Best of KC 2023: KC Zoo’s Aquarium makes a splash
Sobela Ocean Aquarium ribbon cutting ceremony // photo by Zoe Strohm
This month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can browse the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some of our current favorite things about Kansas City in 2023. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November.
The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium opened the long-awaited Sobela Ocean Aquarium in September 2023. This 650,000-gallon aquarium hosts nearly 8,000 animals representing over 200 species and spent 10 years in design and production before construction began in 2020. The execution of this project cost $77 million dollars, with $45 million coming from the Zoological District and $32 million from private donations.
The two-year wait was worth it. While on the smaller side, this aquarium is an excellent addition to a zoo visit. Tortellini, the sea turtle stuck in her permanent handstand, is the perfect mascot for the aquarium (don’t worry, she’s getting a backpack to help her float). Each exhibit is beautifully crafted to meet the needs of each animal and includes educational information about the species and habitats they represent.
With the opening of the aquarium, the zoo has pledged to help to ensure the conservation of endangered species of corals found off the coast of the U.S. and in the Caribbean as well as partnering with rescue centers to provide a home for sea otters when returning them to the ocean is not a viable option.
