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Discovery Bay, a $25 million marine education center, is
the largest expansion to the Minnesota Zoo since the main complex
was built in 1978. The building, designed by architectural firm
of Hammel Green and Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA), is 48,000 square
feet, with an adjacent life support building of 12,000 square
feet. The total footprint is approximately 200 feet by 200 feet
and its highest point is more than 50 feet high. The exhibit
habitats contain a combined total of over 1.1 million gallons
of water.
Discovery Bay was made possible through a combination of $20.5
million in state bonding and $4.5 million in private philanthropy,
$2 million of which was donated by United Health Care. Approximately
two-thirds of the total project cost will be repaid by the Zoo
through private grants, sponsorships, donations and Zoo admissions.
Discovery Bay transports guests from their everyday lives
to an undersea world of wonder and mystery. It introduces
them to ocean habitats in dramatic and personal ways, expanding
their understanding for, and appreciation of, marine life. Perhaps
the most important function of Discovery Bay is to demonstrate
the interconnectedness of all life and inspire visitors to take
action on behalf of the world’s oceans.
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