From harbor fort to boardwalk beacon
An evolving aquarium shaped by the city, the sea, and science.
Table of Contents
Origins of the New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium began in 1896 inside Castle Clinton at Battery Park, transforming a 19th‑century fort and immigration station into a beloved showcase of marine life. In an era when aquariums were equal parts education, spectacle, and civic pride, New Yorkers flocked to see fish and invertebrates from far‑off waters.
Run by the New York Zoological Society — today the Wildlife Conservation Society — the aquarium quickly became a public classroom on the harbor’s edge, introducing generations to ocean creatures long before mass media and global travel made them familiar.
Castle Clinton days (1896–1941)
For 45 years, Castle Clinton’s circular walls housed rows of tanks and a constant stream of curiosity. The setting was humble, even cramped, yet electric with discovery: schools on field trips, families escaping summer heat, sailors on shore leave sharing stories from distant seas.
Construction of the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel brought the Castle Clinton chapter to a close in 1941. The aquarium’s collections were dispersed, but the idea endured — New York would have its public aquarium again.
A new home at Coney Island (1957–)
After years of planning, the aquarium reopened on Coney Island in 1957 — a fitting place where surf, boardwalk, and neighborhood energy meet. The new campus embraced modern aquarium design and the spirit of seaside amusement, welcoming visitors with sea lions, schooling fish, and a promise: oceans belong in the heart of city life.
Through decades of updates, the aquarium layered in habitats that connected visitors to the nearby Atlantic — from cold‑water cliffs and kelp forests to tropical reefs — while deepening its role as a hub for science, care, and public engagement.
Modern exhibits and the conservation mission
As the Wildlife Conservation Society expanded its global work, the aquarium’s purpose broadened: inspire wonder, then turn wonder into action. Exhibits began to spotlight threats like overfishing, plastic pollution, and habitat loss, always paired with solutions and the people working on them.
Behind the glass, veterinary and husbandry teams advanced animal care, nutrition, and enrichment. On the floor, educators translated complex science into hands‑on moments — the spark that sends a child home eager to protect the seas.
Hurricane Sandy and recovery
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy crashed ashore, flooding the campus and damaging infrastructure from basements to boardwalk. Staff safeguarded animals through unprecedented conditions, improvising systems and moving mountains, all while the community rallied around a wounded landmark.
Recovery took years and resilience. Piece by piece, exhibits returned, operations stabilized, and plans for a transformational shark habitat gathered speed — a phoenix‑from‑the‑surf moment for the aquarium and the neighborhood.
Ocean Wonders: Sharks! opens
When Ocean Wonders: Sharks! opened, it shifted the skyline — a sweeping, wave‑like building filled with light, science, and 500,000 gallons of saltwater life. Visitors walk through a living reef tunnel, eye‑to‑eye with sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, graceful rays, and a kaleidoscope of reef fish.
More than spectacle, the exhibit anchors the New York Seascape program, connecting city dwellers to the wildlife just offshore and to practical steps that protect sharks — from sustainable seafood to smarter fisheries and clean beaches.
Education, access, and community
From school partnerships to after‑school programs, the aquarium welcomes learners of every age and background. Pay‑what‑you‑wish windows, sensory‑friendly mornings, and multilingual materials aim to make the ocean feel like it belongs to everyone.
On summer evenings, the campus becomes a community porch: music, sea breezes, and families drifting between exhibits and the beach — science stitched into everyday joy.
Animal care & welfare
Daily care blends rigorous science with attentive kindness: tailored diets, preventive medicine, water‑quality labs, and enrichment that challenges animals to solve, explore, and play.
Training sessions — often visible to guests — help animals participate in their own care, from voluntary flipper checks to calm transport. Welfare is a practice, not a checkbox, and it evolves with new research.
New York Seascape & local waters
The aquarium’s conservation focus begins at home with the New York Seascape — the busy, biodiverse waters from the Hudson River to the offshore canyons. Whales migrate past the city, sharks hunt along the shelf, and horseshoe crabs spawn on quiet beaches.
By tracking animals, restoring habitats, and working with fishers and communities, scientists translate local wins into global lessons — proof that even a megacity can share the sea well.
Tickets, memberships & support
Buying tickets or becoming a member keeps the lights on and the water flowing — and funds fieldwork from New York Harbor to coral reefs abroad.
Members enjoy unlimited visits, discounts, and special events; every pass is both a perk and a promise to the ocean.
Sustainability & the waterfront
New buildings prioritize energy efficiency, durable materials, and smart water systems; landscaping favors coastal resilience and native plants.
On the boardwalk, beach‑cleanups and citizen‑science days invite neighbors to act locally — because the nearest ocean is the one at your feet.
Nearby boardwalk & beach day
Make it a full day: pair your aquarium visit with a stroll on the boardwalk, Nathan’s on Surf Ave, or a ride past historic amusements at Luna Park.
In cooler months, the beach is serene and photogenic — gulls wheeling, waves rolling, and the aquarium’s glass curve catching winter light.
Why the aquarium matters
Urban aquariums are bridges — between people and wildlife, science and daily life. In a city of 8 million, one shark encounter can ripple into a lifetime of care.
The New York Aquarium is a promise to future New Yorkers that the ocean is not elsewhere; it is here, and it needs all of us. 💙
Table of Contents
Origins of the New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium began in 1896 inside Castle Clinton at Battery Park, transforming a 19th‑century fort and immigration station into a beloved showcase of marine life. In an era when aquariums were equal parts education, spectacle, and civic pride, New Yorkers flocked to see fish and invertebrates from far‑off waters.
Run by the New York Zoological Society — today the Wildlife Conservation Society — the aquarium quickly became a public classroom on the harbor’s edge, introducing generations to ocean creatures long before mass media and global travel made them familiar.
Castle Clinton days (1896–1941)
For 45 years, Castle Clinton’s circular walls housed rows of tanks and a constant stream of curiosity. The setting was humble, even cramped, yet electric with discovery: schools on field trips, families escaping summer heat, sailors on shore leave sharing stories from distant seas.
Construction of the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel brought the Castle Clinton chapter to a close in 1941. The aquarium’s collections were dispersed, but the idea endured — New York would have its public aquarium again.
A new home at Coney Island (1957–)
After years of planning, the aquarium reopened on Coney Island in 1957 — a fitting place where surf, boardwalk, and neighborhood energy meet. The new campus embraced modern aquarium design and the spirit of seaside amusement, welcoming visitors with sea lions, schooling fish, and a promise: oceans belong in the heart of city life.
Through decades of updates, the aquarium layered in habitats that connected visitors to the nearby Atlantic — from cold‑water cliffs and kelp forests to tropical reefs — while deepening its role as a hub for science, care, and public engagement.
Modern exhibits and the conservation mission
As the Wildlife Conservation Society expanded its global work, the aquarium’s purpose broadened: inspire wonder, then turn wonder into action. Exhibits began to spotlight threats like overfishing, plastic pollution, and habitat loss, always paired with solutions and the people working on them.
Behind the glass, veterinary and husbandry teams advanced animal care, nutrition, and enrichment. On the floor, educators translated complex science into hands‑on moments — the spark that sends a child home eager to protect the seas.
Hurricane Sandy and recovery
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy crashed ashore, flooding the campus and damaging infrastructure from basements to boardwalk. Staff safeguarded animals through unprecedented conditions, improvising systems and moving mountains, all while the community rallied around a wounded landmark.
Recovery took years and resilience. Piece by piece, exhibits returned, operations stabilized, and plans for a transformational shark habitat gathered speed — a phoenix‑from‑the‑surf moment for the aquarium and the neighborhood.
Ocean Wonders: Sharks! opens
When Ocean Wonders: Sharks! opened, it shifted the skyline — a sweeping, wave‑like building filled with light, science, and 500,000 gallons of saltwater life. Visitors walk through a living reef tunnel, eye‑to‑eye with sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, graceful rays, and a kaleidoscope of reef fish.
More than spectacle, the exhibit anchors the New York Seascape program, connecting city dwellers to the wildlife just offshore and to practical steps that protect sharks — from sustainable seafood to smarter fisheries and clean beaches.
Education, access, and community
From school partnerships to after‑school programs, the aquarium welcomes learners of every age and background. Pay‑what‑you‑wish windows, sensory‑friendly mornings, and multilingual materials aim to make the ocean feel like it belongs to everyone.
On summer evenings, the campus becomes a community porch: music, sea breezes, and families drifting between exhibits and the beach — science stitched into everyday joy.
Animal care & welfare
Daily care blends rigorous science with attentive kindness: tailored diets, preventive medicine, water‑quality labs, and enrichment that challenges animals to solve, explore, and play.
Training sessions — often visible to guests — help animals participate in their own care, from voluntary flipper checks to calm transport. Welfare is a practice, not a checkbox, and it evolves with new research.
New York Seascape & local waters
The aquarium’s conservation focus begins at home with the New York Seascape — the busy, biodiverse waters from the Hudson River to the offshore canyons. Whales migrate past the city, sharks hunt along the shelf, and horseshoe crabs spawn on quiet beaches.
By tracking animals, restoring habitats, and working with fishers and communities, scientists translate local wins into global lessons — proof that even a megacity can share the sea well.
Tickets, memberships & support
Buying tickets or becoming a member keeps the lights on and the water flowing — and funds fieldwork from New York Harbor to coral reefs abroad.
Members enjoy unlimited visits, discounts, and special events; every pass is both a perk and a promise to the ocean.
Sustainability & the waterfront
New buildings prioritize energy efficiency, durable materials, and smart water systems; landscaping favors coastal resilience and native plants.
On the boardwalk, beach‑cleanups and citizen‑science days invite neighbors to act locally — because the nearest ocean is the one at your feet.
Nearby boardwalk & beach day
Make it a full day: pair your aquarium visit with a stroll on the boardwalk, Nathan’s on Surf Ave, or a ride past historic amusements at Luna Park.
In cooler months, the beach is serene and photogenic — gulls wheeling, waves rolling, and the aquarium’s glass curve catching winter light.
Why the aquarium matters
Urban aquariums are bridges — between people and wildlife, science and daily life. In a city of 8 million, one shark encounter can ripple into a lifetime of care.
The New York Aquarium is a promise to future New Yorkers that the ocean is not elsewhere; it is here, and it needs all of us. 💙