In addition to expanding public access to Riverfront green space and providing a venue to inspire the imagination, the Rockford Aquarium will provide many services and programs for Tri State residents and visitors:

 

 

Exclusive Traveling Exhibitions

Traveling exhibitions featuring the work of world-renowned scientists and oceanographers will visit The Aquarium, giving Northern Illinois the opportunity to experience retrospectives by acclaimed contemporary underwater specialists and access to priceless exhibits that have never visited the city before.

 

Educational Lecture Series

The Rockford Aquarium Lecture Series will feature the most gifted, intriguing and inventive scientists and water specialists of our time, with topics spanning the spectrum from fresh water habitats to cutting-edge underwater research.

 

Interactive exhibits and virtual reality

The Rockford Aquarium will feature a comprehensive collection of regional, national and international sea creatures and engaging simulation of our underwater world. The Rockford Aquarium will collaborate with local Museums and other community educational stakeholders to provide an in depth look about topics that are represented in the exhibits. The Aquarium staff will regularly screen recent filmed documentations by underwater specialists and offer conversations with these scientists and scholars on a myriad of topics as it relates to the exhibits. In addition, the Museum will host workshops for schools, colleges and after-school programs, as well as lectures on the history of our waterways today, with an emphasis on regional freshwater habitats of the rivers, streams and lakes of the American Heartland.

 

Educational Outreach Programs 

Providing affordable access and engaging educational opportunities to youth is central to The Rockford Aquarium’s mission. The Aquarium will work with other institutions, community groups and schools to develop groundbreaking programs that inspire future generations of scientists and specialists in the field of oceanography. Special tours, talks, workshops and screenings will be tailored to serve the curriculum of students from grammar school to college age.