Adventure Aquarium
Encyclopedia
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 habitat
s. The facility has a total tankage volume of over 2 million USgals (7,570.8 m³), and public floor space that covers nearly 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²).
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.
, 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 (16,187.4 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.
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.
Added to this building beyond the heavy renovation would be a new gateway to the Caribbean
, Irazu River Falls. This 30 feet (9.1 m) tropical waterfall tank rests in the hollow of a large, 50 feet (15.2 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.
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 dragon
s, jellies
and giant Pacific octopuses) and the Shark Realm, featuring sand tiger, sandbar
, and nurse shark
s, all viewable from multiple floor-to-ceiling windows and a 40 feet (12.2 m) shark tunnel
, suspended directly through the center of the 550000 gallons (2,082 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 "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 (12.2 m) in the air. On most nights, the landmark is lit by ultra-bright, multi-colored LED
s.
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.
. 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.
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
waterfront by the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation
Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation
Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States....
. 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 habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
s. The facility has a total tankage volume of over 2 million USgals (7,570.8 m³), and public floor space that covers nearly 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²).
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 conservationConservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
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
New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority is an independent authority established by the State of New Jersey in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Originally consisting of Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack in 1976, Brendan Byrne Arena was added to the complex in...
—the government-run group that allocates public funding for sports and entertainment attractions, statewide. Inspired by the success that other cities, particularly Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, had experienced with their own marine life centers, the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
approved the bill that included the Aquarium's construction order in the late 1980s, and Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Thomas Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
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
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
, 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
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's television series TV Nation
TV Nation
Production on the pilot episode of TV Nation began in January 1993. Moore initially turned to friends and colleagues in many production areas, while also making a point to ensure the show's employees were unionized. For the show's title sequence, graphic designer Chris Harvey put together the...
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 760000 gallons (2,876.9 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 OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, 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
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, 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
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and iconic landmark of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as “the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the World.” The Inner Harbor is actually the end of the...
had around the National Aquarium
National Aquarium in Baltimore
The National Aquarium, Baltimore is a public aquarium located at 501 E Pratt St. in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was constructed during Baltimore's urban renewal period and opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million and a collection of...
, 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
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
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 (16,187.4 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.
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
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
-based Steiner + Associates, known for their large, retail-based town centers and their new, hugely successful Newport Aquarium in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, began negotiations on a lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
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
Aramark
Aramark Corporation, known commonly as Aramark, is an American foodservice, facilities, and clothing provider supplying businesses, educational institutions, sports facilities, federal and state prisons, and health care institutions. It is headquartered at the Aramark Tower in Center City,...
) and Security (Securitas
Securitas AB
Securitas AB is a security services , monitoring, consulting and investigation group, based in Stockholm, Sweden. The group has approximately 300,000 employees in 50 countries in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Securitas AB is listed at Nasdaq OMX Stockholm,...
). 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
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Irazu River Falls. This 30 feet (9.1 m) tropical waterfall tank rests in the hollow of a large, 50 feet (15.2 m) coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
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
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
refitted to show exciting 4D-ride films. This 154-seat theatre, currently presented by PSE&G
Public Service Electric and Gas Company
Public Service Enterprise Group , commonly known as PSEG, and originally known as the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey and then as the Public Service Electric and Gas Company, is a regulated, publicly owned gas and electric utility company in the state of New Jersey, United States. It is...
, 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
Electric eel
The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range...
, 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
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
, northern lobsters, or pink shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, 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 NileNile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
hippopotami
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
.
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
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
from their Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is an animal theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort. The fourth park built at the resort, it opened on April 22, 1998, and it is the largest single Disney theme park in the world, covering more than . It is also the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely...
theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
, 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 dragon
Leafy sea dragon
The leafy seadragon or Glauert's seadragon, Phycodurus eques, is a marine fish in the family Syngnathidae, which also includes the seahorses. It is the only member of the genus Phycodurus. It is found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. The name is derived from the appearance, with...
s, jellies
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
and giant Pacific octopuses) and the Shark Realm, featuring sand tiger, sandbar
Sandbar shark
The sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus, is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, native to the Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific. It is distinguishable by its very high first dorsal fin and inter-dorsal ridge....
, and nurse shark
Nurse shark
The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, sometimes referred to as the Nur Shark is a shark in the nurse sharks family, the only member of its genus Ginglymostoma...
s, all viewable from multiple floor-to-ceiling windows and a 40 feet (12.2 m) shark tunnel
Shark tunnel
A shark tunnel is an underwater tunnel that passes through an aquarium typically with sharks and related aquatic life.They are usually made of thick acrylic glass....
, suspended directly through the center of the 550000 gallons (2,082 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
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
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 MuseumUSS New Jersey (BB-62)
USS New Jersey , is an , and was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of New Jersey. New Jersey earned more battle stars for combat actions than the other three completed Iowa-class battleships, and is the only U.S...
, the "Wiggins Park Riverstage", "One Port Center", the Victor Lofts, the Camden Children's Garden
Camden Children's Garden
The Camden Children’s Garden is operated by the Camden City Garden Club, Inc and is located on the Camden Waterfront, across from downtown Philadelphia. This venue was created in 1999 and is designed for children and families...
, the River Line
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system, and Campbell's Field
Campbell's Field
Campbell's Field is a 6,425-seat baseball park in Camden, New Jersey that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 11, 2001. The ballpark is home to the Camden Riversharks and the college baseball team of Rutgers University-Camden...
, home of the minor-league Camden Riversharks
Camden Riversharks
The Camden Riversharks is an American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
Although some of the initial construction plans never came to fruition (a 3D-capable IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
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
RiverLink Ferry
The RiverLink Ferry is a passenger ferry system that traverses a crossing of the Delaware River, connecting the Camden, New Jersey waterfront with Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ferry operates daily from May through September, and on Fridays through Sundays in April and October....
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 (12.2 m) in the air. On most nights, the landmark is lit by ultra-bright, multi-colored LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s.
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
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
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
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
and Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
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
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
will all join the new, existing, and up-and-coming facilities along the banks of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, 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 9000 square feet (836.1 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 CorporationHerschend Family Entertainment Corporation
Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States....
. 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.