Houston Zoo Galapagos Exhibit, Houston Zoo
The Installation
This zoo exhibit, an acrylic tunnel installation, brought American Sealants Inc. to the Houston Zoo’s newest expansion, highlighting the Galápagos Islands. ASI repaired the waterproofing of the concrete rebates to prepare them for the exhibit’s awe-inspiring acrylic windows. Some of the acrylic shapes and sizes manufactured for this project created a real challenge to get into the building, but ASI got the job done regardless. The centerpiece of that work is a 40-foot acrylic tunnel, fully submerged underwater, where visitors now watch California sea lions swim directly overhead.
The Exhibit
Houston Zoo’s $70 million, 2.5-acre Galápagos Islands exhibit opened in April 2023, recreating the archipelago’s landscapes and oceanic habitats for Humboldt penguins, California sea lions, dome-shell tortoises, and cownose rays, alongside features including the One Ocean aquarium and a walk-through Lava Tube.
Behind the Scenes
A few photos from installation show exactly what that challenge looked like in practice.
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