The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher has received a multi-million-dollar grant supporting its first major renovation in more than two decades.
The New Hanover County Community Endowment announced Thursday a $7.5 million grant to the North Carolina Aquarium Society.
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The money will be distributed over the next three years and injected into a more than $56 million renovation to include upgrades to exhibits and visitor amenities. Details of the project are to be unveiled this summer, according to an New Hanover County Community Endowment announcement.
“Over the next few years, the project will introduce a range of new educational and recreational opportunities for families, students, and tourists,” the group stated. “The expansion will also boost the local economy by attracting more tourism and creating new economic opportunities.”
The Fort Fisher aquarium draws 500,000 guests annually, offering an array of habitats, exhibits and interactive learning experiences centered on marine life and coastal conservation.
“The Endowment’s support will fund a more innovative and immersive on-site educational experience at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher,” Joanna Zazzali, the aquarium’s director, said in a release. “Thousands of New Hanover County students each year will benefit from expanded indoor and outdoor educational opportunities that create a deeper connection to our aquatic environments and foster greater scientific understanding.”
The endowment was established from the county’s sale of the nonprofit New Hanover Regional Medical Center to for-profit Novant Health in 2020. Funding has grown nearly $1.3 billion, resulting in millions of dollars to be awarded in grants annually.
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Endowment President and CEO Dan Winslow touts the grant as a significant investment in the county’s future.
“The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher has long been a vital asset to our community, and we are proud to contribute to its continued growth and success,” he said in a release. “This grant is a good example of the Endowment’s preference for late-stage funding of major capital projects. This grant will also demonstrate how the Endowment’s investments can be magnified by participation of other funders.”
