Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
ZooChat Review #99 - Seattle Aquarium
Aquarium’s website:
Seattle Aquarium
Aquarium Map:
http://www.seattleaquarium.org/admin/document.doc?id=181
Seattle Aquarium opened in 1977 on Pier 59 along the Seattle waterfront, and many of the original exhibits showcase the sterile concrete design of that era. A 2007 refurbishment expanded the aquarium and modernized the main entrance, and today it is the #8 aquarium in the United States in terms of attendance as around 800,000 visitors tour it annually. The entire aquarium only features animals from the Washington area, and mainly from the body of water called Puget Sound. I live approximately 2.5 hours from the U.S. aquarium, and usually visit about once a year. However, now that my wife and I have two small children we purchased a membership and had 5 visits in 2011.
THE BEST:
Window on Washington Waters - This tank was added in 2007 and is a massively impressive structure that now greets visitors as soon as they pay their entrance fee and walk around the corner from the ticket booth. There is a large lobby with lots of space for catered events, and the 120,000 gallon (450,000 liter) tank is at such an acute angle (an 8 foot overhang) that a line of metal "balls" have been drilled into the ground so that visitors will stop before smacking their heads against the huge acrylic panels. The tank is 20 feet high, 40 feet wide, and has windows that are 12.5 inch thick acrylic. There are over 800 specimens within the tank from the Puget Sound waterway (including salmon, lingcod, wolf eel, multiple species of rockfish, sea anemones, etc.) and there are at least 3 divers entering the exhibit each day for presentations.
Shore Birds & Alcids- This outdoor (yet covered) area features a trio of impressive bird exhibits. Pacific Northwest birds are showcased via naturalistic, immersive enclosures as the diving birds are contained behind a mixture of glass and mesh while the other two exhibits are both free of any barriers apart from low walls. Diving Birds Exhibit - Tufted puffin, common murre, pigeon guillemot and rhinoceros auklet. Black Oystercatcher Exhibit. Shore Birds Exhibit - long-billed curlew and marbled godwit.
Life on the Edge – This area opened in 2002 and represents Washington’s tidal areas via two large touch tank exhibits. There are plenty of sea stars, sea urchins, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, fish, etc., in these child-friendly exhibits. One is called a touch pool while the other is a tide pool, but both feature plenty of docents allowing people of all ages to plunge their hands into cold water in order to come into contact with the wonders of the ocean.
Life of a Drifter – This area consists of a fantastic giant pacific octopus exhibit that is actually two large tanks connected by a glass tunnel that allows aquarium staff to either mix the octopi or keep them separated. There are also a few rockfish and various sea anemones in the tanks. The moon jellyfish donut-shaped exhibit is really an innovative design, and the structure is 12 feet high and the jellyfish actually travel beneath the floor as the bottom part of the circle is embedded in the concrete. There are many colours (red, pink, purple, green, yellow, blue, etc.) that shine in a pattern along one side of the exhibit. “A Closer Look” is a station run by docents that features a revolving cast of juvenile critters, such as young sea brittles, hermit crabs, wolf eels and others.
Crashing Waves – A 40 foot (12 m) wave tank that represents the Washington intertidal zone, and there is literally a crashing wave every8 seconds or so that churns up the water and fishy inhabitants. This popular exhibit was part of the 2007 expansion that also included the entrance lobby, excellent café and Window on Washington Waters exhibit.
THE AVERAGE:
Underwater Dome – This is a 400,000 gallon (1,500,000 liter) exhibit that is a spherical tank that must have been amazing in 1977 but comes across as a concrete fish bowl almost 35 years later. Puget Sound species are located here, including at least 8 species of rockfish, several types of greenling, wolf eels, sturgeon, sea stars, skates, lingcod and occasionally small sharks. There are hundreds of fish swimming above and all around visitors and the exhibit is a fascinating glimpse into the waters along the Washington coastline. In all honesty it comes across as a bit dated in the modern era of all-glass panels with zero obstructions, as the concrete blocks that divide the windows age the facility. Before one enters the underwater dome there is a series of 17 basic tanks that exhibit a range of smaller fish and is simply called Puget Sound Fish. There can be found juvenile wolf eels, grunt sculpins, blennies, sturgeon poachers, decorated warbonnets, Pacific spiny lumpsuckers, pricklebacks, sticklebacks, tubesnouts, ratfish, pipefish, midshipman fish and various species of rockfish.
Pacific Coral Reef – This section has a centerpiece 25,000 gallon (95,000 liter) tank that is accessed via a mock cave environment. There are an additional 8 tanks along the sides of the dark cave that feature a range of fish in basic yet colourful tanks, although the large center exhibit is the only truly excellent attraction. Many of the side exhibits lack decent signage and the tanks are quite bare in comparison to the well-designed rockwork encountered by visitors. A tank at the entrance to the coral reef loop has fish and coral found only in Hawaii.
Puget Sound Orcas: Family Activity Center – There is a wealth of information about the Southern Resident Community, the local grouping of killer whales. Those orcas have been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 2005, and there is a lot of information presented via skeletons, maps, transmitters, kid-friendly buttons to press in order to play orca sounds, etc. There are also underwater viewing opportunities for northern fur seals and sea otters in this area.
THE WORST:
Marine Mammals – The North American river otter exhibit is quite nice and features a cascading waterfall and plenty of enrichment opportunities for the constantly active pair of otters. However, the harbor seal exhibit is atrociously small and in many other aquariums would be a behind-the-scenes pool. The northern fur seal exhibit is also badly dated and far too small in the modern era of marine mammal exhibitry, and the two sea otter pools are simply average. Since the aquarium had an expensive 2007 expansion to reinvigorate the indoor zone there really needs to be a focus on an overhaul of the outdoor marine mammal area. The river otters are the only one of the 4 species on display with a modern, naturalistic habitat. A salmon ladder across from the sea otters is another relic from the 1970’s that might be endearing to some but strikes me as anachronistic in comparison to the river otter exhibit. What fares better is the “Sound to Mountains” zone that does not contain any animals but displays a mini version of the local ecosystems of streams, mountains and churning rivers found near Seattle.
Sixgill Shark Research – This is a research station that looks intriguing but is never used by any visitors. Apparently sixgill sharks are the 3rd largest predatory shark in the world and they are fairly common in the Seattle area, and the aquarium has been researching the species for many years. There is a series of videos that are constantly playing, but the space is a waste as 99% of the public shows zero interest in what is on offer.
Ocean Oddities – This area is small and like the Pacific Coral Reef zone is a single loop. However, the room is so tiny that crowd congestion is frustrating and at times it is literally impossible to access the area. In what is easily the worst part of the aquarium there is a centerpiece tank containing trumpetfish, crown toby, comet, longhorn cowfish and thornback cowfish; as well as 6 smaller tanks along the walls with these exhibits: dwarf cuttlefish; convict blenny; lined seahorse/long-snout seahorse; harlequin shrimp; meat coral; and toadstool leather coral/bulb-tip anemone/clown anemonefish. The aquarium rotates the animals on display but this zone appears to be a hodgepodge area that features supremely awful crowd flow.
THE FUTURE:
Seattle Aquarium’s Strategic Plan (2011-2030) contains nothing specific in terms of exhibits but the aquarium still has extremely bold plans for the future.
http://www.seattleaquarium.org/document.doc?id=1366
OVERALL:
Seattle Aquarium is one of many excellent aquariums along the western coastline of North America. Beginning with Vancouver, then south to Seattle, Oregon Coast, Steinhart, Monterey Bay, Aquarium of the Pacific and Birch that equals 7 top-notch establishments that are all well worth visiting. I’ve seen almost all of the top zoos and aquariums that Canada and the United States has on offer, and while Seattle is a long way off from being one of the stellar establishments it is still a solid endeavor that for most people would make the list of the top 15 aquariums in North America. If the outdoor marine mammal section was revamped and modernized then the overall visitor experience would be greatly improved.
ZooChat Review #99 - Seattle Aquarium
Aquarium’s website:
Seattle Aquarium
Aquarium Map:
http://www.seattleaquarium.org/admin/document.doc?id=181
Seattle Aquarium opened in 1977 on Pier 59 along the Seattle waterfront, and many of the original exhibits showcase the sterile concrete design of that era. A 2007 refurbishment expanded the aquarium and modernized the main entrance, and today it is the #8 aquarium in the United States in terms of attendance as around 800,000 visitors tour it annually. The entire aquarium only features animals from the Washington area, and mainly from the body of water called Puget Sound. I live approximately 2.5 hours from the U.S. aquarium, and usually visit about once a year. However, now that my wife and I have two small children we purchased a membership and had 5 visits in 2011.
THE BEST:
Window on Washington Waters - This tank was added in 2007 and is a massively impressive structure that now greets visitors as soon as they pay their entrance fee and walk around the corner from the ticket booth. There is a large lobby with lots of space for catered events, and the 120,000 gallon (450,000 liter) tank is at such an acute angle (an 8 foot overhang) that a line of metal "balls" have been drilled into the ground so that visitors will stop before smacking their heads against the huge acrylic panels. The tank is 20 feet high, 40 feet wide, and has windows that are 12.5 inch thick acrylic. There are over 800 specimens within the tank from the Puget Sound waterway (including salmon, lingcod, wolf eel, multiple species of rockfish, sea anemones, etc.) and there are at least 3 divers entering the exhibit each day for presentations.
Shore Birds & Alcids- This outdoor (yet covered) area features a trio of impressive bird exhibits. Pacific Northwest birds are showcased via naturalistic, immersive enclosures as the diving birds are contained behind a mixture of glass and mesh while the other two exhibits are both free of any barriers apart from low walls. Diving Birds Exhibit - Tufted puffin, common murre, pigeon guillemot and rhinoceros auklet. Black Oystercatcher Exhibit. Shore Birds Exhibit - long-billed curlew and marbled godwit.
Life on the Edge – This area opened in 2002 and represents Washington’s tidal areas via two large touch tank exhibits. There are plenty of sea stars, sea urchins, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, fish, etc., in these child-friendly exhibits. One is called a touch pool while the other is a tide pool, but both feature plenty of docents allowing people of all ages to plunge their hands into cold water in order to come into contact with the wonders of the ocean.
Life of a Drifter – This area consists of a fantastic giant pacific octopus exhibit that is actually two large tanks connected by a glass tunnel that allows aquarium staff to either mix the octopi or keep them separated. There are also a few rockfish and various sea anemones in the tanks. The moon jellyfish donut-shaped exhibit is really an innovative design, and the structure is 12 feet high and the jellyfish actually travel beneath the floor as the bottom part of the circle is embedded in the concrete. There are many colours (red, pink, purple, green, yellow, blue, etc.) that shine in a pattern along one side of the exhibit. “A Closer Look” is a station run by docents that features a revolving cast of juvenile critters, such as young sea brittles, hermit crabs, wolf eels and others.
Crashing Waves – A 40 foot (12 m) wave tank that represents the Washington intertidal zone, and there is literally a crashing wave every8 seconds or so that churns up the water and fishy inhabitants. This popular exhibit was part of the 2007 expansion that also included the entrance lobby, excellent café and Window on Washington Waters exhibit.
THE AVERAGE:
Underwater Dome – This is a 400,000 gallon (1,500,000 liter) exhibit that is a spherical tank that must have been amazing in 1977 but comes across as a concrete fish bowl almost 35 years later. Puget Sound species are located here, including at least 8 species of rockfish, several types of greenling, wolf eels, sturgeon, sea stars, skates, lingcod and occasionally small sharks. There are hundreds of fish swimming above and all around visitors and the exhibit is a fascinating glimpse into the waters along the Washington coastline. In all honesty it comes across as a bit dated in the modern era of all-glass panels with zero obstructions, as the concrete blocks that divide the windows age the facility. Before one enters the underwater dome there is a series of 17 basic tanks that exhibit a range of smaller fish and is simply called Puget Sound Fish. There can be found juvenile wolf eels, grunt sculpins, blennies, sturgeon poachers, decorated warbonnets, Pacific spiny lumpsuckers, pricklebacks, sticklebacks, tubesnouts, ratfish, pipefish, midshipman fish and various species of rockfish.
Pacific Coral Reef – This section has a centerpiece 25,000 gallon (95,000 liter) tank that is accessed via a mock cave environment. There are an additional 8 tanks along the sides of the dark cave that feature a range of fish in basic yet colourful tanks, although the large center exhibit is the only truly excellent attraction. Many of the side exhibits lack decent signage and the tanks are quite bare in comparison to the well-designed rockwork encountered by visitors. A tank at the entrance to the coral reef loop has fish and coral found only in Hawaii.
Puget Sound Orcas: Family Activity Center – There is a wealth of information about the Southern Resident Community, the local grouping of killer whales. Those orcas have been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 2005, and there is a lot of information presented via skeletons, maps, transmitters, kid-friendly buttons to press in order to play orca sounds, etc. There are also underwater viewing opportunities for northern fur seals and sea otters in this area.
THE WORST:
Marine Mammals – The North American river otter exhibit is quite nice and features a cascading waterfall and plenty of enrichment opportunities for the constantly active pair of otters. However, the harbor seal exhibit is atrociously small and in many other aquariums would be a behind-the-scenes pool. The northern fur seal exhibit is also badly dated and far too small in the modern era of marine mammal exhibitry, and the two sea otter pools are simply average. Since the aquarium had an expensive 2007 expansion to reinvigorate the indoor zone there really needs to be a focus on an overhaul of the outdoor marine mammal area. The river otters are the only one of the 4 species on display with a modern, naturalistic habitat. A salmon ladder across from the sea otters is another relic from the 1970’s that might be endearing to some but strikes me as anachronistic in comparison to the river otter exhibit. What fares better is the “Sound to Mountains” zone that does not contain any animals but displays a mini version of the local ecosystems of streams, mountains and churning rivers found near Seattle.
Sixgill Shark Research – This is a research station that looks intriguing but is never used by any visitors. Apparently sixgill sharks are the 3rd largest predatory shark in the world and they are fairly common in the Seattle area, and the aquarium has been researching the species for many years. There is a series of videos that are constantly playing, but the space is a waste as 99% of the public shows zero interest in what is on offer.
Ocean Oddities – This area is small and like the Pacific Coral Reef zone is a single loop. However, the room is so tiny that crowd congestion is frustrating and at times it is literally impossible to access the area. In what is easily the worst part of the aquarium there is a centerpiece tank containing trumpetfish, crown toby, comet, longhorn cowfish and thornback cowfish; as well as 6 smaller tanks along the walls with these exhibits: dwarf cuttlefish; convict blenny; lined seahorse/long-snout seahorse; harlequin shrimp; meat coral; and toadstool leather coral/bulb-tip anemone/clown anemonefish. The aquarium rotates the animals on display but this zone appears to be a hodgepodge area that features supremely awful crowd flow.
THE FUTURE:
Seattle Aquarium’s Strategic Plan (2011-2030) contains nothing specific in terms of exhibits but the aquarium still has extremely bold plans for the future.
http://www.seattleaquarium.org/document.doc?id=1366
OVERALL:
Seattle Aquarium is one of many excellent aquariums along the western coastline of North America. Beginning with Vancouver, then south to Seattle, Oregon Coast, Steinhart, Monterey Bay, Aquarium of the Pacific and Birch that equals 7 top-notch establishments that are all well worth visiting. I’ve seen almost all of the top zoos and aquariums that Canada and the United States has on offer, and while Seattle is a long way off from being one of the stellar establishments it is still a solid endeavor that for most people would make the list of the top 15 aquariums in North America. If the outdoor marine mammal section was revamped and modernized then the overall visitor experience would be greatly improved.
