The Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands of Sausalito will reopen its doors this week for the first time in two years after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the center reopens Friday, visitors can expect to see a completely renovated interior, a sea otter mural, an interactive map and several new exhibits. As the largest marine hospital in the world, the center took the break in visitor traffic as an opportunity to make significant renovations, according to a center press release.
The renovations, performed by architectural design firm HGA Architects and Engineers, mark the first renovations of the visitor center since its grand opening in 2009 when the number of annual visitors averaged less than 30,000.
More recently, the center has averaged more than 100,000 visitors annually, including tourists and local students, according to the release.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
The center's new touch-screen exhibit will allow visitors to look behind-the scenes through photos, videos and live-stream feeds of various places throughout the hospital.
The center also operates the busiest marine mammal rescue hotline on the West Coast, and the improved facilities will help staff in responding to the approximately 15,000 calls a year.
For more information about the Marine Mammal Center, visit MarineMammalCenter.org.
