The Hudson River Park Trust broke ground last week on the science playground, which will feature two climbable, enormous sturgeon, in the upland area between Pier 25 and 26. The playground should be complete within 2023.

The Hudson River Park Friends, the Trust’s nonprofit advocacy and fundraising partner, raised $4 million for construction, with a huge chunk coming from Tribecan Mike Novogratz, who raised his four kids here. He provided a $1.3 million matching donation.

The Pier 26 Science Play Area will be the fifth playground in the park and will serve as an educational space as well for the Trust’s environmental programming. The custom-fabricated Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon — two endangered species that are native to the Hudson River — are already in production by the Danish play equipment design and fabrication team at Monstrum. (They also did the fish at Chelsea Waterside Park.)

Kids will be able to climb inside the fish and explore fish anatomy from the inside, such as a sturgeon’s swim bladder. There will also be a perimeter seat wall, safety surfacing, climbing nets and other play features.

More soon on the plans for the estuarium next door.