On October 6, 1979, at the beginning of Marine Mammal Week, the Seattle Aquarium kicks off a $470,000 expansion project. The project will expand the first floor to the west at Pier 59 and demolish Pier 61 to make room for potential future expansion.
The new expansion allowed exhibits and graphics to be spread out and provided more room for visitors to move about. Space was provided for a Tropical Pacific Exhibit and a small shark tank.
The removal of Pier 61 made possible a long-dreamt-of marine mammal center at that site. It entailed removing the pier deck and then pulling out the pilings, costing about $70,000 out of the total.
Also premiering on October 6 was Ocean, a 25-minute Omnimax film produced by the San Diego Hall of Science, to be shown in the aquarium's OmniRama Theater at Pier 59.
Sources:
Lettie Gavin, "Seattle Aquarium Expanding, but First -- a Celebration," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 5, 1979, p. E-1.
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