The coronavirus pandemic has forced many businesses to find creative ways to stay afloat.
One aquarium is using the discarded coins of visitors to help pay their bills, reported NPR.
Closed for nearly six months, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores drained a waterfall full of coins tossed to make well-wishes by past guests and will use it toward the institution’s maintenance.
“Our staff turned off the 30-foot tall Smoky Mountain waterfall and collected all the coins!” the aquarium wrote in a Facebook post. “About 100 gallons of coins were cleaned and sorted and will go toward the general care of the aquarium and animals during this time.”
While the images show the slew of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, it’s unclear how much the aquarium has collected.
To get their fans involved, the aquarium asked its followers to guess how much money they collected and leave their answers in the comments section. The actual amount will be revealed next week.
“Can you guess how much money was in the waterfall? Put your guesses in the comments and we’ll post the answer next week!” the post continued.
Despite being closed to visitors since mid-March due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the aquarium has continued to host virtual events, including behind-the-scenes tours and animal encounters.
They also started an outdoor program, that features surf fishing and a sea turtle trek. The aquarium noted all programs are being conducted while adhering to strict social distancing guidelines.
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