New Tacoma aquarium makes waves

Originally published September 7, 2018 at 6:35 pmUpdated September 7, 2018 at 10:08 pm

Christina Frazier and her husband, Tony, get an unusual view of hammerhead sharks as they walk through the glass-topped tunnel in the 280,000-gallon Baja Bay exhibit. The $51.6 million aquarium opened to the public Friday.
(Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

At the tidal touch zone, visitors are encouraged to gently touch sea creatures with a finger in the saltwater pool. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

The spotted eagle rays in the Baja Bay exhibit are juveniles. As adults, the largest will have a wingspan of up to 10-feet.

(Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Sea nettles, which are jellyfish, go with the flow in their tank in the new $51.6 million Pacific Seas Aquarium. Their sting is painful. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

The Dang family explores the new Baja Bay exhibit. Mom Lisa holds son Caleb while dad Van holds Cora, who reaches up toward the hammerhead sharks.

(Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Two sea turtles live in the new 280,000-gallon Baja Bay exhibit.
(Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Getting to see hammerhead sharks from below is a new experience at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Moon jellies float by in a sphere, one of only two in the United States, at the new $51.6 million Pacific Seas Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Commissioned art at the new $51.6 million Pacific Seas Aquarium includes this school of fish. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

The four hammerhead sharks in the Baja Bay exhibit are juveniles between 1 and 2 years old. The exhibit will likely provide the closest encounter that people have with hammerheads. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

A Point Defiance & Zoo Aquarium diver cleans the glass in an exhibit in the new Pacific Seas Aquarium.
(Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

This cutie, a California sheephead, has distinctive coloration. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Many visitors to the new aquarium at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium said that getting to see hammerhead sharks from below was a “mesmerizing” experience. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

This stuffed sea turtle was confiscated by a federal agency when someone tried to bring it into the United States illegally. It’s a teaching tool at the new $51.6 million Pacific Seas Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

New Tacoma aquarium makes wavesBack to story Restart gallery

The new Pacific Seas Aquarium at Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is packed with plenty of wow, as could be seen on opening day.

By

Alan Berner

Seattle Times staff photographer

The Pacific Seas Aquarium at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium opened to the public on Friday.

Hammerhead sharks and spotted eagle rays swim through the 280,000-gallon Baja Bay exhibit. The new $51.6 million Pacific Seas Aquarium also includes two sea turtles and more than 100 other small fish. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Alan Berner