VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Dive right in to a swarm of jellyfish as you enter the Virginia Aquarium’s newly renovated South Building. 10 On Your Side got a sneak peek of the $28.9 million expansion Friday morning.

Immersive displays contain interactive exhibits, kids’ play areas, touch pools, an observable veterinary care center, interactive water quality lab, outdoor play areas and more.

“This building will have a few natives, but focus is a lot on sound from other parts of the world,” said Chris Witherspoon, aquarium vice president of science education. “I think a mainly Caribbean species, at least in the touch pools.”

A one-touch pool features jellies that are on prominent display in large tanks with special lighting.

“I would call it a calm environment in the jelly gallery, with low lighting, with these beautiful colors,” Witherspoon said. “Most of them are naturally sort of translucent, transparent, which is a camouflage, but we’re using colored light in a number of the aquariums so you can really see their features.”

A superhero section spotlights the superheroes of the marine world.

Witherspoon told us an octopus will arrive in the spring.

“It’s the brainiac of the room,” Witherspoon said. “That’s its superpower. They can figure out how to open jars. If they have a neighboring aquarium next to them, they sometimes figure out how to get over and eat what’s in it.”

When you step outdoors, there is a watershed exhibit, which has proved to be popular with campers who got to experience it over the summer.

“So, we’re hoping people understand how watersheds work and things that you can do, such as making sure you’re recycling, having native plants that help reduce water going off of your yard,” Witherspoon said.

The newly renovated space is in the old Marsh Pavilion. The otters who were quite popular with visitors are still there and enjoying a revamped space.

In addition to the new exhibits, the building will have an education hall for schools to use for
field trips, and a 200-person capacity outdoor amphitheater with elevated seating for events, programs and entertainment.

The South Building is accessible by walking the Nature Trail from the Virginia Aquarium’s North
Building at 717 General Booth Blvd. or by using the South parking lot, which the South Building
shares with The Adventure Park at 801 General Booth Blvd.

The South Building opens to Aquarium members Saturday (it is a ticketed event) and will open to the public Sunday.