The Columbus Zoo shared more details June 19 about its plans for a new $175 million aquarium that will be funded in part by a $50 million gift from The Robert Wolfe and Edgar T. Wolfe Foundation.
The zoo called the more than 100,000-square-foot facility the “most ambitious project in the organization’s history,” and the Wolfe Foundation gift the largest philanthropic gift ever given to the zoo – and one of the largest ever given to a U.S. zoo or aquarium.
Groundbreaking for the new John F. Wolfe Aquarium is expected in 2027, and the new facility is expected to open in 2029. It will be home to more than 10,000 creatures across 300 species in 27 exhibits containing more than 1 million gallons of freshwater and seawater, the zoo said in a news release.
Like its Zoombezi Bay waterpark, the new aquarium will be a standalone facility, and tickets for the aquarium will be purchased separately from Columbus Zoo tickets.
Nicolle Gómez Racey, the zoo’s vice president of communications, marketing and events, said zoo officials aren’t yet sure what the announcement will mean for the future of the current aquarium within the Columbus Zoo.
“The focus is on planning and designing the future of the Wolfe aquarium, so we don’t know yet,” she said, “but there are a lot of ideas being entertained.”
Gómez Racey was unable to provide additional information on those other ideas, but the fish and aquatic life from the current aquarium is all likely to be relocated to the new facility based on comments by other zoo officials.
The goal of the new John F. Wolfe Aquarium will be to connect visitors with aquatic environments from all over the world, according to Tom Schmid, president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds, a safari park and conservation center near Cumberland in southeastern Ohio.
“The John F. Wolfe Aquarium will immerse guests in some of the world’s most extraordinary marine and freshwater environments while inspiring action to protect them,” Schmid said. “It will strengthen our conservation impact, elevate the guest experience, and create a lasting legacy for future generations.”
There will be a large focus on sustainability in the construction of the new facility, according to Gómez Racey.
“Sustainability is one of the things that the zoo is focused on,” Gómez Racey said. “We’re trying to practice what we preach in reducing our footprint.”
Five major galleries planned in new aquarium
There are five major galleries planned for the new aquarium, representing a variety of ecosystems.
The Amazon River Basin will be a two-level experience displaying “one of the most biologically diverse freshwater ecosystems on Earth.”
Becky Ellsworth, curator of the Columbus Zoo’s Shores and Aquarium region, said she is excited to be able to offer a look into the Amazon River Basin because the zoo has never had the chance before to feature that space.
The Scioto River exhibit will be the first in the United States to recognize the Scioto River as its own ecosystem, according to the announcement. Here, visitors can explore native species. Ellsworth said she wants Ohioans to be proud of that space.
“We said from day one that we really wanted to highlight Ohio, and the Scioto River has such a fascinating story,” Ellsworth said. “A lot of people work and play around this river and don’t even realize the wonder that’s under the river. This is a great opportunity to highlight what’s right in our backyard.”
The Pacific Northwest exhibit will highlight “underwater forests,” which the zoo plans to fill with “movement, light and life.” The area will involve tide pools and hands-on discovery, according to the announcement.
The Open Ocean exhibit will be the centerpiece habitat of the building and, when complete, will be the largest aquarium habitat in the state, according to the announcement. Ellsworth said she is especially excited about the return of big sharks to Columbus through this habitat.
The Indo-Pacific Reef exhibit will be a new home for many of the species currently featured in the Discovery Reef area at the current zoo aquarium. Ellsworth said they are already beginning to prepare the fish and other aquatic life for the transition to make the move as smooth as possible.
To make the transition easier and to improve their conservation efforts, Ellsworth said they are also building a separate conservation and acclimation center with funding received from the state. They plan to break ground on this “very soon” and expect it to be done sometime next year.
“It’s a crucial part of the transition,” Ellsworth said. “If this doesn’t exist, then the aquarium doesn’t exist.”
New aquarium gift latest addition to Wolfe family legacy
The Wolfe Foundation donation to the Columbus Zoo represents another major contribution to the Columbus community.
The family’s legacy is already on display at the John F. Wolfe Palm House at the Franklin Park Conservatory, the John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons park and Wolfe Park. But less obvious has been its role in helping start the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium as well as its involvement in COSI, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, the Columbus Crew, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nationwide Arena, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Scioto Mile, and The James cancer facility at Ohio State University.
In 1926, Henry Wolfe inspired the foundation of a zoological park in Columbus to rival those of other major cities, which eventually grew into what is today the Columbus Zoo.
Katie Wolfe Lloyd, a member of the family, said the family is grateful for the chance to continue a multi-generational partnership with the zoo.
“We feel so fortunate to be able to continue our support of this incredible community asset, and we are especially excited about the John F. Wolfe Aquarium and the impact it will have for generations to come,” Wolfe Lloyd said.
The Wolfe family owned The Columbus Dispatch from 1905 until they sold the paper in 2015. John F. Wolfe was the last member of the family to be the publisher of The Dispatch, and he died the year after the paper was sold at the age of 72.
Dispatch reporter Lilli Malone can be reached at lmalone@dispatch.com or on Instagram at @lillimwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Zoo announces plans for massive new $175 million aquarium
Reporting by Lilli Malone, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lilli Malone, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
