Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report
Resilience in Action
Navigating Change, Inspiring Conservation
Chow Chow, a juvenile cold-stunned green sea turtle, had an older injury that caused a jaw fracture. Once stabilized, Chow Chow underwent surgery to remove the damaged portion of the jaw. It has healed well, and Chow Chow was returned to the ocean in May 2025.
Dear Friends,
This year was a powerful reminder of what resilience looks like in action. As we navigated continued change—environmentally, operationally, and within our community—the Virginia Aquarium remained steadfast in our mission to inspire conservation, protect marine life, and advance science-based education.
Our Stranding Response team faced a record-breaking number of cold-stunned sea turtles, underscoring the urgency and importance of our conservation work. At the same time, we expanded our educational programs, reaching thousands of students and visitors through dynamic learning experiences that deepen understanding and spark lifelong interest in marine science.
Whether through the energy of our fundraising gala, Ocean Commotion, or intimate behind-the-scenes engagements, we discovered powerful ways to bring our mission to life and inspire greater support.
None of this would be possible without the strength of our community. We are deeply grateful to our staff, Board, donors, and volunteers whose dedication fuels our progress.
Together, we are turning challenge into opportunity—we are driving meaningful impact for our oceans and our future.
With gratitude,
Cynthia W. Spanoulis | President and CEO
Dan Peterson | Chair of the Board
Welcome Wave
The Virginia Aquarium welcomed new, captivating animals this year including two different jelly species in the South Building. The Aquarium also opened a brand new facility to house and care for the growing number of animal ambassadors.
Animal Ambassador Center Dedication
A private ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with the Board of Trustees and Aquarium leadership to dedicate the Bob & Leslie Fort Animal Ambassador Center, named in honor of Bob and Leslie Fort, whose philanthropic support and commitment to conservation and education have left an indelible mark on the Aquarium. This new state-of-the-art facility will be home to the current and growing number of animal ambassadors.
Australian Spotted Jellies
Australian spotted jellies can be found in the Jelly Diversity Exhibit. This species is unique to other jellies given they do not have tentacles on their bell margin but have very dense and branched oral arms.
South American Nettles
The largest jelly at the Aquarium is the South American nettle, welcomed in early 2025. This species is one of the largest nettle species and can be up to 30 inches wide with very robust oral arms.
Sea Stars
The Aquarium welcomed two new species of sea stars this year—bat stars and leather stars. These invertebrates are found in the Jellies Gallery, across from the upside-down jellies.
Changing Exhibits
2
6
5
1,105
TROLLS: Save the Humans
The whimsical outdoor art exhibition, which debuted in the fall, featured six signature folklore inspired troll sculptures built from reclaimed materials. Produced by Imagine Exhibitions in collaboration with recycling artist Thomas Dambo, the art installation inspired guests to create new adventures in nature while demonstrating how trash can be turned into something beautiful and unique.
Emotions at Play
This spring, guests expressed their love for Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out with interactive experiences to help guests understand the important role emotions, memory, and imagination play in our lives. Hands-on and digital experiences focused on the five emotions from the movie: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. This exhibit drew in the largest changing exhibit member opening on record with 1,105 members in attendance.
Conservation Projects
Osprey Population Research
The Virginia Aquarium uncovered valuable data while surveying osprey in the Lynnhaven River, in partnership with the William & Mary Center for Conservation Biology. The osprey survey and banding summary of the 2024 breeding season included the discovery of an American mink, entering one of the osprey nests soon after midnight, that devoured two recently hatched nestlings and an unhatched egg. Overall, the data revealed that the ratio of eggs laid to fledgling age was 0.90 per active nest in 2024 and 0.45 in 2025. Ospreys need a rate of 1.15 to maintain their population, however, this year’s results improved from the 0.32 ratio in the 2023 breeding season. The Aquarium will continue this important conservation research, which provides insight into the overall health of the ocean.
Creek Cleanups
There was a total of 396 people who volunteered at the nine trash cleanups throughout the year. Together, these volunteers collected 1,478 pounds of trash at Croatan Beach, Rudee Loop, and Owls Creek, areas the Aquarium has adopted through the City’s Adopt-A-Waterway program.
Register for a Creek Cleanup
Shark Population Research
Six Aquarium dive volunteers traveled to Morehead City, NC to dive at the Olympus Dive Center for Spot a Shark USA, a citizen science conservation program that monitors and collects research on sand tiger sharks. This field research helps protect species and habitats in need of conservation.
About Spot a Shark USA
Plastic Free July
The Virginia Aquarium challenged the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk to a friendly competition during Plastic Free July to encourage staff and the community to take environmentally friendly actions and track their progress. All in all, the environment won, with the Aquarium team skipping the use of 2,895 single-use plastic items and conserving 2,128 gallons of water and 342 pounds of waste.
2,128
187
70
85
955
1,355
354
231
Fundraising & Events
Special Guest Jeff Corwin
Watts Conservation Speaker
The Eleanor & Henry Watts Conservation Speaker Series presented celebrity speaker, Jeff Corwin, who gave a special lecture on his tales from the field. Corwin is a creator, executive producer, and presenter on a top-rated ABC TV program, Wildlife Nation, and executive producer and host of the popular CBS television series, Extraordinary World. With stories focusing on animal advocacy, nature, and human empowerment, Corwin inspired the audience to become more aware of the threats to wildlife and the environment.
Ocean Commotion
The annual Ocean Commotion online auction fundraiser reached an impressive $159,084 in gross proceeds. The auction included many special items and experiences, including the first-ever opportunity for guests to dive in the Norfolk Canyon Exhibit. Ocean Commotion is presented by Capital Group and Auction Sponsor Checkered Flag Motor Co.
Presented by Capital Group
Golf Classic
The 25th annual Golf Classic fundraiser raised $112,295.28. This is the second-highest fundraising result in the history of this event, following 2023's gross record of $113,727. The success of this event was a coordinated effort between staff, volunteers, and made possible by the help of generous donors.
Presented by MEB
ValenTide's
On Valentine’s Day, the Aquarium celebrated with a new romantic event, ValenTide’s. Guests enjoyed a magical evening surrounded by a picturesque atmosphere, appetizers, and an open bar. The night was a success with sold out tickets, and one couple marking the occasion with a marriage proposal.
Zzz's Under the Sea
The Aquarium hosted a series of overnight events called Zzz’s Under the Sea for a range of audiences including scouts, families, members, and adults. The Scouts of America Zzz’s Under the Sea included special guest, Dougie Pickles, for the first-ever live reading of his bedtime children’s podcast, Cozy Critters, where he highlighted the sandbar shark.
Nature Excursions
Led by an Aquarium naturalist, the Aquarium’s Nature Excursion series of tours took guests outside the Aquarium walls for outdoor adventures. The tours included hiking through Back Bay, dip-netting in Cape Charles, guided kayak tours on the Eastern Shore, fishing at Owls Creek, and a sold-out tour at Fisherman’s Island. Guests observed and identified various critters and learned about the local environment.
New Behind-the-Scenes Tour
The Aquarium began offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Harbor Seal Exhibit, where guests can meet the Aquarium’s expert animal trainers and get an up-close look at the resident harbor seals. This tour further connects guests with the marine environment, teaching them about marine mammals, animal adaptations, and training techniques.
Stranding Response
328
71
52
58
A Large Rehab
The Stranding Response team admitted one of the program’s largest sea turtle patients, named Pearl, who weighs over 300 pounds. Measured head to tail, Pearl has broken the record for the longest sea turtle patient our team has ever responded to. This loggerhead sea turtle was reported to Stranding Response by surfers at Croatan Beach. Pearl is being treated at the Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center for buoyancy issues.
Breaking Rehab Records
The Stranding Response team documented 77 cold-stunned sea turtles this season, a record-breaking number, doubling the recent seasonal averages. Many of these turtles arrived at the rehabilitation center nonresponsive and in critical condition. Of the 77 responses, 27 were admitted for rehabilitation and 19 have been released back into the Atlantic Ocean.
Seal Response
The Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response team responded to a call of a juvenile grey seal hauled out at the Oceanfront this March. The team monitored the animal throughout the day and placed signs at the beach notifying the public to stay at least 150 feet away. While on the beach, the seal was resting, sleeping, and doing normal behaviors such as “banana-ing,” which is when the seal lifts its head and tail at the same time. After a day, the seal returned to the ocean.
Science Education
15,047
458
244
702
Youth Impact
Youth Ocean Conservation Summit
This year’s Youth Ocean Conservation Summit more than doubled the engagement from participants and cities compared to 2024. The event was exciting and deeply rewarding—celebrating youth potential, environmental action, and community empowerment. The Environmental Justice Teens lead the program and provide participants with resources—from aquarium-based youth opportunities to broader ways to stay civically engaged across Hampton Roads.
Teacher Workshop
Sixteen environmental science educators attended The Aquarium’s grant-funded teacher workshop to learn how to integrate local climate science into their classrooms. The teachers collaborated to develop classroom-ready lesson plans while exploring the barrier islands, coastal bay, and marshland. The teachers used field techniques such as seine netting, beachcombing, and water quality testing to identify and understand climate change indicators.
Homeschool Day
Homeschool Day returned this year with a fun and educational day designed for homeschoolers to explore the wonders of marine life through guided lessons, interactive exhibits, and hands-on activities. There were 165 students in attendance who learned about fascinating ecosystems, met incredible animal ambassadors, and engaged in workshops promoting environmental awareness.
Start on Success
The Virginia Aquarium proudly partnered with Ocean Lakes High School’s Start on Success (SOS) program to host eight students for a 16-week work study, placing them in Guest Services and the Gift Store. SOS is an innovative school-to-work initiative that empowers students with disabilities to gain meaningful, handson work experiences by equipping them with the skills, confidence, and real-world experience needed to build successful career paths.
Oceans of Success
To celebrate their successful grades, the Aquarium welcomed 150 third, fourth, and fifth graders from Title I schools in Virginia Beach for Oceans of Success Day. This special day was designed to inspire curiosity, reward hard work, and ignite a lifelong love for learning and the ocean. Thank you to Breit Biniazan, P.C., for making this experience possible.
Experiential College Education
Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA) is a college course that equips future scientists with the skills to share ocean science with the public. Offered each spring since 2008, the course is led by Virginia Aquarium education staff and hosted at the Aquarium. Throughout the semester, students create interactive science stations and present them to Aquarium guests, covering topics like coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and shark feeding strategies.
Youth Services Grant
Through a generous grant from the Youth Service Club Foundation, students at W.T. Cooke Elementary School in Virginia Beach participated in a series of engaging outreach programs led by Aquarium educators. This support helped bring hands-on marine science education directly to the classroom, sparking curiosity and fostering a deeper connection to the marine world among young learners.
Mission Partnerships
Reimagined Sensible Seafood Program
The Sensible Seafood Program has been reimagined with an updated mission and vision statement to evolve with industry practices and to better serve community partners. In conjunction, the program received a refreshed visual identity with an updated logo. The program was featured on the premiere episode of Jim Root’s Just Landed, a new fishing-focused docuseries, to talk about sustainable efforts and local Virginia seafood.
Turtle Tracks
Checkered Flag Motor Co. raised a total of $11,925 to support the Stranding Response Program’s sea turtle and marine mammal lifesaving efforts. The fundraiser was the result of a promotional campaign that donated funds to the Aquarium for every new car purchased during the week surrounding Earth Day.
About Checkered Flag Motor Co.
Debuting Local Monopoly
The Virginia Aquarium hosted the launch party for the official Virginia Beach edition of MONOPOLY. With attendance from local business owners, the mayor, and Mr. Monopoly himself, the event unveiled the playing board for the first time. The Aquarium is featured on the playing board twice with a property space and play card.
Community Impact
Gifting Smiles
Bringing relief and joy to the community during their toughest battles, the Virginia Aquarium donated tickets to three different families of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for children with terminal cancer, and the Edmarc Foundation, for children in hospice care. These families were able to enjoy the Aquarium on a day of their choosing, with a surprise special program from a gallery educator.
Exhibit Accessibility
Eleven committee members from The Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities joined Aquarium staff on a tour of the North Building and provided valuable feedback on their experiences within the exhibits. They highlighted a number of positive interactions, as well as some challenges on ways to improve the experience for accessibility.
Experiences for Youth in Need
As part of the Virginia Aquarium’s continued commitment to community outreach, ten youth from Seaton Youth Services were treated to a memorable day filled with discovery, connection, and fun. Their visit included an engaging tour through the Aquarium’s exhibits and ended with a provided lunch. In addition, the Aquarium donated games and toys from the gift store to the home shelter.
Veteran Cards
In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Aquarium staff signed letters written to retired service members thanking them for their service. The cards were decorated by the Aquarium’s animal ambassadors, who painted them in red, white, and blue as part of an enrichment session. The cards were distributed in partnership with the MacArthur Memorial to local Veteran Affairs hospitals and organizations.
Military Families
The Snyder Military Appreciation Program, sponsored by Checkered Flag Motor Co., partnered with the Virginia Aquarium and the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia to provide opportunities for local military families. This year, the program sponsored 4,500 admission tickets for active-duty military members and their families.
Military Drawing
To celebrate active and retired military members, the Aquarium hosted a special drawing onsite to give the military community a chance to win an original painting created by our resident harbor seals. Two lucky winners excitedly took home the red, white, and blue paintings.
Financials & Statistics
633,759
8,704
9,729
1,014
Operating Revenue & Support
$20,072,203
| Percent | Category | City | Foundation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49% | Admission | $9,505,078 | $336,256 |
| 15% | Contributions, Grants & Support | $50,880 | $2,892,114 |
| 13% | Retail | $2,566,280 | $0 |
| 7% | Membership | $1,466,958 | $0 |
| 6% | Investment Income | $0 | $1,196,043 |
| 6% | Educational Programs | $0 | $1,193,455 |
| 4% | Facility Use & Concessions | $31,957 | $833,183 |
Operating Expenditures
$18,256,576
| Percent | Category | City | Foundation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33% | Exhibits & Husbandry | $4,713,378 | $1,235,324 |
| 14% | Education | $1,424,397 | $1,166,336 |
| 13% | Guest & Member Services | $2,445,189 | $0 |
| 12% | Administrative | $1,576,106 | $588,099 |
| 9% | Merchandising | $1,684,855 | $0 |
| 9% | Research & Conservation | $690,645 | $876,960 |
| 8% | Marketing | $1,480,055 | $0 |
| 2% | Fundraising | $34,922 | $340,308 |
Net: $1,815,627
Endowments
Roy Hendrix
The late Roy Hendrix’s transformative estate gift has been placed in the Aquarium’s General Operating Endowment, helping to ensure the long-term sustainability of the mission and daily operations. Mr. Hendrix also generously sponsored the South Building’s outdoor amphitheater, creating a dedicated space for educational programs that will inspire visitors of all ages.
Wiley Mitchell
Wiley Mitchell is a dedicated advocate and current Emeritus member and previous Board of Trustees member. His contribution is placed in the General Operating Endowment, providing vital support for the long-term strength and sustainability of our mission. Mr. Mitchell’s enduring generosity reflects his deep commitment to the Aquarium’s growth, impact, and future.
Albert C. Keller
The Virginia Aquarium is honored to recognize a generous estate gift from the late Albert C. Keller in support of our Stranding Response Program. This generous contribution strengthens our efforts to respond, rehabilitate, and protect stranded marine animals along our coast. Mr. Keller’s legacy leaves a lasting impact on marine conservation.
Board of Trustees
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation
July 2024 − June 2025
Daniel R. Peterson Delceno C. Miles Buffy J. Barefoot Walter (Dave) Worrall Carolyn D. Robertson |
Robert C. Fort Stephen M. Snyder Cynthia W. Spanoulis |
Barbara Ciara Michelle Collins Nancy T. DeFord Mark Dreyfus Robert C. Fort D. Nathan (Nate) Johnson Jay G. Kenslow |
Troy A. Lindsey Emily J. MacCartney Thomas M. McNicholas III Delceno C. Miles Sherri L. Miles Dr. Scott D. Miller William C. (Trey) Oglesby III |
Carolyn D. Robertson Christopher W. Rusbuldt Stephen M. Snyder John E. Uhrin Andrew W. Vakos Walter (Dave) Worrall |
Drive for Conservation!
Take Your Love for Sea Life On the Road
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles offers a Protect Sea Life license plate for purchase, featuring a loggerhead sea turtle! $15.00 of the $25.00 purchase fee is transferred to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation and is used to support our operation and programs in Virginia. A portion of your fee may also be tax-deductible!
Get your license plate today!You Make an Impact.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated donors. Your generous support has been a steady force through a year of change, allowing us to put resilience into action and continue inspiring conservation through every challenge and opportunity.