National Aquarium in Baltimore Announces Partners in Australia Exhibit; Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes Halfway to Completion

6/17/2004

From: Molly Foyle of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, 410-576-6848, mfoyle@aqua.org

BALTIMORE, June 17 -- The National Aquarium in Baltimore and Discovery Communications today announced an exclusive multi-year partnership to support the Aquarium's 65,000 square foot Australia expansion. The newly named ANIMAL PLANET AUSTRALIA: WILD EXTREMES exhibit is halfway to completion and slated to open in 2005.

The alliance between the National Aquarium in Baltimore and Animal Planet is a natural fit, merging their shared commitment to providing experiences that move people to respect and preserve the animal world. In addition to title sponsorship of the exhibit, this partnership includes development of an original orientation film that will give Aquarium visitors background on the Australian region that inspired the exhibit; a dedicated space where visitors can learn about Animal Planet's additional conservation efforts and other programming; and the first opportunity to develop television programming about the Aquarium's research and exhibits. The Embassy of Australia has also partnered with the Aquarium throughout the design and collection process to capture core cultural elements of the Australian experience, ensure the authenticity of the exhibit and the art featured in it and develop collaborative business relationships Down Under.

"This unique exhibit is our biggest undertaking since construction of the original building and we are really pleased to reach the halfway point toward its completion," said Dave Pittenger, executive director of the Aquarium. "The support of Animal Planet and the Embassy of Australia ensures that we exceed our standards of quality and offer an authentic experience of a place that many Americans never have the opportunity to visit."

As the first of its kind in the United States, the new exhibit will immerse visitors in the colors, textures, sights and sounds of the Northern Territory of Australia. Housed in an enormous crystal pavilion, the $66 million project will open in 2005 and transport visitors to Australia's Northern Territory as they trek across its steep, red cliffs. The region's dry heat will blow across the river gorge, the scent of eucalyptus will waft through the air and the sound of thunder will rumble through this land of flood, fire and drought.

"Animal Planet is excited to partner with the National Aquarium in Baltimore to bring the wonders of Australia's wildlife to our shores in a visually stunning achievement," said Clark Bunting, executive vice president at Discovery Networks, US Group. "The exhibit is a natural extension of the Animal Planet brand, connecting people with animals in a unique new environment, that is sure to inspire anyone who sees it."

Many animals never before displayed in North America will be housed in the innovative new habitats of the Australia-themed exhibit. Visitors will feel only inches away from Johnston's freshwater crocodiles, one of the many species, including large bats, blue-tongued skinks, lungfish and kookaburras, which will call it home. The leafy exhibit will mimic natural environs, and habitat designs will incorporate basking lights and warmed rocks that draw the animals to areas where they can be seen easily.

The Aquarium and the Embassy of Australia have partnered to ensure the exhibit's cultural accuracy and to broker business relationships in Australia. Through the embassy, Australian trade group Austrade hosted the Aquarium's spring 2004 retail buying trip, and introduced retailers to the best of Australia's arts, crafts and authentic items for the new exhibit's 5,000 square foot store. This Australian merchandise will support the educational mission of the Aquarium and accurately reflect Australia's cultures, including the contribution of the country's traditional landowners.

"America's fascination with Australia's unique landscape, flora and fauna is one part of the great partnership between our two countries, which now stretches across so many shared interests and activities," said His Excellency Michael Thawley, Ambassador of Australia. "We are delighted to be working with the National Aquarium to introduce more Americans to Australia's history, our culture and our unique animals and terrain."

Animal Planet, available in 85 million homes nationwide, is the only television network dedicated exclusively to the connection between humans and animals. The network's original programming brings together people of all ages by tapping into a fundamental fascination with animals and providing an entertaining mix of programming including original movies, adventure series, sports, drama and sitcoms. Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery Communications, Inc., operates and manages the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, the Travel Channel, The Science Channel, Discovery Wings Channel, Discovery Home Channel, Discovery en Espaqol and FitTV. The unit also distributes BBC America. The National Aquarium in Baltimore, a non-profit organization, is Maryland's most exciting and popular cultural attraction, as well as one of the region's leading conservation and education resources, hosting more than 1.6 million visitors per year. The Aquarium's mission is to connect people with aquatic life in order to create a better world for both. It is dedicated to education and conservation through more than a dozen programs that serve the environment and the community.