The sea pervades nearly every aspect of Boston life,
so it’s appropriate that the New England Aquarium is one of the city’s
most popular attractions. What sets this aquarium apart from similar
institutions is its commitment to presenting not only an exciting
environment to learn about marine life, but also to conserving the
natural habitats of its gilled, feathered, and whiskered inhabitants.
“T” station: Aquarium (blue line) Central Wharf 617 973 5200 www.neaq.org for general info, including current IMAX features Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm Sat & Sun (extended hours Jul–Aug) Adm: $15.95
Whale Watch
IMAX
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The aquarium’s aim,
first and foremost, is to instigate and support marine conservation. Its
Conservation Action Fund has fought on behalf of endangered marine
animals worldwide, helping to protect humpback whales in the South
Pacific, sea turtles in New England, and dolphins in Peru.
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If the aquarium has not convinced you to eliminate fish from your diet, visit Legal Sea Foods
for a leisurely, moderately priced meal. Quick, quality bites from
around the globe can also be had at the Quincy Market food hall, three
blocks away.
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Purchase discount combination tickets for the aquarium along with an IMAX film or a whale-watching excursion.
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Top 10 FeaturesPenguin Pool Three
species of penguins – Rockhopper, Little Blue, and African – compete
for space on the central island and take dips in the surrounding pool.
Tropical Gallery A
vibrant Pacific coral reef thrives beneath intense lighting that
ensures the fragile coral’s survival. Corals house small plants in their
tissues that require light to carry out photosynthesis.
Giant Ocean Tank Offering
a veritable cross-section of a Caribbean reef, the Giant Ocean Tank
packs tortoises, sharks, moray eels, brightly colored tropical fish and
scores of other species into the 200,000-gallon (900,000 liter) tank.
IMAX Theater The
Simons IMAX Theater shows large-format 3D documentaries, featuring
digital surround sound and plenty of breathtaking, you-are-there
cinematic moments. Education with an adrenalin rush. Harbor Seal Tanks Harbor
seals swim, feed, and play in specially designed tanks outside the
aquarium. All have either been born in captivity or rescued and deemed
unfit for release into the wild. Changing Education Programs Temporary
passport programs highlight important themes about the marine world.
Visitors stamp their passports at stations around the aquarium as they
learn about various issues. Whale Watch The
aquarium’s extremely popular whale watch ships (Apr–Oct only) provide
an unparalleled glimpse into the life cycles of the world’s largest
mammals. Voyager II and III steam well outside Boston Harbor to the Stellwagen Bank, a prime feeding area for pods of whales.
Amazing Jellies The
5,000-sq-ft (465-sq-m) exhibit includes thousands of jellies from a
huge variety of species. You’ll learn why jelly populations are
increasing all around the world and the part played by humans. Freshwater Gallery Providing
an interesting counterbalance to the aquarium’s seaward slant, this
exhibit gives freshwater fish their due. In addition to piranhas,
electric eels, and local salmon, it boasts intriguing studies of
endangered fresh water habitats from the Amazon to North American
temperate forests. Edge of the Sea For
those not content to merely gaze at fish behind glass, the Edge of the
Sea tidepool exhibit puts marine life at visitors’ fingertips –
literally. Inside a ground-level fiberglass tank, the New England
seashore is recreated in all its diversity.
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