In July 1965, the first inland aquarium in the world to utilize a formula for artificial seawater to sustain marine exhibits opened in Niagara Falls, NY. Known then as “The Aquarium of Niagara Falls,” the building would soon become a staple destination for tourists, marine enthusiasts, and Western New Yorkers looking for a fun family activity.
Jump to 2025, and the aquarium, like the region as a whole, looks vastly different.
“It feels like we're at an inflection point,” said Chad Fifer, the President and CEO of the Aquarium of Niagara as the site readies to celebrate 60 years of operation in July. “My predecessor, Gary Siddall, did a heck of a job over the last ten to fifteen years starting the transformation of the organization from what it was in the 60s. I'm thankful to be in the position I am today, to dream bigger because of the work that he put in, and that's exactly what we're doing.”
It wasn’t long ago that the Robert Moses Parkway divided the aquarium from both the Niagara Gorge and what was then known as the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, a site that shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By July 2024, the partial removal of the parkway gave way to a $5.2 million project that created Great Lakes 360, a region-specific ecological attraction and the first step of the organization's plan to develop an educational campus. Fifer said building on the success of Great Lakes 360 is crucial.
“The campus is unrecognizable as it exists today, and it truly feels like it's a part of Niagara Falls State Park, and that's an incredible opportunity for us to latch onto as we think about future expansion and what our campus could look like,” Fifer remarked.
As part of the 60th anniversary celebration, the aquarium will welcome new additions such as a 60-foot mural, VR shark tank dive experience, and accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Fifer said in terms of what’s next for the campus, it's not a matter of if or when another expansion will happen, but how.
“We have a shockingly large amount of land available to us to grow the campus, and we're thinking about it holistically,” Fifer said. “How do we effectively use all of that space? We may not be able to build it all at once, but we can be thoughtful in how we build it a piece at a time.”
Through different titles, exhibits and settings, Fifer said that 60 years of operation proves how much of a cornerstone the aquarium is to the region. He also notes that his vision for the future of the campus is to make sure the aquarium has another 60 years.
