The National Aquarium, designed by CambridgeSeven, opened in 1981 and contributed to the rejuvenation of the Baltimore Harbor. CambridgeSeven was asked to renovate the former ray tray to create a new Great Barrier Reef habitat featuring sharks and rays as well as a new introductory exhibit that focuses on how water connects us. A breathtaking panorama of color, light and movement welcomes visitors as they catch their first glimpse of “Blacktip Reef,” a vibrant coral-filled stretch of the Great Barrier Reef where blacktip reef sharks speed toward them and schools of bluefin trevally and blue-striped seaperch dart out of the way. Visitors can also witness the rise and fall of a 5-foot-wide whiptail ray’s fins as they swim through the tank.