Come face-to-face with hundreds of sharks, including life-sized models of the enormous Great White Shark and the prehistoric Helicoprion in this new summer blockbuster exhibition set to open May 25, 2024.
Sharks joins the special exhibition Surviving Space: Astronauts & Asteroids at the Witte, making the Museum a must-visit destination for an adventure from deep-sea to deep-space and beyond.
SAN ANTONIO, TX (May 9, 2024) – The Witte Museum in San Antonio is hosting the most comprehensive shark exhibition ever made, showcasing sharks from around the world. Sharks, presented by The Will Smith Foundation, is on display from May 25 through September 2 in the Mays Family Center. Created by the Australian Museum, Sharks explores the diversity of these ancient and infamous fishes, highlighting the very latest scientific discoveries and cultural tales from around the globe.
“Sharks are awesome! They evolved earlier than dinosaurs and have survived multiple mass extinctions,” said Dirk Elmendorf, CEO & President of the Witte Museum. “Sharks are endlessly fascinating for so many reasons. The Witte is excited to bring this exhibition to San Antonio, where museum visitors can get as close as possible to these incredible creatures—without getting eaten.”
Spanning 10,000 square feet, Sharks invites families, students and sea life enthusiasts into a world dominated by members of the shark family to explore their genetic diversity, territories, interactions and significance to ocean ecosystems.
Visitors will encounter ten life-sized, scientifically accurate models, including the now extinct 270-million-year-old Helicoprion (also known as the Buzzsaw Shark); the Bull Shark, which lives in fresh water for extended periods of time; and the Great White Shark, one of the most famous (and feared) species of shark. Other sharks on display include the Tiger Shark, Greynurse Shark and Hammerhead Shark.
Get hands-on through unique artifacts and tactile displays, which include a megalodon jaw, shark skin recreations and a Great White tooth. Explore the inside of a shark’s body using interactive displays, evolve and adapt a virtual shark to different environments and experience a 360-degree view of the world from the perspective of a Hammerhead Shark. State-of-the-art projections and a specially designed ‘oceanarium’ showcase the majesty and power of sharks swimming through the ocean.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a quarter of the world’s sharks are threatened with extinction. The exhibition presents the very latest information on conservation, sharks’ impact on oceans and efforts to protect sharks. Visitors will also learn about shark safety so they can make informed choices when entering shark territory.
Kim McKay AO, Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, which created the award-winning exhibition, said this is not only an exhibition about sharks but also an exhibition about us. “Sharks are unmistakable, legendary, beautiful and among the most fascinating animals on the planet. Yet, they are also misunderstood and are not always given the credit they deserve. I hope that through this exhibition, visitors will realize that our actions and attitudes will decide the fate of these ancient survivors, which play a critical role in maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems around the world, which are also vital to humans,” McKay said.
Dive into the summer of science at the Witte Museum through underwater exploration and an astronomical adventure. Surviving Space: Astronauts & Asteroids, presented by PNC Bank and created by SciTech, is also on display through September 2 in the Kathleen and Curtis Gunn Gallery. Discover what it takes to become a space explorer and an Earth defender! Experience life as an astronaut through hands-on activities, see real NASA artifacts and touch a meteorite. From deep-sea to deep-space, See It All at the Witte Museum with Sharks and Surviving Space: Astronauts & Asteroids.
Tickets for Sharks can be reserved online at WitteMuseum.org. There is a $10 surcharge in addition to Museum Admission. All content is provided in both English and Spanish.
Explore the ocean’s depths all summer long with the museum’s Plus Level Memberships, which feature unlimited, free access to exhibitions requiring a special ticket, including Sharks and Surviving Space: Astronauts & Asteroids as well as upcoming exhibition Spiders. Memberships can be purchased at WitteMuseum.org/Membership.
An exhibition created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Evergreen Exhibitions.
Sharks at the Witte Museum is presented by The Will Smith Foundation and generously supported by the Mary Pat and Michael Bolner Exhibition Endowment Fund.
