The Great Sea of Cortez Aquarium, opened its doors on 30 May. Set between walls that seem to blossom from the lush vegetation surrounding the beaches of Mazatlán, this extraordinary space not only serves as an aquarium, but also as a centre for research and conservation of marine species.
The aquarium houses an extraordinary variety of 200 species and 5,000 specimens, exhibited in the various rooms.
Guests can admire jellyfish, starfish, sea turtles, sea hares and stingrays, all set in surroundings that glow a beautiful blue.
The Great Sea of Cortez Aquarium, opened its doors on 30 May. Set between walls that seem to blossom from the lush vegetation surrounding the beaches of Mazatlán, this extraordinary space not only serves as an aquarium, but also as a centre for research and conservation of marine species.
The aquarium houses an extraordinary variety of 200 species and 5,000 specimens, displayed in the various rooms. Guests can admire jellyfish, starfish, sea turtles, sea hares and stingrays, all set in surroundings that glow a beautiful blue.
The aquarium project required an investment of 1,800 million pesos (EUR 95 million; USD 102 million), raised through a public-private partnership. Thirty per cent of the financing came from public funds, provided by the Federal Government's Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur) and the National Bank of Public Works and Services (Banobras), through the State Government of Sinaloa. The remaining 70 per cent was covered by private funds, from Kingu Mexicana.
A significant portion of the budget, $8.7 million, was allocated to the creation, transport and installation of the Life Support System. This system takes care of the filtration and cleaning of the seawater required for the species housed in the aquarium.
Designed by Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao, the 26,000 square metre aquarium features 19 exhibition rooms containing 4.7 million litres of filtered water. The space offers a fully interactive experience, with areas where visitors can touch manta rays and starfish. There is also a lake with 200 million litres of water, an area that recreates sea waves and coral reefs, a large ocean tank and an educational area for children, where they can learn more about various species.