A 10-year, public-private initiative to transform the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) New York Aquarium has been announced.

Called 'A Sea Change at the WCS NY Aquarium', the project will see the creation of a state-of-the-art Ocean Wonders exhibit, highlighted by a dramatic new shark exhibit, and a completely new Conservation Hall, showcasing several aquatic habitats under protection by WCS. Also new will be a refurbished Aquatheatre, a new exterior along the ocean's Boardwalk and Surf Avenue, connecting the Aquarium with the sea, and the introduction of an expanded marine conservation programme, protecting marine life locally, in New York harbour and around the world.

'A Sea Change' is a partnership between the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York City, and the Borough of Brooklyn, along with support from private donors. While the initial investment is US$100m (£62.6m, 68.7m euro), the total cost will be determined as the project moves forward. The New York Aquarium is the oldest continuously operating aquarium in the United States, with three quarters of a million people visiting every year, and its redevelopment is seen as helping to jump start the rebirth of Coney Island as a tourist destination.