Kansas City Zoo opens new Sobela Ocean Aquarium

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The wait is finally over! The Kansas City Zoo officially opened its new Sobela Ocean Aquarium.

Friday morning, a number of zoo staff gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the new attraction. The zoo opened to the public at 9:30 a.m.

The aquarium will feature six zones, and 34 exhibits, and will be open year-round. The facility with 8,000 animals tells the story of how ocean currents connect animals across the globe. The sea life will include otters, a sea turtle, sharks and a giant Pacific octopus.

The total cost of the aquarium project is $77 million, with $45 million coming from the Zoological District and $32 million from private donations, according to officials.

PHOTOS: Find out what you’ll see inside the new Sobela Ocean Aquarium

Entry to the aquarium is included with the price of zoo admission. Due to the anticipated crowds, visitors who plan on going to the aquarium between Sept. 1 and Sept. 15 must reserve additional, free, aquarium tickets for a specific date and time. Reservations can be made at kansascityzoo.org.

The zoo said it plans to make tickets for additional dates available on Sept. 6.

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