St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station — St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station
The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, a 120,000-square-foot aquarium built inside the historic 1894 Union Station train shed in St. Louis, Missouri, opened December 25, 2019, as the centerpiece of a $187 million family entertainment district; master planning, architecture, and exhibit design by PGAV Destinations, developed for owner Lodging Hospitality Management with zoOceanarium Group as operator and McCarthy Building Companies as general contractor.
| Venue | St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station |
|---|---|
| Project type | New Building |
| Status | Completed |
| Year completed | 2019 |
| Technologies | digital globe (interactive/media), laser projection, touch tanks |
Credits
| Firm | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PGAV Destinations | Master Planning | |
| PGAV Destinations | Architecture | |
| PGAV Destinations | Exhibit Design |
Description
The aquarium spans two stories and more than one million gallons of water across exhibits including the Confluence Gallery, a Global Rivers section, Shark Canyon (a 250,000-gallon environment with more than 60 sharks and rays), and The Deep, alongside touch tanks and a media-based train-ride experience narrated by John Goodman. PGAV Destinations also master planned the surrounding Union Station family entertainment district (Ferris wheel, carousel, mini golf, ropes course). The aquarium's entrance experience won a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement (Entrance Experience, Limited Budget) from the Themed Entertainment Association at the 27th Annual Thea Awards (2021).
Sources
- https://pgavdestinations.com/news/st-louis-aquarium-now-open/
- https://pgavdestinations.com/project/st-louis-aquarium/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/micheleherrmann/2020/02/03/st-louis-welcomes-new-aquarium-at-union-station/
- https://blooloop.com/animals/opinion/pgav-st-louis-aquarium-design-storytelling/
- https://www.teaconnect.org/recipients/27th-annual-thea-award-recipients