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INDIANAPOLIS - Not many Hoosiers have the opportunity to touch a live shark. The Indianapolis Zoo is making that opportunity possible.\nOn May 26, the new “Oceans” exhibit opens at the Indianapolis Zoo. The shark-touch pool and underwater view of the penguin exhibit are only two of the exciting new changes at the zoo. The exhibit takes place in what used to be the World of Waters Building, and has taken nine months and $9.5 million to transform, according to a press release. \nThe entrance to the exhibit features a few tanks with small sharks in dim lighting and two audio tracks – one featuring music and another featuring facts and information. Sarah Burnette, communications coordinator at the zoo, said she hoped this setup would create a feeling of mystery and emotion.\n“We’re trying to engage emotions,” she said.\nThe idea behind focusing on emotion rather than information alone is to encourage visitors to have a different reaction. Waters Curator Bruce Elkins said studies have shown that information-based experiences have a different effect on how they react to certain exhibits, he said.\nThe next room features the world’s largest shark-touch pool. There, visitors can touch sharks swimming in the pool. The focus of room is an effort to dispel myths that visitors may have about sharks. That same idea is one reason the touch pool was created, Elkins said.\n“It’s a very quick way into people’s emotions,” Elkins said.\nIn addition to the touch pool, this room also features information about sharks posted on the walls. Visitors can learn about different types of sharks and what makes each unique. The walls also feature information about myths and facts about sharks and how rare it is to be harmed by one.\nThe dog sharks, small crustacean eaters, in the touch pool are friendly and swim right up to visitors for a quick touch. They are not harmful to humans.\n“They’re relatively docile,” Burnette said. “If they bit, it probably wouldn’t even break the skin.”\nVisitors can enter a room containing three tall pillars filled with different breeds of seahorses – lined, potbelly and longsnout. A large tank also offers an underwater view of seals and sea lions. This area also features “Oceans Connection Cove,” where visitors can find more information on how to help the environment. Emily Hansen, the distance learning coordinator at the zoo, is responsible for this section.\n“We really want to give visitors a sense of empowerment if they want to help,” she said.\nThe final room of the “Oceans” exhibit focuses on penguins. Over 50 gentoo, king and rockhopper penguins reside there. This exhibit features an underwater view of the penguins’ habitat, and has a clear panel in the floor where visitors can see penguins swim underneath their feet to the other side of the area.\nThough all features of the “Oceans” exhibit look wonderful, the staff favorite appears to be the shark touch pool. \n”Every time someone walks by they’re reaching in to touch the sharks,” Burnette said. “It’s pretty cool.”