Rotterdam Aquarium Makes Big Splash

By Don Rittner

I haven’t seen this many people in Rotterdam Square Mall – now called Via Port Rotterdam – in a decade. Via Properties, a subsidiary company of Bayraktar Construction from Ankara, Turkey, takes dying malls and tries to bring them back to life by installing an aquarium inside them. They currently have two projects with one in Leesburg, Florida and the 25,000 square foot one here in Rotterdam which opened on November 17th last year. Since the opening day to Presidents’ Week on February 22nd, some 100,000 visitors have gone through the doors of the Via Aquarium. That’s 100,000 visitors in 100 days!!!

The aquarium is open seven days a week. Entrance prices include $19 for an adult on weekends or $16 on weekdays. Kids ages 4-17 are $10 either way. There are discounts available as well. There is an annual pass for $40 for an individual and $100 for a family of four.

The theme of the aquarium is travel around the world using a 1940s Indiana Jones Temple of Doom flavor complete with seaplane images of old. Kids can get a passport and if you get it stamped at 8 locations throughout the aquarium they can get a patch if completed. The first thing you see when you enter on the left is a virtual gallery that allows you use a mouse to select any of hundreds of images of species and underwater views. Virtual Gallery is a Google product and they have used it to show art using their street view technology.

David Gross who is the director and general manager took us on a tour of the 37 exhibits that include a total of 75,000 gallons of water full of exotic species. David has 38 years experience in the aquarium business working in Baltimore, Washington DC and even designed an aquarium themed restaurant for the Landry’s company (http://www.landrysinc.com/concepts/familyDestinations/downtownaquarium.asp), among others.

The 37 exhibits are water tanks each themed from a region of the world or environmental topic and representing both fresh and salt water environments. The first ten are fresh water river themes starting with species from the Adirondacks, Africa, Thailand, etc., each filled with species representative of the locations. There is descriptive text with them to explain what you are seeing.

You can view electric eels (they are going to hook up a voltmeter in the future), piranhas, fish without eyes, neon fish, jellyfish, and hundreds of other varieties found throughout the world. You eventually find yourself in a large open area with several areas called Discovery Cove where there are open areas with fish, crabs, starfish and other species that you can touch and see close up. Koi Island is a raceway with many species of koi (nishikigoi are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp).

Stingray Bay has many stingrays floating around and their name did not stop kids and adults from touching them.

There is also a 75-seat theater for educational films and events.

Using the latest technology there is a popular digital 3-D sandbox that allows you to move the sand into various shapes and with an overhead projector and software projects contours on the various shapes you make. You move the sand and it projects new contour maps. You can even make it rain by holding you hand over an area. Great teaching tool. Speech pathologist Dana Pitaniello from Mechanicville was enjoying the sandbox with her 3 1/2 year old daughter Anna. Dana told me, “We had a great time at the aquarium! There was so much fun for the children to explore! It is a fantastic addition to the many learning opportunities in our area. The hands-on experiences, use of technology and amazing sea creatures combined for a memorable afternoon. We can’t wait to go back to the Via Aquarium!”

As you begin to leave the aquarium you walk through a corridor called “Shark Alley” that surrounds you on two sides and overhead with a tank that includes sharks and other species. You can easily spend and hour and half or more if you take the time to read the educational text that accompanies most of the exhibits.

The aquarium was packed with kids and their parents and everyone was having a great time. Once you exit you walk into a good size gift shop where you can purchase all kinds of water themed products.

This aquarium is not like the large complexes in Boston or Baltimore that are large 3 story tanks with winding ramps. All of the activity at Via Port takes place on a single floor so it is naturally handicap accessible.

Via Port Aquarium is a great choice if you’re looking for a great way to spend some time with the kids, or entertain friends, or visitors, and learn some things about our water part of the world.