centerpiece for a virtually abandoned area Constructed primarily of cast concrete accented by large glass and aluminum facades and topped by a large white fabric dome the aquarium was completed at a total cost of about 52 million It opened on February 29 1992 In its first year of operation the aquarium hosted 1 6 million visitors But trouble arose almost immediately when visitor and critics reviews turned decidedly negative The building s concrete nature was glaringly apparent both inside and out as bare grey concrete walls defined almost every public space The cavernous rotunda capped by the classic white dome featured a deafening echo and was poorly lit None of the exhibits were themed and many of the tanks seemed to be lined up in neat square rows Graphics were almost non existent and the building itself tended to feel small But the biggest problem was the animals themselves as a New Jersey based operation the original aquarium displayed only native fishes mainly brown and grey in color and just about nothing else By the next fiscal year 1993 attendance had plummeted to a mere 400 000 Alarmed the aquarium s managers began a short period of intense renovation just a year after opening day This was featured on Michael Moore s television series TV Nation in 1995 Renovation edit The aquarium never closed during this reconstruction phase but many exhibits were periodically offline or inaccessible making the small building even smaller But in 1994 Ocean Base Atlantic 6 debuted to the public The new attraction designed by award winning experience designer Bob Rogers and the design team BRC Imagination Arts 7 made use of the building s massive 760 000 U S gallon 2 900 000 liter Open Ocean Tank the third largest on the continent This new themed exhibit introduced fish birds sharks and sea turtles from all across the Atlantic Ocean and not just from the coast of New Jersey The new attraction opened to acclaim by the public and was also the Themed Entertainment Association s 1996 recipient of the Award for Outstanding Achievement 8 The rotunda was upgraded with the addition of a large spinning mobile in the domed ceiling made from more than a thousand polished aluminum fish shapes A one man submersible hung from the center its lights shining on the Command Center a glorified information desk made to look like the bridge of an underwater lab Even staff members complemented the new experience the black and purple aquarium uniform patterned on the then hit TV show Star Trek The Next Generation was worn by anyone who worked in public view These changes and modifications helped to improve the organization s image boost attendance and assist the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences effort to stabilize the attraction for long term operations On July 1 1995 the New Jersey State Aquarium reopened after a further 4 million renovation to update the surroundings in order to draw in more visitors The renovation framed the exhibits as part of a recreated Caribbean area and a replica of an actual shipwreck the RMS Rhone 9 In 1997 to commemorate the site s fifth anniversary the New Jersey State Aquarium debuted their shark mascot Chomp 10 Over the years the New Jersey State Aquarium once again fell into a period of stagnation with yearly attendance holding at about 600 000 In 1999 the Camden City Garden Club announced plans to open a children s horticultural garden immediately behind the aquarium on 4 acres 16 000 m2 of land between the waterfront building and the street Construction moved quickly both on the garden itself and a new facade box office and gift shop for the aging aquarium The combined attraction opened in 2000 but did not greatly influence yearly attendance Work began briefly on a ride attraction in the old gift shop but was halted halfway through due to lack of funds Now about thirteen years old the aquarium started to see a gradual decline in admissions The new aquarium edit In 2003 Columbus Ohio based Steiner Associates began negotiations on a lease agreement for the existing aquarium and a development contract for the lands that surround it The principal design and construction of a large addition on the north side of the building began in the winter of 2004 The Academy continued to operate the facility until September 7 2004 when the doors were closed to allow a complete renovation of the existing structure As Steiner Entertainment took control of most operational aspects of the building Guest Services Marketing Finance Graphic Design and Husbandry the Academy remained to operate the Education and Research Conservation departments ARAMARK took over food services and Securitas took over security of the facility In November 2007 officials at the Adventure Aquarium announced that Steiner Associates had agreed to sell its controlling interest in both Adventure and Newport Aquariums to Atlanta based Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation Efforts were initiated in 1999 to expand the existing aquarium physically As it became clear that the Academy lacked the financial ability to undertake such a project the State of New Jersey who owns the buildings and the land began to look for potential investors developers and operators for the aquarium In December 6 2009 volunteer diver Robert Large received a bite from a sand tiger shark permanently prohibiting him from diving again The organization that oversaw the volunteer diver program at Adventure Aquarium NJAAS allegedly promised to cover all of his 75 000 medical expense however he received only 20 000 11 Exhibits editThe South Building edit The existing building became known as the South Building and would continue to feature native Atlantic specimens in smaller tanks and the giant Ocean Tank on the first floor formerly Ocean Base Atlantic as well as more unusual animals on the second floor In 2000 the exhibit called the Conservation Outreach and Outreach Lab or COOL featured the adventures of a fictitious marine biologist Dr Marina del Mar Her Ocean Base Atlantic laboratory according to the storyline is responsible for all of the animals displays and information presented in the building It features Indo Pacific Puerto Rican Caribbean and Central and South American aquatic life such as the yellow head jawfish and coypu 12 Added to this building as part of the heavy renovation was a new gateway to the Caribbean called Irazu River Falls This 30 foot tall 9 1 m tropical riparium waterfall tank rests in the hollow of a large 50 foot tall 15 m coral reef tank designed into the original building but never completed It is surrounded by lush green foliage and backed by a jagged mossy rockface The exhibit was rebranded as Piranha Falls in 2017 13 Also in this building is the Adventure Theatre an auditorium refitted to show 4 D films and attractions The 154 seat theatre sponsored by Public Service Electric and Gas includes a 3 D film shown with environmental effects water spray wind gusts and hydraulic seat movements that combine to bring riders closer to the experience When it opened in July 2005 the Adventure Theatre became the first built in 4D capable auditorium featured in an American aquarium SimEx Iwerks provides the technology and the ride films are shown daily Many of the animals in the South Building were simply moved to better facilitate traffic flow and the organization of species Some of the new animals in the building include the critically endangered shark ray Cuvier s dwarf caiman an electric eel and bat rays and stingrays In 2007 the Don t Just Look Touch campaign saw the addition of five new hands on touch exhibits to the building including a complete refurbishment of the original Touch A Shark and Meet A Creature exhibits plus the additions of Touch A Ray Touch A Jelly Touch A Lobster and Touch A Shrimp in the new Interactive Inlet area on the second floor Adventure Aquarium was one of very few facilities in the country that permitted its guests to voluntarily touch moon jellies northern lobsters or pink shrimp The lobster jellyfish and shrimp touch tanks were subsequently removed during a 2012 renovation That renovation turned the second floor into a Kids Zone with exhibits redesigned for the education and entertainment of toddlers and small children It also includes a small oceanic themed play area 14 15 nbsp Penguin Island at Adventure AquariumThe aquarium features African penguins in its only outdoor exhibit Penguin Island which opened in 1998 The enclosure was shut down in 2017 for a refurbishment reopening again in 2018 This was to better replicate the natural South African coastal environment of the penguins adding heated rock fixtures and a larger 17k gallon saltwater pool with underwater viewing windows 16 The aquarium once had a second outdoor exhibit Seal Shores this had originally opened with the aquarium in 1992 and housed harbor and grey seals Seal Shores closed in October 2012 the resident seals being relocated to the National Zoo Washington DC 17 The area has since been turned into a playground called Penguin Park 18 From June 7 to September 2 2013 Mighty Mike an American alligator from Lake Talquin Florida was featured at the Adventure Aquarium 19 The alligator weighed 800 lbs and was 14 long Florida residents discovered Mighty Mike in 2000 requesting that he be euthanized Instead a trapper relocated him aided by local reptile expert Bruce Schwdick Since then he has served as an ambassador animal traveling between zoos and aquariums for educational purposes 20 Eight Australian little blue penguins arrived at the aquarium in 2016 and are located in an exhibit called Little Blue Beach Initially born at the Taronga Zoo Sydney Australia the birds were transferred to the Bronx Zoo for quarantine purposes before finally relocating to the Adventure Aquarium Their enclosure includes a 415 square foot exhibit as well as a 9 230 gallon 3 foot deep saltwater pool 21 The aquarium rescued and rehabilitated a hatchling loggerhead sea turtle named Darwin in August 2017 and prepared it for life in the wild The turtle was released in the fall of that year 22 23 The North Building edit The rectangular expansion building added to the northern face of the old aquarium became known as the North Building This structure accommodates three exhibits a food service area main entry atrium gift shop casual dining restaurant and the CURRENTS banquet ballroom The exhibits include West African River Experience featuring Nile hippopotamuses The two females named Button and Genny were sent by The Walt Disney Company from their Animal Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista Florida at relatively young ages eight and five respectively In human care the animals may live to reach at least 55 years of age nbsp Shark at Adventure AquariumAlso in the North Building are the Jules Verne Gallery stocked with Japanese spider crabs sea dragons jellies and a giant Pacific octopus and the Shark Realm featuring sand tiger sandbar and nurse sharks all viewable from multiple floor to ceiling windows and a 40 foot 12 meter shark tunnel suspended directly through the center of the 550 000 U S gallon 2 100 000 liter tank Visitors are offered by appointment the opportunity to swim with the sharks in the tank itself the Shark and Ray Encounter program allows guests to snorkel along the outer perimeter of the tank inside a concrete channel before ending the swim by feeding the animals by hand in the ray lagoon Above the shark tank is the Shark Bridge a V shaped suspension bridge At 81 feet long this was the longest V shaped suspension bridge in the world as of 2016 24 Wind turbines were installed on the roof of the North Building in the spring of 2007 On September 11 2018 the aquarium adopted a newborn Cape porcupine It was placed in Hippo Haven The public was asked to name the animal via donation boxes All proceeds went to the Turgwe Hippo Trust located in Zimbabwe 25 Conservation efforts edit The Adventure Aquarium in an effort to reduce oceanic pollution uses recyclable cutlery and plant based straws in accordance with Fins for the Future a Delaware shore conservation effort 26 Previously to the COVID 19 pandemic the aquarium held an annual Hippo Awareness festival that supported the Turgwe Hippo Trust 27 On President s Day weekend 2019 it held a sea turtle awareness weekend in which it informed the public about the dangers of plastic products for sea turtle population 28 Additionally the aquarium works in tandem with the North Carolina Aquarium and the Pine Knoll Shores Sea Turtle Program to take in newly hatched turtles and rehabilitate them 23 Their African penguin exhibit has been part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums species protection program since its creation in 1998 Since then it has bred 48 African penguins 29 See also editPhiladelphia Aquarium 1911 1962 Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea 1962 1969 References edit Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums aza org AZA Retrieved 23 November 2011 A Splashy Debut Gonzales Patrisia 1989 03 05 A Vision of Camden s Future The Philadelphia Inquirer ProQuest 1853721772 Gillette Howard Jr 2005 Camden after the fall decline and renewal in a post industrial city Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Press ISBN 9780812205275 OCLC 759158205 TRAVEL ADVISORY Sharks at Home in New Aquarium The New York Times 1992 03 15 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2022 08 11 New Jersey State Aquarium Caribbean Adventure at Ocean Base Atlan PDF BRC Imagination Arts Archived from the original PDF on 2013 12 24 New Jersey Aquarium Splashes on Color Tourism The 4 million make over adds a few Technicolor fish and some Hollywood glitz Design was spawned by Burbank company latimes com July 30 1995 Awards for Outstanding Achievement Ocean Base Atlantic New Jersey State Aquarium teaconnect org Archived from the original on 2012 05 02 Colimore Edward 1995 06 30 Spots to Have a Maritime of your Life The Philadelphia Inquirer ProQuest 1844172136 Myers Lisa Ann 1997 04 06 Mascot helps mark building s 5th birthday Courier Post Nark Jason Shark bit at Camden aquarium longtime volunteer diver says medical bills have gone unpaid amp his gig was deep sixed philly com Retrieved 2019 04 07 Boasberg Leonard W 2000 06 30 See Some COOL Creatures in Camden The Philadelphia Inquirer Piranha Falls Now Open At Adventure Aquarium www cbsnews com Retrieved 2022 08 11 Times Kristie Rearick South Jersey 2012 04 06 KidZone an interactive exhibit just for kids is open at Camden s Adventure Aquarium nj Retrieved 2022 08 11 Adventure Aquarium www adventureaquarium com Retrieved 2022 08 11 Hefler Jan Endangered penguins splash it up in new digs at Camden s Adventure Aquarium philly com Retrieved 2019 03 31 Writer By Edward Colimore Inquirer Staff Camden s Adventure Aquarium will get a revamp including more penguins www inquirer com Retrieved 2022 08 11 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Adventure Aquarium www adventureaquarium com Retrieved 2022 08 11 Raphelson Samantha June 7 2013 Mighty Mike Returns to the Adventure Aquarium Courier Post Mighty Mike Returns to the Adventure Aquarium Little Blue Penguins debut at Adventure Aquarium mcall com Retrieved 2019 04 24 Stamm Dan Name Adventure Aquarium s Loggerhead Sea Turtle Hatchling NBC 10 Philadelphia Retrieved 2019 04 14 a b Where to find baby animals at zoos and aquariums Asbury Park Press Retrieved 2019 04 14 Brave enough Shark Bridge puts Adventure Aquarium guests inches above 30 sharks Adventure Aquarium welcomes baby porcupine asks visitors to help name it KYW 2018 10 17 Retrieved 2019 04 14 Paolino Tammy July 10 2018 Adventure Aquarium says no to plastic straws yes to salads and sandwiches Courier Post Retrieved 2019 02 24 Adventure Aquarium Raises Thousands To Save Hippos In Africa 2018 02 23 Retrieved 2019 02 24 Contento Nina Camden s Adventure Aquarium Hosts Sea Turtle Awareness Weekend www snjtoday com Archived from the original on 2019 04 14 Retrieved 2019 04 14 And Now A Slideshow Of The Four Baby African Penguins Born At Camden s Adventure Aquarium Last Month PHILEBRITY Retrieved 2019 04 24 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adventure Aquarium Official website Camden Waterfront Marketing Bureau New Jersey Department of Travel and Tourism Battleship New Jersey Cooper s Crossing Steiner Associates Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Adventure Aquarium amp oldid 1189181461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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