The bubbles are back!

What is it about the bubble tubes that makes people smile? Why is it that every child who enters the Aquarium’s lobby runs to give them a hug?

Whatever the reason, this simply designed exhibit holds a fascinating, almost whimsical ingredient for success.

Millions of visitors have come to recognize the bubble tubes as one of the most familiar and iconic features at the Aquarium. After 30 years, the bubble tubes were showing their age, so we replaced them and made the lights more energy-efficient at the same time. 

Check out this video about the renovation:

Of course, this being the National Aquarium, we didn’t just throw the old tubes away! They were donated to a nonprofit animal sanctuary, where they’re being turned into enrichment items for the animals!

With the newly completed renovations, these lobby staples are brighter, clearer, and bluer (and “greener,” thanks to the new energy-efficient LED lighting). They continue to be a reminder that in our realistically simulated world there is indeed magic in water…and bubbles.

The anatomy of an exhibit

Ever wonder what it takes to create an exhibit at an Aquarium? It’s a huge team effort with two goals:  to offer a healthy habitat for the animals and a great visitor experience. We have been working dilligently for the last year to create Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance, opening Memorial Day weekend. With less than a month go, let’s take a look back at the process.

It’s not as easy as it sounds to bring a new animal collection into the fold. First, there is the issue of space―there is only so much of it. Jellies require much more water than the frogs that previously occupied the same area of the Aquarium. So the first order of business was to provide for sufficient water flow and drainage to the area.  Workers distributed water from the main building, poured a new concrete floor and created a trench drain system. Most of this work had to be done off-hours to minimize visitor inconvenience.