AquariumoftheBayReceivesPrestigiousSmithsonianAffiliateStatus

CommittedtotheconservationandprotectionofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,

AquariumoftheBayistheonlydedicatedaquariumaffiliateoftheSmithsonianinthestateofCalifornia

SANFRANCISCO,CA,June5,2017--SanFrancisco’sonlywaterfrontaquarium,AquariumoftheBay,isproudtoannounceitsnewdesignationasaSmithsonianAffiliate.ThisprestigiousdesignationmakesitoneofonlythreeinstitutionsinSanFranciscoandtheonlydedicatedaquariuminthestateofCaliforniatobehonoredasanaffiliate.SmithsonianAffiliationsisanationaloutreachprogramoftheSmithsonianInstitution,theworld’slargestmuseum,aneducationalandresearchorganizationdedicatedtotheincreaseanddiffusionofknowledge.

TheAquariumoftheBay,whichjustcelebratedits21stanniversary,providesanunparalleledwindowtoSanFranciscoBay’samazingmarinebiodiversity.TheAquariumishometomorethan20,000animalsincludingsevengillsharks,batrays,jellies,NorthAmericanriverotters,andmanymore;includingiconicandmagnificent300-footlong,750,000galloncleartunnelswhichrevealmuchoftheAquarium’sfascinatingmarinelife.Focusedoneducationandconservation,AquariumoftheBayistheonlyaquariumdedicatedtoconservingthediversemarinelifeanddistinctiveecosystemsofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,andhashostedmorethan10millionvisitorsandover194,000freetripsforBayAreastudents.“WearepleasedtoannouncetheSmithsonian’snewaffiliationwiththeAquariumoftheBay,”saidHaroldA.Closter,SmithsonianAffiliationsDirector,“Itisanorganizationknownforexcellenceinresearchandeducation.TheAquarium’slivingcollectionsandotherdisplaysinspirewonderandappreciationinvisitorsofallages.ThecollaborationwiththeSmithsonianwillgivebothorganizationsnewopportunitiestosharescholarshipaboutournaturalworldandthemanyforcesthatshapeit.WelookforwardtoworkingwiththestaffoftheAquariumoftheBaytoenablevisitorstoexperienceandfullyappreciatetheinterconnectednessofalllife,bothinthewaterandontheland.”“BeingaSmithsonianAffiliateisnotonlyadistincthonorforAquariumoftheBay,italsoopensthedoorforustoreachmillionsofvisitorsthroughourexhibits,educational,outreachand

researchprogramscenteredontheSanFranciscoBay’sincrediblearrayofmarinelife,”saidGeorgeJacob,President&CEOofbay.org/bayecotarium,theorganizationwhichoverseestheAquariumandfiveotherdivisions.JacobpreviouslyworkedonmultipleassignmentsattheSmithsonianovertheyears,andiscurrentlyleadinga$160millionmasterplantotransformtheAquariumintoanecotariumwithauniqueexhibitexperience,amovevitaltotheconservationandprotectionoftheSanFranciscoBayanditsfragileecosystem.

AboutSmithsonianAffiliations

Establishedin1996,SmithsonianAffiliationsisanationaloutreachprogramthatdevelopslong-termcollaborativepartnershipswithmuseums,educational,andculturalorganizationstoenrichcommunitieswithSmithsonianresources.Thelong-termgoalofSmithsonianAffiliationsistofacilitateatwo-wayrelationshipamongAffiliateorganizationsandtheSmithsonianInstitutiontoincreasediscovery,andinspirelifelonglearningincommunitiesacrossAmerica.MoreinformationabouttheSmithsonianAffiliationsprogramandAffiliateactivityisavailableatwww.affiliations.si.edu.

AboutAquariumoftheBayAquariumoftheBayispartofbay.org/bayecotarium,anot-for-profitnaturecenterwithamissiontoprotect,restore,andinspireconservationofSanFranciscoBayanditswatershed,fromtheSierratotheSea.TheAquariumisaccreditedbytheAssociationofZoosandAquariums(AZA),andcertifiedasaGreenBusinessbythecityofSanFrancisco.LocatednexttothebeautifulSanFranciscoBayonPIER39,knownforthesealions,AquariumoftheBayisSanFrancisco’sonlywaterfrontaquarium.DedicatedtothediversemarinelifeandecosystemsoftheBay,theAquariumhometomorethan20,000localanimalspecies.Additionalinformationataquariumofthebay.org.MediaContact:JacquelineMurray|CommunicationsDirector|jacqueline@bay.org|415.623.5343MeredithMetz|MarketingManager|Meredith@bay.org|415.262.4731

PhotoCredit:JeanneMai

PhotoCredit:AquariumoftheBay