Marine Resources Centers To N.C. Aquariums
On September 17, 1976, the state opened three North Carolina Marine Resources Centers – one at Fort Fisher, one at Pine Knoll Shores and one on Roanoke Island. The centers were launched as research and education facilities, which also offered small exhibits that were open to the public.
The centers quickly became popular, and in 1986, they were renamed the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, and the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. That same year, a group of dedicated citizens incorporated a membership-based support group, the North Carolina Aquarium Society.
Attendance continued to soar. In 1996, the State launched a plan to triple the size of the crowded and aging facilities. The Aquarium on Roanoke Island unveiled its renovation in 2000, Fort Fisher followed in 2002, and Pine Knoll Shores reopened in 2006.
The Pine Knoll Shores expansion was originally slated to begin in 2000, but a $15 million appropriation was diverted to Hurricane Floyd relief efforts in 1999. The state budget did not support funding in subsequent years. The North Carolina Aquarium Society then forged a public/private partnership with the North Carolina Aquariums and financed the $25 million expansion.