Pittsburgh could get a new aquarium on the city’s North Shore
Pittsburgh Zoo eyes new standalone Pennsylvania Aquarium
NATIONWIDE. OKAY, IF YOU’VE BEEN TO THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM THIS SUMMER, PERHAPS YOU’VE SEEN THE CONSTRUCTION WORK AT THE ENTRANCE. WE GOT A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM THE ZOO’S NEW CEO ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION. WE’RE STARTING TO SEE RIGHT NOW AND ALSO STRETCHING INTO THE NEXT DECADE. THE OLD ENTRANCE WAS 30 YEARS OLD. VISITORS EAGER TO SEE THE NEW LOOK. THE NEW ONE IS JUST GOING TO BE SO WARM, WELCOMING, ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS DOWN HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE INTO THE PARK. IF THE KIDS HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM. SO JUST A LOT OF AMENITIES. BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM MADE SCULPTURE THAT EMPHASIZES SOLAR AND WIND POWER. SO FIRST AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE JUST SO IMPORTANT. AND WE’RE JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO BE CONSTRUCTING THIS NEW FIRST IMPRESSION FOR OUR FACILITY SOON. BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO SEE THE TINIEST INSECT STRETCHING UP TO THE LARGEST MAMMAL, THE ZOO TRAIL AWAITS. GETTING A TOTAL MAKEOVER AND IS BEING EXTENDED SO IT WILL BE FULLY ADA ACCESSIBLE. IT WILL BE PAVED, IT’LL BE LIT. IT’LL BE BEAUTIFUL, AND THAT WILL BE HAPPENING ALONGSIDE THIS PROJECT AS WELL. THANKS TO AN ANONYMOUS $10 MILLION GRANT, THE NEW LOOK OF THE ZOO INCLUDES A REDESIGNED GIRAFFE BARN. THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING AT THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM. YOU HAVE TO GO UP HIGH TO SEE THIS. IT’S INCREDIBLE. OKAY, YEAH. YOU KNOW WHAT? THE GIRAFFE AND THE ZEBRA HABITAT LOOKS LIKE NOW? JUST WAIT. THINGS ARE CHANGING FAST WITH THE FORWARD LOOKING MISSION OF THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM. ZOO STAFF MEMBERS, CONSERVATION WORK STRETCHES ACROSS THE WORLD FROM THE STEEL CITY. THE SAFE RED PANDA PROGRAM STANDS FOR SAVE ANIMALS FROM EXTINCTION. SO CURRENTLY IN NEPAL, THERE IS A LARGE FERAL DOG POPULATION THAT IS STARTING TO ENCROACH ON THE RED PANDA HABITATS. AND SO AS A VETERINARIAN, I’M WORKING WITH THE RED PANDA NETWORK TO HELP STERILIZE AND VACCINATE THE FERAL DOGS TO HELP PREVENT DISEASE TRANSMISSION TO THE RED PANDAS. THE LONGER RANGE CONSTRUCTION PHASES INCLUDE EXPEDITION INDONESIA, ALL SORTS OF ANIMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, FISH AND IT’S JUST GOING TO BE SO IMMERSIVE AND REALLY JUST TELL THE STORY OF THE PLIGHT OF THE ANIMALS IN INDONESIA AND HOW THEY’RE THEIR HOME AND THEIR FOREST IS BEING DESTROYED BY PLANTATIONS OF PALM OIL FOR, FOR TO PRODUCE PALM OIL FOR PRODUCTS THAT WE USE EVERY DAY. AND HOW PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY BUY RESPONSIBLY AND PREVENT THE LOSS OF THAT HABITAT AS WELL. DURING ALL PHASES, YOU CAN SEE MANY OF YOUR FAMILIAR FAVORITES WHILE YOU WAIT TO WELCOME NEW ANIMAL NEIGHBORS IN PITTSBURGH. WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE WOW MOMENTS WHEN PEOPLE ARE JUST FACE TO FACE WITH A TIGER OR A LEOPARD OR A GIRAFFE AND OR A SHARK AND, AND REALLY JUST HAVE THAT KIND OF WOW, LIFE CHANGING MOMENT. AND I SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DEFINITELY WANT TO JUST CONTINUE INTO OUR FUTURE BECAUSE YOU EXPECT THE NEW ENTRANCE TO THE ZOO TO BE REVEALED BY THE END OF NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER, AND THAT NEW BIG GIRAFFE BARN THAT SHOULD BE
Pittsburgh could get a new aquarium on the city’s North Shore
Pittsburgh Zoo eyes new standalone Pennsylvania Aquarium
Updated: 11:26 AM EDT Mar 17, 2026
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium wants to build a standalone aquarium in the city’s North Shore neighborhood.A group of regional leaders will study site feasibility and funding for the proposed project, which is being called “The Pennsylvania Aquarium,” zoo officials said Tuesday.The zoo did not identify a possible location for the aquarium. A timeline for construction has also not been established.In a statement, Pittsburgh Zoo President and CEO Dr. Jeremy Goodman said Pennsylvania is the most populous state that does not have a standalone aquarium.A new aquarium would offer visitors more than what is available at the current site in Highland Park, the zoo said.”The Pennsylvania Aquarium would expand the zoo’s physical and conservation footprint, connecting the city and state to aquatic animals from around the planet as well as those that are native to the commonwealth, celebrating our life-sustaining relationship with water and aquatic life in ways as we can present only in Pittsburgh,” the zoo’s statement said.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.More Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium headlines:
PITTSBURGH —
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium wants to build a standalone aquarium in the city’s North Shore neighborhood.
A group of regional leaders will study site feasibility and funding for the proposed project, which is being called “The Pennsylvania Aquarium,” zoo officials said Tuesday.
The zoo did not identify a possible location for the aquarium. A timeline for construction has also not been established.
In a statement, Pittsburgh Zoo President and CEO Dr. Jeremy Goodman said Pennsylvania is the most populous state that does not have a standalone aquarium.
A new aquarium would offer visitors more than what is available at the current site in Highland Park, the zoo said.
“The Pennsylvania Aquarium would expand the zoo’s physical and conservation footprint, connecting the city and state to aquatic animals from around the planet as well as those that are native to the commonwealth, celebrating our life-sustaining relationship with water and aquatic life in ways as we can present only in Pittsburgh,” the zoo’s statement said.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
More Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium headlines: