It's been a few weeks since we checked in with our friends at 7 Seas Aquarium in the Temple Mall, and we know have more of an idea of what to expect.

The aquarium is scheduled to open in January of 2020. There's no exact date available yet, but curator Fidel Junco says things are going swimmingly according to schedule so far.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Fidel at Peggy's Coffee House in the Temple Mall Thursday morning. We chatted about what visitors can expect from the aquarium and plans for future expansion.

I was happy to hear that not only are the creatures who will call the aquarium ethically sourced, but those who are part of the touch pool stations will be rotated to ensure that they get rest and relaxation to stay healthy and thrive.

I was also excited to learn that the shark interaction experience won't just involve someone holding up a shark for you to pet while you lean over the rim of a tank. Visitors will actually be able to wade into the shark pool and really get a hands-on, up-close experience with the animals.

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Fidel and his team are still in the set-up process, and we hope to get a look inside soon.

In the mean time, the 3D render below gives you an idea of the planned layout.

I don't know about you, but I'm excited to welcome 7 Seas Aquarium to Temple. Bell County has experienced a huge population boom in recent years, and as more families settle in, Temple will be able to offer great experiences that won't mean having to drive halfway across the state. 7 Seas Aquarium and XTreme Jump Adventure Park, also coming to the Temple Mall, are just the start, and promise to be a great start at that.

Passes to 7 Seas Aquarium are on sale now on their website. Military can get 20% off at checkout. We'll have military and first responder passes to give away soon as well, so keep your eyes on our free app!

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