DISCOVER THE SEA

Above the front entry plaza, one end of the roof dips, allowing rain water-to fall onto a piece of native granite and run into a reflecting pool. A Birch tree and Little Leaf Lindens complement the courtyard, while large pieces of oddly shaped granite-- found discarded in a quarry-- line the pool for kids to sit on. Renderings provided courtesy of Hammel Green & Abrahamson

Minnesota Zoo's new indoor marine exhibit is now open. Discovery Bay: United HealthCare Marine Education Center is the largest addition to the zoo since the main complex was built in 1978. The $25 million dollar attraction-- designed by Loren Ahles of Hammel Green & Abrahamson (HGA)-- offers education as well as entertainment.

Discovery Bay is a 60,000-square-foot, 1.1 million gallon facility featuring dolphin and shark pool exhibits, as well as an interactive education center called Clubhouse Cove. Project Principal and Landscape Architect Tom Oslund, ASLA of HGA worked with Ahles to design a narrative plaza in the front entry. The plaza contains a water feature which was designed to be a playful attraction for kids. Upon entering Discovery Bay, guests pass through Great Hall, a 5,000-square-foot entrance containing underwater viewing windows, a two-story atrium, a Tide Pool, and an estuary where visitors can touch sharks and other sea creatures.