KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After more than a decade of planning, the Kansas City Zoo will welcome guests to its new $75 million aquarium on Sept. 1. 

But before you can catch a glimpse of sharks, otters and sea turtles, you’ll need to plan your visit in advance. 

The zoo will require guests make timed reservations to enter the new Sobela Ocean Aquarium. Starting Wednesday, guests can schedule their reservation to enter the new aquarium when they purchase a general admission ticket to the Kansas City Zoo. 

The first window of reservations will be for guests visiting Sept. 1-Sept. 15. Zoo officials say additional reservation dates will be released on Sept. 6.

The 600,000 gallon aquarium will include six major habitats featuring dozens of exhibits with fish, corals, plants and more. 

The $75 million attraction is the largest capital project in the Kansas City Zoo’s history. The zoo used $45 million from the zoo district sales tax, which was approved in 2011, to cover the majority of the costs. Donations covered the remaining $30 million.

Aquarium reservations are only valid for date and time selected when purchasing tickets to the Kansas City Zoo. You can find more information on how schedule your visit to the new aquarium on the Kansas City Zoo’s website.