Adventure Aquarium

Adventure Aquarium

The new logo
Date opened	February 29, 1992 as New Jersey State Aquarium; May 25, 2005 as Adventure Aquarium
Location	Camden, New Jersey, USA
Memberships	AZA
Website	http://www.adventureaquarium.com/

The Adventure Aquarium, formerly the New Jersey State Aquarium, is a for-profit educational entertainment attraction operated in Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware River waterfront by the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It originally debuted in 1992, and re-opened in its current form on May 25, 2005, featuring approximately eight thousand animals living in varied forms of semi-aquatic, freshwater, and marine habitats. The facility has a total tankage volume of over 2 million US gallons (7,600 m³), and public floor space that covers nearly 200,000 square feet (19,000 m²).

Origins

Origin as the Project of a Non-Profit Organization

For twelve years prior to the Aquarium's reopening, the building was known as the New Jersey State Aquarium at Camden, and was operated by the non-profit New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences, an organization chartered specifically for the purpose of running the Aquarium and furthering its original mission of education and conservation of the marine environment. The current mission of the New Jersey Academy of Aquatic Sciences is to promote the understanding, appreciation, and protection of aquatic life and habitats through research, education, and youth development programs.

The Academy was created in 1989, and oversaw the design and construction of the original attraction jointly with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority — the government-run group that allocates public funding for sports and entertainment attractions, statewide. 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. Ground was broken on a desolate stretch of the dilapidated Camden Waterfront in the fall of 1988.

The original building was designed by the architectural firm The Hillier Group, and became a gleaming centerpiece for a dull and 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 by early 1992, with 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 and scores began to express great disappointment in their grand new museum. Some reviewers went as far as to call the Aquarium a "prison for fish", worthy of "immediate demolition".

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 death knell came by way of the animals themselves — as a New Jersey–based operation, the original Aquarium displayed only native fishes, normally 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.

Extensive Renovation

The Aquarium never closed during this reconstruction phase, but many exhibits were periodically offline or inaccessible, making the small building even smaller. But the result was generally worth the inconvenience: in 1994, Ocean Base Atlantic finally debuted to the public. Making great use of the building's massive 760,000-US-gallon (2,900 m³) 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 exhibit featured the adventures of a fictitious marine biologist, Dr. Marina del Mar, whose Ocean Base Atlantic laboratory, by the storyline, was responsible for all of the animals, displays, and information presented in the building. 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 complimented 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.

Sadly, the Camden Waterfront would not see the explosive development that Baltimore's Inner Harbor had around the National Aquarium, and the New Jersey State Aquarium once again fell into a period of stagnation. Yearly attendance held at about 600,000, and new neighbors came at a comparatively slow pace. In 1996, the Delaware River Port Authority opened One Port Center, a waterfront office tower and parking garage immediately behind the Aquarium. That same year, Sony-Blockbuster Entertainment opened their new E-Centre concert venue within walking distance south of the Aquarium's location. The "Dr. Ulysses S. Wiggins Park" and "Marina" opened in 1994, and the Camden Aerospace Research Center in 1998. By 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. With financial resources low and no popularity explosion in sight, the Academy had no choice but to work only on maintenance of the existing museum. 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 and showing its age, the Aquarium once again started to see a gradual decline in admissions.

The new aquarium

In Search of Partners

A glimmer of hope for the Waterfront began to appear as early as 1999, when efforts were initiated to expand the existing Aquarium physically. As it became clear that the Academy lacked the financial ability to undertake such a project on limited public funding, the State of New Jersey (who owns the buildings and the land) began to court potential investors, developers, and operators to change the way in which the State Aquarium was run.

In 2003, Columbus, Ohio-based Steiner + Associates, known for their large, retail-based town centers and their new, hugely successful Newport Aquarium in Kentucky, began negotiations on a lease agreement for the existing Aquarium and a development contract for the lands that surround it. A deal was accepted by all parties, and the principal design and construction of a large addition began in the winter of 2004. The Academy continued to operate the facility until September 7, 2004, when the doors were closed for the first time to allow for a complete renovation of the existing structure and the completion of the addition on the north side of the building. The public would not see the interior of the building for ten months following the closing.

As Steiner Entertainment — the subsidiary charged with resuming daily operation — took over control of most operational aspects of the building (Guest Services, Marketing, Finance, Graphic Design, and Husbandry), the Academy remained to control the educational aspect of the experience through the Education and Research/Conservation departments. Other corporations stepped in to assume control of Food Services (ARAMARK) and Security (Securitas). With every group assembled and working together, construction pushed along through the next nine months, during which time, the name "New Jersey State Aquarium" was retired and the Adventure Aquarium was born.

The South Building

The existing building became known as the South Building, and would continue to feature native Atlantic specimens in multiple smaller tanks and the giant Ocean Tank on the first floor (formerly Ocean Base Atlantic), as well as more "weird" and unusual animals on the second floor (formerly, the "Conservation Outreach and Observation Lab").

Added to this building beyond the heavy renovation would be a new gateway to the Caribbean, Irazu River Falls. This 30-foot-tall (9.1 m) tropical 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. Surrounded by lush green foliage and backed by a jagged, mossy rockface, the waterfall feature has become a popular exhibit not only for its dramatic appearance and diversity of animals, but also for its tranquility and mystifying nature.

Also added to this building is the Adventure Theatre, in actuality the existing auditorium refitted to show exciting 4D-ride films. This 154-seat theatre, currently presented by PSE&G, includes a traditional 3D-film, shown with tightly choreographed environmental effects (water spray, wind gusts, and seat motion) that all combine to bring riders closer to the experience than ever before. When it opened in July 2005, the Adventure Theatre became the first built-in 4D-capable auditorium featured in an American aquarium. SimEx-Iwerks currently provides the technology and the ride films displayed 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 extremely rare and dangerously threatened shark ray, dwarf caimans, an electric eel, and freshwater stingrays. Most existing exhibits generally remain, though redesigned for greater animal health and guest satisfaction. 2007's "Don't Just Look - Touch" campaign brought the addition of five new touch exhibits to this building, including a total reconstruction of the original Touch-A-Shark and Meet-A-Creature tanks, and the construction of Touch-A-Ray, Touch-A-Jelly, Touch-A-Lobster, and Touch-A-Shrimp tanks in the new Interactive Inlet space on the second floor. To date, Adventure Aquarium is one of a select few in the country that allow guests to touch moon jellies, northern lobsters, or pink shrimp, and is the only one that allows guests to touch all three.

The North Building

The expansion building added to the northern face of the old Aquarium became known as the "North Building". This is a completely new structure, built to accommodate three new exhibits, a new food service area, main entry atrium, gift shop, and casual dining restaurant. The Adventure Aquarium made history again in this building through the addition of the "West African River Experience", a new exhibition featuring nearly every major animal found in or near a West African River — including the Nile hippopotami.

No other aquarium has displayed these animals to date, and few zoos have recreated the underwater viewing environment that only aquariums can provide. The two female animals, named Button and Jenny, were sent by The Walt Disney Company from their Animal Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, at a relatively young age: eight and five, respectively. In captivity, the animals may live to reach at least 55 years of age.

Also added in the North Building include the "Jules Verne Gallery", stocked with (sea dragons, jellies and giant Pacific octopuses) and the Shark Realm, featuring sand tiger, sandbar, and nurse sharks, all viewable from multiple floor-to-ceiling windows and a 40-foot (12 m) shark tunnel, suspended directly through the center of the 550,000-US-gallon (2,100 m³) tank. Brave visitors are also offered the opportunity to swim with the sharks in the tank itself — the Swim with the Sharks program allows guests to snorkel along the outer perimeter of the tank inside a concrete channel before ending the swim by feeding the animals manually in the "Ray Tray". The experiences are offered only at certain times of the day by appointment only.

A new breed of wind turbines were installed on the roof of the rectangular North Building in the spring of 2007.

The Waterfront of the Future

The Adventure Aquarium attracted just over two million visitors to the Camden Waterfront in its first two years of operation. Unlike the waterfront of yesteryear, the Aquarium is joined on all sides by numerous attractions: the Susquehanna Bank Center, the Battleship New Jersey Memorial and Museum, the "Wiggins Park Riverstage", "One Port Center", the Victor Lofts, the Camden Children's Garden, the River Line light rail system, and Campbell's Field, home of the minor-league Camden Riversharks.

Although some of the initial construction plans never came to fruition (a 3D-capable IMAX theatre was never constructed, nor was the proposed Soundwave: A Museum of Recorded Sound), work did begin in late 2006 on the new Camden Ferry Terminal Building, the first privately funded office structure built in the city since the 1960s. Positioned just yards from the Aquarium's box office, the Ferry Terminal Building opened in August 2007 and is home to the regional headquarters of Susquehanna Patriot Bank. Several other business tenants will soon be added to the second and third floors of the building, where interior construction continues. The ground floor will play host in summer 2008 to both a full-service seafood restaurant & grill and a retail space. Naturally, the RiverLink Ferry will also originate from the Terminal when a new pier is built on the riverwalk outside. A fountain park sits immediately opposite the Terminal Building, in the center of the Aquarium's main car & bus loop. First activated in June 2007, the fountain features a series of small jets - both in the ground and in the fountain's basin - which surround a large central jet. Powered by a remote computer, the fountain is programmed to cycle through a series of "personalities" - one moment, the small jets send playful streams of water dancing into the basin; a moment later, the powerful main jet shoots a tower of water 40 feet (12 m) in the air. On most nights, the landmark is lit by ultra-bright, multi-colored LEDs.

Nearby, the Victor Lofts debuted several new additions in the first half of 2007, including "The Victor's Pub", "La Riviera Tuscany Bistro", an Italian eatery, and "Mrs. G's Convenience Store", all accompanying the existing Subway counter service eatery. By 2011, the developers of the "Victor Lofts" will have completed the new Radio Lofts condominiums, making use of another abandoned RCA factory building on the adjacent block to provide yet more upscale housing between the neighboring campus centers of Rutgers University and Rowan University and the waterfront itself.

Steiner + Associates' Cooper's Crossing town center development project begins with the Ferry Terminal Building as Phase I. When the plan is complete, a new hotel and conference center, retail shops, restaurants, residential units, and a marina will all join the new, existing, and up-and-coming facilities along the banks of the Delaware River, creating potentially one of the most exciting new entertainment centers in the Northeast — anchored at its core by the Adventure Aquarium.

CURRENTS: The Ballroom at Adventure Aquarium

October 2007 brought another new addition to the Aquarium - CURRENTS: The Ballroom at Adventure Aquarium. Filling nearly 9,000 square feet (840 m²) of space in the Aquarium's North Building (which was originally intended for lease to a private restaurant brand), CURRENTS is built with special events in mind, appealing to those who may have found the Aquarium's exhibit design too cumbersome to host their various functions. Fitted with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, two air walls that can split the room into three smaller spaces, and three movie-screen sized windows into the Shark Realm exhibit, CURRENTS has quickly become a popular alternative to established banquet facilities throughout the region. All functions in the room are catered by ARAMARK, whose culinary team created a series of menus exclusively for ballroom events. The facility has a capacity of 550 for seated meals, and more than 1200 for cocktail receptions. In an attempt to create a unified brand, Steiner Entertainment commissioned a ballroom for its Newport Aquarium, also named CURRENTS, which opened there in July 2007.

Merger into Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation

In November 2007, officials at Adventure Aquarium announced that Steiner + Associates reached a deal to sell its controlling interest in both Adventure and Newport Aquariums to Atlanta-based Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. Attempting to refocus its core values, Steiner will dissolve its smaller entertainment division to better provide the financial and logistical aspects of its central real estate pursuits. Originally founded in Branson, Missouri, Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) owns or has interests in more than twenty projects throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, including the Ride the Ducks amphibious attractions in Philadelphia, Branson, and elsewhere; Silver Dollar City and Celebration City theme parks in Missouri, and Dollywood theme park in Tennessee. Despite the comparatively large scope of the transition, very few noticeable operational changes are anticipated in the near future.

See also

• Philadelphia Aquarium (1911–1962)

External links

• Adventure Aquarium
• CURRENTS: The Ballroom at Adventure Aquarium
• 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

Coordinates: 39°56′42″N 75°07′52″W / 39.945°N 75.131°W / 39.945; -75.131