The Aquarium Pyramid |
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| Location | Galveston, Texas |
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| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
| Website | http://www.moodygardens.com |
Moody Gardens is a tourist complex in Galveston, Texas. It is owned, through a complex agreement, by the City of Galveston but funded, operated, and supported by the multi-billion dollar Moody Foundation.
Moody Gardens features three main pyramid attractions: the Aquarium, which is one of the largest in the world and holds many species of fish and other sealife; the Rainforest Pyramid, which contains tropical animals and plants; and the Discovery Pyramid, which focuses on science-oriented exhibits and activities.
Another major attraction is Palm Beach, a landscaped sandy area with freshwater lagoons offering children's activities. Moody Gardens also has a RideFilm Theater with motion-based pod seating, a 3-D IMAX theater, a paddlewheel cruise boat, a hotel and a convention center.
The complex attracts many local tourists from the city of Houston and its outlying suburbs. The owners of Moody Gardens commissioned a landscape design from Geoffrey Jellicoe. It is described in Gardens of the mind : the genius of Geoffrey Jellicoe by Michael Spens (Antique Collectors Club, 1992).
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This pyramid is colored blue, and approximates 12 stories high. The massive pools that are contained in this pyramid contain approximately 8,000 species, from fish, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, and plants. The species represent N. Pacific, S. Pacific, and the edge of the Antarctic and Caribbean regions.
This pyramid reaches the height of 10 stories, and is colored white with clear glass. It contains the popular bat caves and Rainforest Rediscovered Exhibit, featuring an ocelot, coatimundis, chevrotains, and other rainforest animals on exhibit, as well as two-toed sloths and cottontop tamarins roaming free-range through the trees. The environment of the pyramid includes crashing waterfalls, massive trees, and wild animals.
The Rainforest was undergoing a major upgrade and enhancement project. The completed Rainforest of the World's Grand Opening and was opened in May 2011. All the animals and some new ones are on display.
The Discovery Pyramid features traveling exhibits and the ride film (motion simulator). The huge deep magenta colored pyramid current exhibit is, Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston.
In 2007 the Moody Foundation signed an agreement with the City of Galveston to completely rebuild the city's municipal golf course. It is scheduled to reopen in June 2008 under the moniker Moody Gardens Golf Course. It is currently undergoing a $17 million comprehensive renovation, including the addition of new turf grass, green complexes, elevations, irrigation, drainage, cart paths, greens and a full clubhouse renovation.[1]
The new course was designed by Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design and was constructed to keep historical features of the course while improving certain holes and course flow. The par 72 course measures 6,900 yards from the back tees, with 5 sets of tees to accommodate all playing abilities.[1]
Each year Moody Gardens holds the Festival of Lights. Moody sets up millions of Christmas lights and dozens of holiday displays for the occasion and has an outdoor ice skating rink.
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