Paradise Gardens Park overlooks a gorgeous waterfront, and it’s easy to find yourself wandering toward the water’s edge to admire the view. But one special attraction goes a step further, inviting you to take a dip under the sea. Welcome to the Aquarium, home of Princess Ariel and all of her friends.
The Little Mermaid was not the original resident of this massive building. Previously, this space housed Golden Dreams, a California-themed theater show. Most of the facade changed dramatically when Ariel moved in – but not the entrance. Does it look familiar? Though the color scheme may look different now, the structure is a replica of San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts.
Source: SF Travel
While the front entrance just refreshed its color scheme, the rest of the show building faced a much more significant transformation. The largest section of the building features rounded arches, dark blue aquarium glass, and ornate decorations of Triton and his daughters.
On top of the building, you’ll see small watch towers decorated with sea shells and roof tiles reminiscent of fish scales. And don’t forget to look down too; you’ll see little seashells embedded in the floor as you head to the glass doors.
When you step back and look at the building, you can see a slight resemblance to the Royal Aquarium, a former London attraction demolished in 1903. Most notably, with the rounded roof, shape of the towers, and the crown molding.
Source: Wikipedia
Though it does seem a little twisted to keep Ariel housed in an aquarium, there’s no denying this beautiful building is styled to be fit for a princess. The warm colors really pop against the sky and surrounding waterfront, and the entry rotunda is one of my favorite places to wait out a passing shower; the rain sounds surround you when hitting the dome.
