Virginia Beach's Marine Wonder: 40 Years of Learning and Conservation

Four decades ago, an empty idea about teaching ocean science slowly became one of Virginia’s most popular spots. Starting with just a simple room for marine studies in the 1970s, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center now ranks as the state’s third-most visited attraction, drawing crowds like Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion. Yet beyond its flashy exhibits and tourist appeal, the aquarium has always focused on protecting wildlife and teaching visitors of all ages. Originally opened in 1986 as the Virginia Marine Science Center, the project got its start thanks to passionate community backing. A local school leader led the charge, rallying support to turn a dream into a reality. Over $2 million in donations from community members helped launch the center, while state funds covered the building costs. Built on donated city land, the small 41, 500-square-foot space quickly became a hotspot, welcoming over 100, 000 visitors in its first three months alone. One of its first star attractions was Harold, a 90-year-old lobster nicknamed the "King, " along with sharks, turtles, and local species from nearby waters. Back then, the team was small and tasks were shared. New hires like Chris Witherspoon, who joined summer of opening year, recall wearing many hats—from moving animals to cleaning tanks. Today, the aquarium runs on a much bigger scale with over 100 full-time workers, 115 part-time helpers, and a volunteer army of more than 1, 000 people. Their work goes beyond keeping tanks clean; staff regularly track local wildlife like ospreys and run breeding programs for endangered species such as Komodo dragons and tomistoma crocodiles.Behind the scenes, the aquarium runs thanks to a mix of public and private effort. While the city owns the buildings, a nonprofit foundation handles animals, exhibits, and fundraising. This split role has shaped major milestones, like the huge 1990s expansion that almost tripled the space. The addition brought sharks, sea turtles, and a new marsh exhibit. Still, not every plan made it through. One early push for a dolphin rescue facility faced strong opposition, and after debate, local leaders scrapped the idea. Keeping an aquarium running isn’t cheap or simple. It brings millions in tourist dollars to Virginia Beach each year—about $1 million from entry taxes alone. But maintaining tanks in salty air costs money too. Every few years, steel tanks corrode and need fixing. Recently, the city spent millions to repair shark, seal, and turtle tanks. Still, leaders admit a full upgrade could cost anywhere from $50 to $200 million. The question now is: how do you refresh a landmark without losing what makes it special? Thinking about the future, board members like John Uhrin stress smart planning. When private groups like theme park companies showed interest in taking over operations, the city paused and decided to work with the existing team instead. A new design could spread out exhibits in a “hub-and-spoke” layout, letting visitors see more with less walking. For now, $3 million is set aside to plan the next big changes—an important first step toward the next 40 years of discovery and conservation.