History
The New York Aquarium has been a part of the cityscape since the late 1800s. The first location used by the aquarium was the Castle Garden in Lower Manhattan. This military fort was turned into an aquarium using plans drawn by Julius F. Munckwitz Jr.
When the facility finally opened its doors to the public, it contained 45 different species, with just 150 specimens displayed in water tanks. Although it was not an immediate success at its inauguration, it eventually gained immense popularity attracting over 10,000 people daily. The fact that there was no entry fee might have also been a factor for the volume of traffic.
Later construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in 1941 led to the decision to move the aquarium to Coney Island. However, the decision to make the move took time; in the meanwhile, some of the aquarium inhabitants were moved to the Bronx Zoo, and many were set free in the Atlantic Ocean. The construction of the aquarium at Coney Island began in 1954.
Designed by Harrison & Abramovitz, this new Ney York Aquarium was initially going to encompass 5 acres but later allocated more space to hold all its exhibits. The total project utilized more than $9 million and around 1.25 million gallons of water when the New York Aquarium at Coney Island opened its doors in June 1957.
Over the years, the aquarium has housed several exotic sea creatures, in addition to its usual inhabitants. The most noteworthy of these sea creatures included an orca, a narwhal, and beluga whales. The aquarium also takes part in breeding programs for endangered sea animals such as sea horses and beluga whales.
