- Area: 6,967 m²
- Founded: 1957
- Opened: 20 June 1969
- Architect: Peter Chermayeff
- Number of animals: 20,000
- Timings: 9 am – 5 pm
- Entry Fee: Adult-$39, Child- $30, Senior-$37
New England Aquarium is a celebrated aquarium on the land of Boston, Massachusetts, and is known for taking up the world leadership role focusing on the aspects of marine preservation and ocean expedition. It serves as a huge asset for providing public education related to the aquatic life that draws in more than 1.3 million travelers around the year. It is identified for making an imperishable impaction on the world through its appreciable collection of aquatic animal species and genuine attempts of marine conservation. Peter Chermayeff of the Peter Chermayeff LLC architectural organization had initiated the exhibit design, architectural structure, and conceptual pattern of this notable aquarium.
Exhibits
The exhibits of New England Aquarium are quite captivating and demonstrate pure elegance, as they showcase the most exotic animals of the aquatic world. There are a total of seventy exhibits at this exciting aquarium that feature aquatic animals of miscellaneous species assembled from around the globe.
Amazon Rainforest Exhibit
The six engrossing extensions of the Amazon Rainforest Exhibit, which hold almost 4,500 gallons of water, allow you to get closer to the profound natural aspects of the Amazon Rainforest. This exhibit is a great opportunity to take up an excursion of the rainforest and receive a realistic experience of the absorbing beauties of the dense woody areas and rivers of the Amazon region. The schools of cardinal tetra fishes appearing like precious stones and toxic dart frogs dressed colorfully are wonderful sights to see at the exhibit. The piranhas and electric eels also significantly add to the excitement produced through the exhibit.
Seadragon Exhibit
The famed Seadragon Exhibit provides a stimulating glimpse of the residents of the temperate reef of Australia, the seadragons. This arresting exhibit has played a good role in demonstrating the only two varieties of the seadragon species that include weedy seadragon and leafy seadragon. Along with other natural aquatic animal species, the exhibit makes a genius attempt to feature about twenty five unique categories of invertebrates and other species that are found to survive with the seadragons. The riveting exhibit situated at the second level of the aquarium possesses the capacity of containing approximately 2,000 gallons of water.
The Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank Exhibit
The Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank Exhibit incorporates elating viewing windows and shallow boundaries that allow you to enjoy the stunning views of the ray and shark species. The exhibit is known to feature the eastern coast’s largest shark and ray touch tank. This newfound exhibit gives you a chance to physically reach out to the unique species of sharks and rays such as epaulette sharks, cownose rays, Atlantic rays, and bonnethead sharks. Besides, it allows you to experience the enchanting views of these beautiful species, as they cut through the translucent waters of the tank.
Giant Ocean Tank Exhibit
The hugely built Giant Ocean Tank has some interesting facts that will allure you to visit this gripping aquarium. The 200,000 gallons of water stored in the Giant Ocean Tank is maintained at a temperature of 74°F, which is considered to be a suitable temperature for the tropical animal life. The vastly structured tank is widely spread at a distance of 40 feet and measures up to 23 feet in height providing a clear view of the exotic animal species occupying the tank. Myrtle, the green sea turtle, is one of the most viewed species of the exhibit.
Programs and Activities
The New England Aquarium has a number of thrilling programs and activities to add to the enjoyment of its visitors. These programs and activities aim to provide appropriate education and information about the aquatic world and the bewitching species therein.
Harbor Discoveries Program
Integrating the customary camping operations, the Harbor Discoveries Program strives to make the visiting experience of the visitors an interesting one with the help of its mutual biological and marine scientific activities. The program uses the natural exteriors for learning more about the aquatic surroundings and their existing aquatic species. Along with this program, you are facilitated with exhilarating field journeys to the South and North Shore environments. On the other hand, the program allows you to get involved in the behind the scenes functions of galleries of the aquarium along with a galvanizing overnight camping experience.
Tidepool Adaptations
Liked by most students, the Tidepool Adaptations is an engrossing educational program that is carried out at the aquarium. In this educational program, the students belonging to almost all the major academic grades get an opportunity to analyze live animals and three miscellaneous shoreline habitats. Moreover, they learn the process of the adaptation of the coastal animals to the natural surroundings. The program is seen to focus on subjects such as ecology; categorization of animals, plants, and other organisms; genetic endowment and procreation; biodiversity and development; energy; habitats of the living organisms; and other related topics.
Go Fish!
Go Fish! is a very useful program that incorporates numerous brainy games, activities, and exhibits allowing the students to interactively investigate the compound realm of fisheries. The program is said to concentrate on important topics such as social science, life science, engineering and technology, and math. Besides, it assists the students to acquire good informational knowledge about resource administration, fish determination, diverseness, and much more.
Simons IMAX Theater
Taller than a six story building, the illustrious Simons IMAX Theater makes a serious attempt to provide you the best visuals of the water bodies and the magnificent aquatic life therein with the help of the modern IMAX 3D technology. Here, you can watch the thrilling and electrifying films that will take you on a journey to the different locations of the water bodies by featuring crystal clear pictures of the aquatic flora and fauna. Highly threatened animal species and extensive habitats that cannot be displayed in the aquarium type of setting are made familiar to the theater visitors using the latest IMAX 3D technology.
Sharks
Sharks is a helpful educational program that provides you with sound information about sharks and the main facets that support their survival in the aquatic environment. Other than that, you can investigate about the inflatable sharks and study more about the history of their existence. It also explains how the sharks hold an important part in the oceanic ecosystem. As supported by the National Grid, this program continues to enlighten the young minds at the aquarium.
Aquarium Weddings
The New England Aquarium acts as a graceful server for hosting the most luxurious and opulent occasions of all, the wedding ceremonies. The aquarium promises you to make your wedding a memorable event of your life. Many wedding ceremonies in the past were celebrated in a grand fashion at elating event venues of the aquarium that include Harbor View Terrace and Tent, Main Exhibit Gallery, Harbor View Cafe, West Wing Gallery, etc. The aquarium provides some hand picked vendors that aim to enhance the events with their experience and profound knowledge. Besides, the bride and the bridegroom get a chance to put forth their marriage proposals in style at this glorious aquarium.
Do not postpone visiting the New England Aquarium, a prime travel spot that unveils the resplendent fascinations of the aquatic world.