The banners on the poles are advertising an Arctic fox and the temporary exhibit Arctic/Antarctic: Our Polar Regions in Peril.
An excerpt from my 2011 review:
Aquarium of the Pacific is an excellent facility that is new (1998), shiny and still full of spotlessly clean amenities. There are many huge tanks throughout the building, and there seems to be an emphasis on packing the exhibits with as many fish as possible to increase the beauty of the habitats. It is difficult to find fault with anything, and it is without a doubt one of the best aquariums that I’ve ever visited. I haven’t seen quite as many aquariums as I have zoos, but I’ve still visited many of the major ones in North America.
