Owain Johnston-Barnes
Published Jun 10, 2016 at 1:17 am (Updated Jun 10, 2016 at 1:17 am)

The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo has reopened its Aquarium Hall and gift shop after months of work.

Making the cut: from left, Cole Simons, Minister of the Environment, Zoological Society
president Richard Winchell and Dr Ian Walker (Photographs by Akil Simmons)

Cole Simons, the Minister of Environment, formally cut the ribbon on the new hall and shop, Scales and Tales, in a ceremony last night. The area had been under construction since January and is part of a series of improvements including a new roof and aquatic exhibits installed in the main building.

Immersive experience: lionfish, on display at the aquarium, are an invasive species in island waters

Come see me: Sharpnose Puffer (Photograph by Akil Simmons)

Ian Walker, BAMZ curator, 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.”

According to a spokeswoman, the new aquarium display hall is intended to create a completely immersive experience into life beneath the surface while the new, larger gift shop is part of a “multiphase transformation” of the facility’s front entrance.

Shop till you drop: the new, larger gift shop

“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,” she said.

So much of interest: pictured, from left, Lorraine and Ron Lucas (Photograph by Akil Simmons)

“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.”

The renovation project was supported by the Government and the Bermuda Zoological Society, along with Fidelity International and a gift in kind from Pembroke Tile and Stone.