The Fresno Aquarium was entrusted with something rare and irreplaceable: a ten-acre riverfront property along Highway 99 that was given with the intent that it would serve students, families, and our community for generations to come.

The most responsible thing we can do with that gift is to protect it—and to honor the legacy of the donors who made it possible.

That is why the Fresno Aquarium is committed to a long-range, phased building plan that moves forward only when the funding is in hand. We are choosing to build not by placing debt on the land and not by risking the very asset our donors so generously entrusted to us.

This approach respects the intent behind the gift. It ensures the land remains secure, unencumbered, and permanently focused on aquatic education, conservation, and future public access to the river.

Your continued support through our From the Ground Up capital campaign allows us to build carefully and responsibly only when the building can stand on a strong financial foundation.

Protecting donor legacy is central to our philosophy. By placing your name, your family’s name, or your business name on a concrete block is a meaningful way to build only this legacy. Each block strengthens the foundation, speeds progress toward construction, and creates a permanent, visible reminder of your role in protecting this land for future generations.