THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504090084
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
An octopus curls up inside a tank of water, luminescent coral swishes, and an old-fashioned machine spits out pennies stamped with miniature sharks.
These are some of the new features at Nauticus, which officially reopened with pomp Saturday after a three-month closing for renovations. Budget-strapped officials spiced up the city's newest attraction by adding several new features and fine-tuning some of the complicated, interactive exhibits that didn't always work last year.
``If you walk in here, it looks like a brand new facility,'' said city marketing director Samuel B. Rogers, leaning against a rail as costumed sea creatures waved and wandered and the Dixieland band prepared to kick in some tunes.
Workers moved exhibits to give visitors more walking room, and painted, polished and tinkered with machinery, officials said.
But the first feature visitors are bound to notice is the drop in the ticket price - $7.50 instead of $10. Another noticeable change: the first floor has been opened to the public, making it easier for tourists and downtown workers to mosey into the gift shop and restaurant, said operations director Thomas H. Schmid.
Nauticus officials acknowledge that the opening is a scaled-down version of what the flamboyant former director had envisioned. Michael Bartlett, who resigned in January, said he wanted to strengthen some of the interactive exhibits and add new ones.
Last year, he was considering new software for Virtual Adventures, the interactive game where you climb into a mock submarine and try to rescue a sea monster's eggs.
The new game might have featured aliens instead of deep sea creepies.
``Those are significant investments,'' said Rogers, who has taken on Bartlett's duties. ``I think you know our objectives are to maximize revenue and minimize our operational costs.''
Rogers' goal is for Nauticus to make its debt payments and stick with its budget so it doesn't have to ask the City Council for another loan.
Nauticus hasn't performed as well as city officials had hoped, but they say it's still too early to judge. Nauticus, or the National Maritime Center, drew about 435,000 people in the short season it was open. Rogers has said he anticipates 500,000 to 600,000 visitors this year.
For now, Nauticus officials are focusing on a traveling exhibit business and opening a visitor information booth that touts the Virginia Waterfront campaign and the many tourist attractions and localities linked to it, Rogers said.
The big changes, he said, will have to wait. MEMO: VISITING NAUTICUS
Operating hours: Nauticus is now open six days a week, Tuesday
through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beginning May 1, Nauticus will be
open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Ticket prices: General admission is $7.50 for adults, and $6.50 for
military personnel, AAA members, students ages 13 to 17, senior citizens
60 years and older. The price is $5 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and
under are free. Taxes are included in these prices. Three attractions -
Virtual Adventures, Aegis Theater and the film ``The Living Sea'' - are
priced separately. They are an additional $2.50 for adults and students
or $1.50 for children.
ILLUSTRATION: MORT FRYMAN, Staff file photo
Among the renovations to the newly reopened Nauticus is a first
floor that is now open to the public. Nauticus officials hope this
will draw tourists and downtown workers to the gift shop and
restaurant.
KEYWORDS: NAUTICUS by CNB