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Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium spans 320,000 square feet with over a mile of trails and exhibits.Photo provided by BASS PRO SHOPS
Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium spans 320,000 square feet with over a mile of trails and exhibits.

Photo provided by BASS PRO SHOPS

WOW sets reopening date — again

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For at least the fifth time in nine years, Wonders of Wildlife has scheduled a reopening date.

Now called Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, the attraction attached to Bass Pro Shops’ flagship store is set to open Sept. 21, according to a news release.

“We are deeply grateful to the many remarkably talented individuals and world-class conservation organizations that have come together for the past nine years to help make this vision a reality,” Bass Pro founder Morris said in the release. “It is our shared hope that the tremendous investment of time, energy and resources will have a profound, positive, long-term impact on the future of hunting, fishing and conservation in America.”

The 320,000-square-foot museum and aquarium at 500 W. Sunshine St. had a brief stint under the name America’s Wildlife Museum and Aquarium. When Morris announced the rebranding of the attraction two years ago, he projected a spring 2016 opening. Late last year, Morris moved that timeline to this month. The venture that opened in 2001 as American National Fish & Wildlife Museum & Aquarium has been closed for renovations since December 2007, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Earlier this week, Bass Pro spokesman Jack Wlezien declined to estimate an opening date for WOW when addressing recently filed building permits related to the attraction. He said since the 2015 rebranding announcement, Morris expanded the scope of the project.

“Johnny has a very ambitious and creative mind,” Wlezien said. “We’ve continued to meet with conservation partners and think more about different experiences and exhibits that could be hosted within.

“The experience has gotten larger, which has required some different construction components.”

Wlezien said animal care and museum installation work is still underway, as well as signage outside Wonders of Wildlife’s main entrance on the back side of the property facing Sunshine. Patrons also would be able to enter through the connected Bass Pro store. In recent days, workers tested signage sizing on the exterior of the building before taking down the lettering.

WOW features include:
    •    a 1.5 million-gallon aquarium;
    •    over a mile of trails and exhibits;
    •    35,000 animals;
    •    70,000 square feet of wildlife galleries and dioramas; and
    •    fishing halls of fame and a sporting arms museum.

Below, view the grand reopening date announcement trailer.

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