Aquarium Features Resilient, Sustainable Zinc-clad Buildings
Opened on Aug. 29, 2020, Mississippi Aquarium welcomes visitors to downtown Gulfport's newest destination attracting both residents and tourists. Its three main buildings showcase a distinctive, scaled pattern using 16,000 zinc tiles fabricated from RHEINZINK prePATINA blue-grey material. With a potential lifespan of 100 years or more, this resilient, natural metal supports both the Aquarium's economical and environmental goals.
Destination Development
Mississippi Aquarium's mission revolves around three pillars – education, conservation and community. Set on 5.8 acres, the Aquarium's exhibits and buildings are connected by landscaped walkways with plants representing all seven physiographic regions of Mississippi. The indoor and outdoor campus tells the story of the state's aquatic resources from the Delta to the Coastline and ties all the of these natural resources together.
The Aquarium's habitats contain 1 million gallons of both salt and fresh water, and more than 80,000 square feet of habitat for marine mammals, otters, alligators, crocodiles, river animals and a shore bird aviary. Three main buildings house the Aquatic Wonders exhibits, Changing Tides building, which is a premier event space, and the ticketing services and gift shop.
RHEINZINK prePATINA blue-grey panels clad each of the three buildings. Their complex curved, geometric shapes present a welcoming, distinctive look with a dynamic, evolving appearance that develops a natural patina over time. In addition to the zinc material's unique aesthetic, the wall panels maintain their self-healing, low-to-no-maintenance, corrosion-resistant performance for many decades.
Leading the effort to bring Mississippi Aquarium to fruition, the Gulfport Redevelopment Commission (GRC) serves as the urban renewal agency for the City of Gulfport. Uniting the City of Gulfport and the Mississippi Sound, the new aquarium is expected to be economically self-sustaining. It anchors a comprehensive plan to revitalize the downtown area that will elevate the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast as a premier family-friendly tourist destination.
Based on budget and footprint, Mississippi Aquarium will join similar, top-U.S. destinations such as Boston's New England Aquarium and the California's Aquarium of the Pacific. The facility is estimated to host 487,000 yearly visitors.