Aquarium dream moves to reality
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum recently provided an update on its renovation project. The new bike path has been installed, and it is loaded with fossil shells – their average age is at least 1 million years. In addition, the ceilings on the second floor of the museum are a lot higher than they were a month ago. Officials explained that the building is two octagons joined together, like a wedding cake whose top has slid sideways just a tad. The outside ceiling of the second floor has been opened up to go all the way to the roof line in the places where the top cake tier is not there. It will enable the museum to bring in taller traveling exhibits, art installations and more innovative programs that require more vertical height. Also, Tenji Aquarium Design + Build has created two tri-level touch tanks for the new building. The tanks are designed so visitors can see really small animals and have a great view. One tank will be for cold-water species and one will be for warm-water species. Officials noted that it means the museum can introduce visitors to mollusks from all over the world in a whole new way.