Our Mission is to inspire the appreciation and conservation of our aquatic resources.

The N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is situated in the Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area, which is mostly maritime forest. Descendants of President Theodore Roosevelt donated 298 acres of maritime forest to the state in 1971. They stipulated the acreage be maintained as a nature preserve and used for nature and wildlife education and estuarine studies. Acres surrounding the aquarium dedicated as natural area commemorate President Roosevelt’s commitment to conservation

On September 17, 1976, the state opened three North Carolina Marine Resources Centers – one at Fort Fisher, one at Pine Knoll Shores and one on Roanoke Island. The centers were launched as research and education facilities, which also offered small exhibits that were open to the public.

The centers quickly became popular, and in 1986, they were renamed the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, and the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. That same year, a group of dedicated citizens incorporated a membership-based support group, the North Carolina Aquarium Society.

Attendance continued to soar. In 1996, the State launched a plan to triple the size of the crowded and aging facilities. The Pine Knoll Shores expansion began in the early 2000s and reopened in 2006.