People, Fish, and Whales: The Vancouver Aquarium Story.

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager at the University of British
Columbia Library.

In June 2006 the Vancouver Aquarium celebrated 50 years of serving the public through displays, education, and research. Dr. Murray Newman was the founding curator when it opened its doors in 1956 and its director for the next 37 years. He tells the story of the aquarium’s development from a small community resource to a major biological institution, one of the top five aquariums in the world. With the freshness and enthusiasm of happy personal experience, he liberally sprinkles anecdotes about himself, the staff, and especially the creatures that call the aquarium home. His successor, Dr. John Nightingale, introduces and concludes the narrative, explaining the aquarium’s role as a leader in promoting conservation and sustainability. Outstanding colour photography on every page of this entertaining and informative history illustrates the growth of the facility and many of its services: public displays, educational programs for school children, researchers at work on- and off-site, and the rehabilitation of animals injured in the wild.