MANTEO, N.C. — Fifty years of North Carolina Aquariums, with many visitors and locals coming to know the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks. But the mission has always been about much more than sightseeing — it's about sustainability, education and conservation as well.
"I think we are a staple in this community in so many ways," said Larry Warner, director of the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is a special place for both visitors and locals in the Outer Banks.
"We were the first to have our major expansion. In the year 2000 we went from being a very small facility, probably no more than 15,000 square feet, to a 60,000 square foot aquarium facility on 17 acres," said Warner.
The aquarium brings in more than 300,000 visitors each year.
"They get to see everything from sand tiger and sand bar sharks to North American river otters to North American alligators, they get to learn about sea turtles," said Warner.
For 50 years it's been about much more than just sightseeing here though. Another mission is to always help visitors leave with an appreciation of the ecosystem that we call home.
"We hope that people come here with some sort of appreciation for our local environment, here in the sound, here in the ocean on the Outer Banks, but we hope they leave with a little bit more of that appreciation," said Seth Gibbons, education curator at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
"I think whether it's visitors or locals, a lot of people have so much that they don't even know they need to learn about our local ecosystem. I love that our aquarium is almost entirely native species," said Eileen Connon, bird and mammal aquarist at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
Though there's so much to see inside here, a longtime mission of N.C. Aquariums has been their sustainability and conservation efforts as well. One of those here in the Outer Banks is the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center.
"Here at Roanoke Island, turtles are our thing. Just this year, we only had probably about 160 to 180 cold stunned turtles. Last year, however, we had over 750 turtles come in," said Warner.
A special milestone that N.C. Aquariums is proud to celebrate and a mission they want to only expand on and inspire in the future.
"It's all about understanding the ways that you can continue to keep our environment and our beaches, our world, for that matter, in a place that's going to be forever enjoyed by everyone," said Warner.
It's a mission that Warner says is also possible through the organizations and partners throughout the Outer Banks.
"We are so grateful for our local support that we have here. We have so many local partners, and we have so many residents here in the area that like to refer to us as their aquarium. We are their aquarium, and they are proud of us," said Warner.
The N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island will be celebrating the milestone throughout this year. In September, the aquarium will also be hosting its 50th anniversary events. For more information, visit the website here.
