North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to close for 3-year expansion, opens mall pop-up

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is set for a multi-million dollar expansion, marking its first renovation in 20 years. New attractions include a Skydeck and a tiger shark habitat. Expect closures for three years, with a temporary location at Independence Mall offering free access.

Exciting changes are on the horizon at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

Officials said the aquarium is expected to undergo a new $75 million expansion and overhaul that Joanna Zazzali, the aquarium's director, said will bring a whole new meaning to the space.

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“This will be a ‘wow moment,’ but you’ll have plenty of other ‘wows’ as you continue your journey,” Zazzali said.

But the change comes at a cost. The aquarium will temporarily close for three years, Zazzali said.

“We will have a minimum staff that will remain here to care for the animals in the existing facility, and the other staff will be on site at our pop-up aquarium at the mall,” she said.

While the aquarium is closed, a temporary location will open in Independence Mall. Officials said the mall, located on a city bus route, will offer a free opportunity for people who’ve never been to the aquarium before.

“We are so excited for this new opportunity to connect in an area of Wilmington that we don’t always reach,” an aquarium staff member said.

According to a video on the NC Aquarium Fort Fisher YouTube page, this is the first renovation the aquarium has seen in 20 years.

A sneak peek at the new additions can be seen on the aquarium’s social media. Zazzali said the expansion will include additional classrooms and exhibits, a rooftop Skydeck, interactive habitats and even a new tiger shark habitat.

Once completed, officials said the aquarium will be the largest in the state.

A hard closing date for the aquarium has not yet been announced, officials said. Construction to transform the space the aquarium will use at the mall is expected to take several weeks to complete before the process of moving some of the animals, equipment and staff.