The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo held an official opening for their renovated Aquarium Hall and new retail shop “Scales and Tales.”

A cocktail hour and an official opening ceremony, showcasing the new setting to invited guests, was held last night, with Minister of Environment Cole Simons on hand to cut the ribbon and declare the Aquarium Hall, front entrance and shop officially open.

“The aquarium display hall creates a completely immersive experience into life beneath the surface. The aquarium has always represented Bermuda fish species and we are now able to offer a complete showcase for our island’s habitats, including North Rock’s coral reefs, mangrove forests, coastal environments, the Sargasso Sea and a special exhibit highlighting the invasive predator, the Lionfish,” a spokesperson said.

Dr. Ian Walker said, “We are now able to offer a complete showcase for Bermuda’s marine environments and provide a creative and attractive setting for our visitors, bringing our mission to inspire appreciation and care for our island environment to life in a new way.”

“A completely new significantly larger shop was part of a multiphase transformation of the Bermuda Aquarium’s front entrance. The goal of the new design was to create a more coherent visitor experience, a larger footprint for the shop and space to create remarkable visual installations,” BAMZ said.

“The design for the new shop has created a significantly enhance shopping experience for our visitors, along with an exciting new approach to merchandising. Perfect for conservation enthusiasts, students, teachers, and visitors to our island, the new Scales and Tales store compliments the Bermuda Aquarium’s marine and terrestrial exhibits.

“You can find great items like children’s books, exclusively designed stationary, local artisan pieces and unique gifts that support conservation. Aquarium and Zoo members save 10% with each purchase in Scales and Tales and those savings can be used to find gifts for every member of the family.

“Generous support for BAMZ extensive renovation project have been provided by the Government of Bermuda, the Bermuda Zoological Society, Fidelity International and a gift in kind from Pembroke Tile & Stone.

“The projects were undertaken by Sunrise Construction and Gulfstream Construction, with project management from Botelhowood Architects, Ministry of Public Works and Mason & Associates.”