On this day in 1938: Ivar Haglund opens Seattle aquarium

SEATTLE — Ivar Haglund, a budding folk singer, made a splash on September 2, 1938, by opening a small aquarium on Seattle’s Pier 3, which later became Pier 54.

The aquarium featured an array of local marine life, attracting significant attention thanks to Haglund’s flair for promotional stunts, such as taking a seal to see Santa Claus and walking along the waterfront with an octopus draped over his shoulders.

Haglund’s inspiration for the aquarium stemmed from a visit to his cousins’ similar establishment in Seaside, Oregon.

Upon returning to Seattle, he rented space at the northeast corner of Pier 3 and set up three large tanks, along with a fourth that housed the resident seal, Pat.

Despite initial delays, including the shattering of a tank, the aquarium opened its doors in early September 1938, offering a glimpse of the rich marine life of Puget Sound.

The exhibits included ratfish, mud sharks, sea cucumbers, and even a massive 175-pound skatefish.

Haglund’s team, which included his wife Maggie, her mother Erma Butler, and 17-year-old Bud Likins, worked hard to create natural-looking displays, complete with barnacles, sand, and gravel.

Pat the Seal became one of the aquarium’s star attractions, though several seals have held the title over the years.

Haglund’s commitment to keeping the aquarium in the public eye saw him parade Pat in a baby carriage through Pike Place Market during the 1940 Christmas season.

On another occasion, he carried the aquarium’s octopus, Marmaduke, along Alaskan Way, much to the amusement of passersby.

Haglund also composed songs about the creatures in his care and often entertained schoolchildren with tales of marine life.

The aquarium wasn’t without its dramas, from an octopus battle that spilled out into the visitor area to a wolffish that met its end after eating 18 legs of a sun starfish.

As time passed, Haglund’s attention shifted to his restaurant, Acres of Clams, which he opened in 1946.

The novelty of the aquarium began to fade, and with challenges in keeping marine life alive, Haglund decided to close the aquarium in early 1956.

After releasing the last fish back into Puget Sound, Haglund quietly returned to running his restaurant, leaving behind the memories of a unique chapter in Seattle’s history.

The Seattle Aquarium on the waterfront today opened in 1977 and consists of two buildings at Pier 59 and Pier 60, as well as the new Ocean Pavilion, which opened on Aug. 29.

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