Great Lakes 360, a New Living Museum, Opens Doors at Aquarium of Niagara

A shot of Niagara Falls in Niagara Falls, New York.Photo byPhoto by J.M. Lesinski

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently celebrated the opening of the Great Lakes 360 living museum, located on the campus of the Aquarium of Niagara in Niagara Falls State Park. 

“The new Great Lakes 360 space provides a new and unique opportunity for kids and families in Western New York to put down their phones this summer, go outside, and take advantage of the exhibits and panoramic views of the beautiful Niagara River Gorge,” Hochul remarked of the museum. “By expanding the Aquarium’s footprint with this targeted investment, we are helping forge a brighter future for Niagara Falls by drawing in new visitors, boosting the pride of residents, stimulating the economy, and attracting new development to the city’s downtown.”

Set up in the former Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, the living museum transformative project features noteworthy local Niagara River wildlife and animals from the larger Great Lakes ecosystem. 

“This is a significant moment for the Aquarium of Niagara as we celebrate the first expansion in our nearly 60-year history, and we are thrilled to showcase these important local ecosystems as we increase our footprint in the community,” noted Aquarium of Niagara President and CEO Chad Fifer of the museum. “We are committed to growing our presence as both a destination and a quality-of-life resource for our neighbors, where guests can make authentic connections with animals, learn through hands-on experiences that both surprise and delight, and discover how to become positive agents of change for our planet. We thank our funders, community partners, and neighbors for their generous support in helping bring this vision to life.”

A total of sixteen new interactive exhibits are available to be experienced year round, including an interactive sturgeon touch pool. Representing the incredibly diverse ecosystems of the Great Lakes, the finalized project officially increased the total number of living exhibits aquarium-wide by 40%. 

“For nearly 60 years the Aquarium of Niagara has been providing residents and visitors with an “up close” experience of aquatic sea life, providing education on the delicate ecosystem, and encouraging conservation,” City of Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Resatino commented of the museum. “This expansion and the new Great Lakes 360 museum, with its exciting and interactive exhibits, brings that same commitment and skill to an understanding of our Great lakes, which embrace our region and along with our majestic Niagara Falls represent nearly one quarter of the world’s fresh water. This venue will provide another year-round attraction to assist our tourism industry and we appreciate the commitment of Governor Hochul to this project and to our City, in addition we congratulate the Aquarium of Niagara and look forward to their continued excellent efforts in our community.”

The new Great Lakes 360 museum also introduced a multipurpose theater space, local gift shop, and rooftop lounge with breathtaking views of the Niagara Gorge. An estimated nine new full-time equivalent jobs were created to staff the Great Lakes 360.

“The pieces of the economic development strategy are coming together in Niagara Falls with the opening of a new, vibrant, interactive museum on the campus of the Aquarium of Niagara,” stated Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight of the museum. “Exciting projects like this attract new visitors and give them a reason to stay longer, boosting the region’s economy and overall image. I look forward to visiting the museum and learning more about the wildlife that makes the region so unique.”