The Pittsburgh Zoo will start the new year with a new, but not unfamiliar, name.
PPG and the PPG Foundation will relinquish their naming rights to the aquarium at the zoo, the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh and PPG announced. Beginning Jan. 1, the name will return to Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.
The PPG Foundation paid $7 million for naming rights to the aquarium in 2002. The zoo had gone by the name Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium following a renovation in 2000 until then.
The original 10-year agreement was extended another 10 years in August 2011, and expired in April 2022. The zoo and PPG agreed to keep the PPG name on the aquarium through the end of this year.
PPG and the PPG Foundation will change its support for the zoo to fund science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational programming beginning in 2023, according to the joint announcement.
“Since investing in the naming rights sponsorship in 2002, PPG’s business has evolved and its perspective on where the PPG Foundation can provide the strongest value as a community partner has continued to transform,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director of the PPG Foundation. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium through STEM educational programming.”
Beginning in 2023, the Zoo and PPG will refocus our partnership on STEM education programming, a positive direction for the city of Pittsburgh.
— Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (@PghZoo) December 15, 2022
Read the press release ➡️ https://t.co/em0ePzHStN pic.twitter.com/R9Z4JkRx2L
The new teen-focused STEM education funding will provide local at-risk middle school students with learning opportunities at their schools and in the zoo’s teen learning lab, and offer on-grounds animal encounters, career shadowing experiences and team project opportunities.
“We are excited to be able to continue and evolve our PPG relationship, which has lasted over 20 years,” said Jeremy Goodman, president and CEO of the zoo. “Education is at the core of both organizations, so continuing to partner with PPG with a new focus on inclusive and engaging STEM programming is a positive direction for us and the entire community.”
