01:57 PM EDT on Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Reported by: Joe Flanagan

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Officials were showing off a whole new global awareness on Tuesday.  Four new areas are in the works.  One will be on the Komodo Dragon Islands of Indonesia, with real Komodo Dragons.

Another will be Malaysian peat swamps with Tosmistoma, a type of crocodile.

“He will be here on exhibit, but people will see him in a natural type habitat," said Lynn Clements, the center’s executive director.

The third will be a Red Sea with coral displays, explained Mark Swingle with the research and conversation division.

"We're going to show some very interesting animals from the Mediterranean region, including cuddle fish.  Cuddle fish are very fascinating animals related to the squid and, of course, we have some here now."

Last, but not least, will be a new coastal desert exhibit.  

The $25 million upgrade will open in spring 2008.

Plans also call for expanding the animal care center and adding an overpass for visitors to get across the busy General Booth Blvd.

"But we still want to maintain our Virginia connection, so we think that's going to be the fun part as people come in and see how Virginia relates to different parts on the planet," stressed Director of Exhibits Maylon White.

Clements says big things are on the horizon for visitors.

"We've helped people understand more about the Chesapeake Bay, about the rivers, about the ocean. We live right here in a wonderful location.  People many times don't know what is in their backyard."