One of Point Defiance Zoo's two aquariums has been closed for renovations for more than two years. On Friday it will reopen with a fresh look and new name: the Tropical Reef Aquarium. Formerly called the South Pacific Aquarium, the 15,000-square-foot display boasts colorful fish additions and several species of sharks, according to a zoo news release.
A beach and tropical coral-reef environment grace the space, as do outer-reef and lagoon habitats. This week, zoo members were allowed to preview the new digs ahead of Friday's reopening. Lakewood resident Char Herrick told The News Tribune during a sneak-peek Monday that her young children, Dalia and Cedar, are fascinated by marine life.
She enjoyed how tropical the space looks and how relaxing it feels. "Seeing how excited they are when they come in here is refreshing and nice," Herrick said of her kids. The 29-acre Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, 5400 N.
Pearl St., temporarily shuttered its South Pacific Aquarium in November 2021 for repairs. The project's price tag was $7.
09 million, zoo spokesperson Tessa Miller noted via email. Roughly half of that, $3.52 million, came from 2014 Tacoma voter-approved bonds while the zoo's operating funds covered $3.
22 million. Community donations through The Zoo Society added another $350,000. Miller said 127 species call the Tropical Reef Aquarium home — some of which "live behind the scenes.
" Ninety-five of these species are new. Sarah Oliver, the zoo's deputy director, told T.
