The Aquarium of the Pacific’s multi-million dollar expansion broke ground yesterday set for a grand opening by early 2019.

The new wing of the Long Beach, California, called Pacific Visions, will feature an immersive 4D theatre with 300 seats and an art gallery as well as new marine life.

“Pacific Visions will create a forum for the important issues affecting our ocean,” said Duncan Ballash of project architects EHDD.

“We are honoured to be working with the Aquarium of the Pacific and aim to contribute to the inspirational aspect of the new wing by evoking the depth and mystery of the ocean through architecture, particularly the dynamic glass facade.”

The Pacific Visions wing is inspired by the shape of a blue whale and made up of 800 glass panels that change colour as they reflect the sky.

It's to be a high-tech facility, with a variety of interactive media and digital exhibits that use real-time data to share scientific breakthroughs and trending topics.