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Pine Knoll Shores welcomes millionth visitor since reopening\
The visitor tally at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores on Friday passed the one million mark since the facility reopened less than two years ago after a major expansion.
Aquarium staff surprised David and Shelly Williams and their children, Zachary, 16; Melissa, 14; and Elijah, 3; with the announcement and applause when they arrived at 10:30 a.m. The family, from Benson, was visiting the area for the weekend, and had not seen the Aquarium since the renovation. Elijah was eager to meet the Aquarium’s main attractions.
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“He’s been saying, ‘see the fish, see the fish’,” Mrs. Williams said.
Cindy Meyers, Visitor/Member Services Coordinator, presented the family with a membership to the North Carolina Aquarium Society and mementos from the Aquarium Gift Shop.
“We appreciate every one of our visitors, but we wanted to mark this milestone,” she said. An average of 250,000 people per year visited the Aquarium prior to renovation.
The Aquarium reopened May 19, 2006 after the $25 million expansion. The 30-month project tripled floor space to 93,000 square feet and brought a new theme, “aquatic life from North Carolina’s mountains to the sea.” Five exhibit galleries depict the state’s major aquatic zones – Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, Tidal Waters and Ocean.
Visitors who toured the Aquarium soon after the grand opening will see many more animals on their return trips. The Aquarium’s collection now tops 4,000 specimens, representing 220 freshwater and saltwater species.
“We will always be new in some way -- new animals, new exhibits, new programs and new activities," said Aquarium Director Jay Barnes.
The Aquarium has recently embarked on another expansion project in partnership with the town of Emerald Isle – an educational pier complex. The state awarded the Aquarium $2.2 million in water access improvement funds to begin design and site preparation of the complex that will include exhibits, beach access, a sound-side dock and other features in addition to a 1,000-foot concrete ocean fishing pier.
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