Photo by m01229

Here’s a sad reminder: The National Aquarium in D.C. will close its doors for good Monday after 81 years of operation.

The aquarium is being forced to close because of renovations to the Herbert C. Hoover Department of Commerce building, as they announced back in May. A spokeswoman for the National Aquarium said no special events are planned for Monday, but a regular shark feeding will happen at 2 p.m. (DCist will be there, naturally.)

As the National Aquarium has said since the closure was announced, they’d like to maintain some sort of presence in D.C. Today they announced the hiring of Studio Gang Architects (SGA) and IMPACTS Research & Development to help evaluate what that may look like.

“As the National Aquarium, we are committed to a presence and a voice for ocean conservation in Washington, D.C. The SGA/IMPACTS team brings together substantial expertise to help us pave the way for an exciting future,” John Racanelli, National Aquarium CEO, said in a release. “The feasibility study is also the catalyst for a larger strategic initiative that includes the National Aquarium’s overall mission to become a leading advocate for ocean health around the world.”