Coral Reef

One of the most frequent questions asked about our exhibits: “Is the coral reef staying?”

It is! The museum’s popular coral reef exhibit is getting a new look, with updated and refurbished elements. The scene is designed to look like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The exhibit features a wide variety of corals — the animals that make the coral reefs — in many shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition, fish, mollusks and other specimens are represented.

The Great Barrier Reef is home to ten percent of the world’s known fish species.
Large brain corals are slow growing and stable. This one is has large, meandering ridges where the animal body is anchored.
Our Director of Collections and Senior Interpretation Manager work with the Dixon Studios team to place the specimens.
Vibrant colors help fish blend in with brightly colored corals.
The Disco Clam’s (Ctenoides ales) body at the base of the blood red tentacles can flash light like a disco ball.
Spiny oysters are found cemented to hard surfaces. The spiny shell protects the animal within. Our reef features three different species.
Directors of Exhibits and Collections removed the sand from the reef to prepare it for installing specimens.
Giant clams eat plankton but also have algae living in their bodies. During the day these algae use sunlight to make food for the clams.
The refurbished coral reef is surrounded by colorful murals that help set the scene.
Some elements have returned, like the popular Orange Clownfish (Amphiprion percula).
Flat, thin and whorled, Plate Coral (Montipora foliosa) is common on reefs in the Indo-West Pacific and is featured in the exhibit.