HomeMy WebLinkAboutI. A. VIRGINIA AQUARIUM FOUNDATION UPDATE 8.27.24City Council
Virginia Aquarium Foundation
Dan Peterson, Chair
ABOUT THE
VIRGINIA AQUARIUM
250+ SPECIES
including mammals, fish,
birds & reptiles. Over 5,000
Animals
JUNE 14, 1986
Virginia Aquarium opened
to the public
Over $100 Million
Amount the Foundation has
raised since inception
620,000
visitors in FY-2024
1,013 VOLUNTEERS
working 51,162+
hours annually
OPEN 363 DAYS
Closed on Thanksgiving &
Christmas Day
25 PEOPLE
on the Board of Trustees
10,364 DONORS
to the Aquarium Fund
in FY-2024Economic impact in Virginia Beach in FY-
2022, supporting 3,000 jobs, and nearly
$85M in labor income
$257 Million
Education Programs
•Over the last 2 years, 28,000 students from
Virginia to New York
•9,000 students attending from VA Beach
•Title I Schools: 3,300 students from 47 school
groups (40% of students from VA Beach)
•Homeschool, virtual, and online curriculum
•Dolphin and whale boat tours
•Behind-the-scenes programs
•Field trips and summer camps
•Watershed Warrior protection
STRANDING RESPONSE
•Formed in 1989
•Nationally recognized monitoring
7,213 miles of Virginia shoreline
•Since inception responded to 6,500
stranded marine mammals and sea
turtles
•2024: Responded to 89 marine
mammals and 186 sea turtles
•Only entity in VA with the
permit/authority to conduct
stranding response investigations
The Virginia Aquarium is the third most popular attraction
in the Commonwealth and is truly “Our Aquarium .” It
r epresents Virginia Beach’s commitment as a premier
coastal city to protect the ocean and its inhabitants and
e ducate o ur c itizens and visitors a bout t heir value to our
environment and way of life.
THANK YOU