AquariumoftheBayReceivesPrestigiousSmithsonianAffiliateStatus
CommittedtotheconservationandprotectionofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,
AquariumoftheBayistheonlydedicatedaquariumaffiliateoftheSmithsonianinthestateofCalifornia
SANFRANCISCO,CA,June5,2017--SanFrancisco’sonlywaterfrontaquarium,AquariumoftheBay,isproudtoannounceitsnewdesignationasaSmithsonianAffiliate.ThisprestigiousdesignationmakesitoneofonlythreeinstitutionsinSanFranciscoandtheonlydedicatedaquariuminthestateofCaliforniatobehonoredasanaffiliate.SmithsonianAffiliationsisanationaloutreachprogramoftheSmithsonianInstitution,theworld’slargestmuseum,aneducationalandresearchorganizationdedicatedtotheincreaseanddiffusionofknowledge.
TheAquariumoftheBay,whichjustcelebratedits21stanniversary,providesanunparalleledwindowtoSanFranciscoBay’samazingmarinebiodiversity.TheAquariumishometomorethan20,000animalsincludingsevengillsharks,batrays,jellies,NorthAmericanriverotters,andmanymore;includingiconicandmagnificent300-footlong,750,000galloncleartunnelswhichrevealmuchoftheAquarium’sfascinatingmarinelife.Focusedoneducationandconservation,AquariumoftheBayistheonlyaquariumdedicatedtoconservingthediversemarinelifeanddistinctiveecosystemsofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,andhashostedmorethan10millionvisitorsandover194,000freetripsforBayAreastudents.“WearepleasedtoannouncetheSmithsonian’snewaffiliationwiththeAquariumoftheBay,”saidHaroldA.Closter,SmithsonianAffiliationsDirector,“Itisanorganizationknownforexcellenceinresearchandeducation.TheAquarium’slivingcollectionsandotherdisplaysinspirewonderandappreciationinvisitorsofallages.ThecollaborationwiththeSmithsonianwillgivebothorganizationsnewopportunitiestosharescholarshipaboutournaturalworldandthemanyforcesthatshapeit.WelookforwardtoworkingwiththestaffoftheAquariumoftheBaytoenablevisitorstoexperienceandfullyappreciatetheinterconnectednessofalllife,bothinthewaterandontheland.”“BeingaSmithsonianAffiliateisnotonlyadistincthonorforAquariumoftheBay,italsoopensthedoorforustoreachmillionsofvisitorsthroughourexhibits,educational,outreachand
researchprogramscenteredontheSanFranciscoBay’sincrediblearrayofmarinelife,”saidGeorgeJacob,President&CEOofbay.org/bayecotarium,theorganizationwhichoverseestheAquariumandfiveotherdivisions.JacobpreviouslyworkedonmultipleassignmentsattheSmithsonianovertheyears,andiscurrentlyleadinga$160millionmasterplantotransformtheAquariumintoanecotariumwithauniqueexhibitexperience,amovevitaltotheconservationandprotectionoftheSanFranciscoBayanditsfragileecosystem.
AboutSmithsonianAffiliations
Establishedin1996,SmithsonianAffiliationsisanationaloutreachprogramthatdevelopslong-termcollaborativepartnershipswithmuseums,educational,andculturalorganizationstoenrichcommunitieswithSmithsonianresources.Thelong-termgoalofSmithsonianAffiliationsistofacilitateatwo-wayrelationshipamongAffiliateorganizationsandtheSmithsonianInstitutiontoincreasediscovery,andinspirelifelonglearningincommunitiesacrossAmerica.MoreinformationabouttheSmithsonianAffiliationsprogramandAffiliateactivityisavailableatwww.affiliations.si.edu.
AboutAquariumoftheBayAquariumoftheBayispartofbay.org/bayecotarium,anot-for-profitnaturecenterwithamissiontoprotect,restore,andinspireconservationofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,fromtheSierratotheSea.TheAquariumisaccreditedbytheAssociationofZoosandAquariums(AZA),andcertifiedasaGreenBusinessbythecityofSanFrancisco.LocatednexttothebeautifulSanFranciscoBayonPIER39,knownforthesealions,AquariumoftheBayisSanFrancisco’sonlywaterfrontaquarium.DedicatedtothediversemarinelifeandecosystemsoftheBay,theAquariumhometomorethan20,000localanimalspecies.Additionalinformationataquariumofthebay.org.MediaContact:JacquelineMurray|CommunicationsDirector|[email protected]|415.623.5343MeredithMetz|MarketingManager|[email protected]|415.262.4731
PhotoCredit:JeanneMai
PhotoCredit:AquariumoftheBay