Aquarium Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Pacific Visions Wing

February 2, 2017

On Thursday, February 2, 2017,at 10:00 a.m., the Aquarium of the Pacific will have a groundbreaking ceremony for its Pacific Visions wing, a 29,000-square-foot, two-story sustainable structure designed by the San Francisco-based architecture and design firm EHDD. The first major expansion project ever undertaken by the Aquarium, Pacific Visions will be a new focal point of the institution, to offer visitors innovative ways to understand our connections to Earth, the World Ocean, and contemporary scientific research. Pacific Visions is designed as a biomorphic structure that suggests the form of a whale and evokes the size, depth, variability, luminosity, and biological diversity of the Pacific Ocean. The wing will house a state-of-the-art immersive theater, expanded special exhibition and art galleries, and additional space for live animal exhibits. It will also provide a revitalized front plaza and exhibition hall with increased space for installations, performances, and cultural events.

The groundbreaking ceremony will feature remarks by and interview opportunities with:

• Dr. Jerry R. Schubel, President & CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific
• John Molina, Chairman of the Board, Aquarium of the Pacific
• Dr. Robert Garcia, Mayor, City of Long Beach
• Teresa Phillips, Corporate Relations,American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Steve Dell’Orto, Senior Vice President, Clark Construction
• Joe Cortina, Founder, Cortina Productions
• Jeannine Pearce, 2nd District Council Member, City of Long Beach