On Monday, July 15, 2019, at the Marshal Office of the Pomorskie region, an agreement was signed to co-finance the project “Expansion of the Educational Path of the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium” under 11.4 RPO WP 2014-2020.
What does that mean for the Gdynia Aquarium?
The enlargement of the exhibition space will be realized in the basement of the building. On the previously unused area of 900m2, there will be 13 reservoirs presenting water animals, which until now could not be exposed due to space limitations.
The volume of water in these thirteen aquariums will be larger than the volume of all our present tanks! The smallest aquarium will have over 2 000 and the largest 127 000 liters. The volume of water in the Gdynia Aquarium will rise by a total of 450 000 liters.
In the planned space, there will be aquariums in which, among others, cartilaginous fish will live, namely sharks and rays. It will be presented how some marine conditions, like salinity, waving, or different types of substrates, influence animals that inhabit different water bodies.
In addition to expanding the exhibition, we plan to organize engaging activities for kids and entire families. This new space will help us to explain the relationships that connect the maritime world with the world of people. It will also be easier for us to present ecological problems that nature must presently face.
However, arranging the exhibition space in a place up to now unprepared for tourists requires a number of construction works at the beginning. This includes strengthening the existing building structure, lowering the foundations and the basement floor, making a staircase, building a new elevator and all other necessary installations.
The implementation of this project will be a challenge for us. However, the planned works should not affect the operation of the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium.
The total cost of the project is 16 521 573,79 zł.
