Starfish, stingrays and sharks are coming to West Des Moines at Blue Zoo
Hold on to your fins, the wait is almost over. You'll soon be able to see stingrays, starfish and sharks right here in the heart of Iowa.
After announcing plans to open last fall, Blue Zoo, a for-profit interactive aquarium geared toward children, will open to the public on May 21. It is located in the Villages at Jordan Creek Town Center, 6925 Mills Civic Parkway, in West Des Moines.
"People get sparked up at a young age about eco-consciously connecting with animals and their environment," said Steve Spiteri, one of the owners of Blue Zoo. "We never get to see (sea animals) and interact with them, so I hope this sparks some of that."
The nearly 20,000-square-foot aquarium includes all types of sea life saltwater or freshwater tanks and a tide pool. It has a "bird forest" with hundreds of parakeets, a reptile habitat with tortoises, lizards and frogs and a "Under Sea Sanctuary" that acts as a sensory room.
Guests can feed and pet stingrays and bamboo sharks in a shallow pool near a wet play area with a pirate ship and a bounce house.
The aquarium also will host occasional mermaid and pirate shows.
"It's going to be a FIN-tastic time!" Mermaid Nixie said to a group of children on Saturday at a VIP event.
The aquarium offers a concession stand, a photo booth and interactive games for Iowa's fish enthusiasts.
"This is a dream job, for sure," said Lydia Venter, an employee at Blue Zoo. "If they didn't bring this to Des Moines, I think I would have."
Unlimited annual passes to Blue Zoo are available from $95 to $300. Day passes are $16 to $20. Tickets and passes can be purchased on the Blue Zoo website desmoines.bluezoo.us or in person.
Until May 20, unlimited annual passes can be purchased for 20% off with a code. The aquarium is open to those who purchase annual passes before the official open date.
What is Blue Zoo?
Blue Zoo is a small, for-profit aquarium chain that opened its first location in Spokane, Washington, in 2019. Founder Wes Haws said he got the idea for Blue Zoo as he whiled away the days watching a fish tank while recovering from an axe attack he suffered during an African house-building project in 2010, according to the Blue Zoo website. It says the goal of the company is to educate people and teach children about the importance of marine conservation.
"Learning about different species of fish and creating coral reefs occupied both his time and his mind during the long weeks of rehabilitation," the Blue Zoo website says of Haws. "Today Wes strives to pass his appreciation for aquatic life on to others."
Where are other Blue Zoo aquariums located?
In addition to Spokane, there are Blue Zoo locations in Oklahoma City; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Rogers, Arkansas. The company also is planning a location in Boise, Idaho.
On its website, Blue Zoo has indicated it would like to build locations in Indiana, Montana and Nevada, as well.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Blue Zoo aquarium in West Des Moines announces opening day
