With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
The Long Beach Aquarium Got An Art Gallery and Delta Smelt Fish, Ya'll
The Aquarium of the Pacific's New Pacific Visions wing (Photo by Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist)
()
Maybe it's been a while since you've been to an aquarium. Maybe it's been so long, in fact, that you're now kind of like, "meh, why would I even go to an aquarium."
We hear you, but now, hear us - there is a cool new thing at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach called the Pacific Visions wing. It's their first major expansion in 20 years -- it includes an immersive theater and a 2,800-square-foot art gallery in addition to new aquatic life - incorporating a display of the endangered Delta Smelt fish, whose numbers have declined more than 90 percent in the wild.
So if you're not excited about smelt fish, get excited about smelt fish.
Delta smelt fish at the Aquarium of the Pacific (Photo by Emily Elena Dugdale/LAist)
()
Support for LAist comes from
A large part of Pacific Visions' focus will be on how people are affecting our sea-dwelling neighbors.
The new exhibits focuses “one the one species that is affecting all others on Earth: humans,” said @AquariumPacific president Jerry R. Schubel.
— Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) May 16, 2019
A major theme is ocean sustainability and our impact on marine life. @LAist @KPCC pic.twitter.com/vxtTGHjm5g
Some of the displays look like laser light shows:
The new wing starts out with an exhibit called Reefs & Drifters that focuses on coral and plankton using giant colorful digital displays. @LAist @KPCC pic.twitter.com/tNZSiEoCM1
— Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) May 16, 2019
And the theater features an immersive oceanic experience:
Next is this giant new theatre with a video presentation that’s connected to your seat - you feel vibrations as the film travels along through the ocean 🌊. Kids in here are really digging this one. @LAist @KPCC pic.twitter.com/T984eK0a4s
— Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) May 16, 2019
The new wing opens to the public on May 24.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist