Not many people can say that they brought an ocean to the heart of the Midwest. In fact, there is only one, and if that were the only accomplishment for William Braker in his lifetime of service to the John G. Shedd Aquarium, it would be sufficient.
But for Braker, who has announced his retirement as aquarium director effective the end of this year, the Oceanarium is only the capstone-a monument to his vision, perseverance and guiding principles.
A stunning evocation of the Pacific Northwest and the largest indoor marine mammal exhibit in the world, the Oceanarium provides for many people the only chance to see such creatures as beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins and sea otters, and to understand their significance in the web of life.
It also tells much about the important legacy of Bill Braker, who-like such Chicago luminaries as Marlin Perkins and Lester Fisher at Lincoln Park Zoo-brought a special affection to the animals in his care and understood that their display had to reflect sensitivity and meaning beyond mere exhibition.
The Aquarium has had two directors in its 63-year history: Walter Chute, who helped bring it into being, and Braker, who elevated it to its rank among Chicago’s splendid array of other cultural and zoological institutions, the biggest of its kind and second to none.
As director since 1964, his mission was to develop the Aquarium into more than a place of fish in tanks. It had to be instructive as well, expanding knowledge of marine animals and their environment and sharing it with visitors through realistic exhibits that illustrate the links and the necessity of conserving both.
This led, over the years, to creation of the Caribbean Coral Reef, with daily demonstrations about life in this colorful ecosystem; the Aquatic Science Center, with classrooms, laboratories and marine education for Chicago-area students; the nation’s most extensive aquarium library; a variety of special classes and programs for the public; and, in 1991, the Oceanarium.
It has not been without controversy; recent years have been stormy because of assaults by animal rights activists opposed to the display of marine mammals in particular and to zoos and aquariums in general.
But Braker kept the mission on course with a blend of grace and good science. And his satisfaction is in the millions of visitors who view things quite differently, and for whom a trip to the Aquarium has made a difference in their respect for marine life and its place in the firmament. It is a fine legacy for someone who began 43 years ago cleaning tanks and feeding the fish.
