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Union Station Prepares to . . .
Open Family Entertainment Complex
By Nichole Richardson
The two-story, 120,000 square-foot, St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is set to open in late 2019. The aquarium is the centerpiece of the $187 million dollar family entertainment complex that is currently under construction in downtown St. Louis. The aquarium and other attractions are being built under the 500,000-square-foot National Historic Landmark train shed at Union Station.
The massive aquarium will hold more than 1 million gallons of water and be home to more than 13,000 aquatic animals from fresh water and marine environments around the world.
It will bring together state-of-the-art technology, animal care, education, and conservation. The aquarium will also house Shark Canyon, a tank with an acrylic J-wall that arches high over the heads of visitors. More than 60 sharks and rays will be found in the vast 250,000-gallon salt-water tank.
The Deep section will take guests on a journey through the depths of the world’s oceans to meet the animals that live there and the second floor will include a variety of interactive exhibits and touch tanks to create an amazing hands-on experience.
More than 1 million visitors are expected annually and they will enter the aquarium via a 3-D virtual reality train ride that honors the history of St. Louis Union Station’s railroad past. The multimedia train delivers them to an area that explores the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
Guests will learn about the fish that inhabit the great rivers of America and explore the Global Rivers area to see fresh water species from around the world. Playful otters, piranha, and doctor fish are just some of the highlights.
As if the massive aquarium wasn’t enough, additional attractions are slated for the family entertainment complex, including a giant, 200-foot tall observation Ferris wheel with 42 climate-controlled gondolas. The St. Louis Wheel, as it’s called, will be 49 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty! The attraction offers patrons a 15-minute experience in a gondola that sits up to eight passengers.
One special VIP gondola will even have a glass floor for those who dare. Wheel-goers will be able to see nearly 20 miles from the top of the St. Louis Wheel. The attraction will be open 365 days a year and be illuminated at night by 1.6 million lights.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE:
- The Carousel-a classic merry-go-round featuring 30 whimsical animals and themed chariots;
- Mini Golf- an 18-hole course located near the observation wheel;
- The Train Park– a landscaped, outdoor space designed for concert events and includes shipping containers repurposed as food and beverage outlets;
- Mirror Maze– Near the 1894 Café;
- Ropes Course– Located on the second level of the aquarium, the course allows visitors to climb and zip along the train shed pillars;
- River Park– a two-acre, free admission, park with splash and play areas outside the aquarium entrance;
- Three new restaurants– The St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain, The Train Shed, and The 1894 Café (The Fudgery is also returning);
- Union Station on the Lake- a popular fire and light show set to music operates daily on the lake.
The admission has not been determined as of yet, but the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation will work to make sure underserved schools and communities will receive free admission to the aquarium.
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Union Station’s 120,000 square-foot aquarium will be ready to open by the end of this year. Families will have a day’s worth of entertaining activities to keep them occupied. The Wheel will open in October and the aquarium in December.
Outside at Union Station, the area will take on a carnival type atmosphere with food venders in rail cars as this rendering shows with the giant St. Louis Wheel.
