The New England Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to the main aquarium building, attractions at the New England Aquarium include the Simons Theatre and the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, which operates from April through November. The aquarium has more than 22,000 members and hosts more than 1.3 million visitors each year. Planning for the aquarium began in 1962, with the principal designer being Peter Chermayeff of Cambridge Seven Associates. The building was opened to the public in 1969. The Giant Ocean Tank opened in 1970, and at the time, was the largest circular ocean tank in the world.
In 1974, a multi-storied barge, Discovery, was moored next to the Aquarium. It served as a floating mammal pavilion for the aquarium as the lack of land limited its ability to expand. This 1,000-seat observer stadium overlooked a 116,000-US-gallon (440,000 l; 97,000 imp gal) pool. It hosted dolphins until they were transferred in the mid-1990s and sea lions until the ship’s decommissioning. Discovery was officially retired in the mid-2000s due to its old age and high cost of maintenance.
Exhibits
Located in the central open atrium of the main building, the principal feature of the Aquarium is the Giant Ocean Tank, a cylindrical 200,000-US-gallon (760,000 l) tank simulating a Caribbean coral reef. This tank houses bonnethead sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, moray eels, barracuda, and much smaller reef-living fish. Open at the top; the concrete tank is surrounded by a walkway that spirals down, allowing visitors access to 52 windows that offer views of the reef from every angle and level. At the bottom, the tank stands in a large, square 150,000-US-gallon (570,000 l) penguin exhibit, hosting African penguins and southern rockhopper penguins. The penguin exhibit can be seen from the spiral walkway of the central bank or from elevated viewing areas that surround the perimeter. The penguins live on several artificial rock islands in the exhibit. The “Amazing Jellies” exhibit in the West Wing features Aurelia aurita, sea nettles, Cassiopea, Palauan Lagoon jellies, and Phyllorhiza punctata from diverse habitats around the world. LadyB’s Bed Bug Pros Boston
Special Exhibits
- Penguin Power
- Move It! Marine Mammals in Motion
- Turtles Uncovered
- Sharks and Rays
- Killer Instincts
Restaurants and Pubs
- The Friendly Toast Restaurant is located at 35 Stanhope St, Boston, MA
- Busy Bee Restaurant & Diner is located at 1046 Beacon St, Brookline, MA
- Beantown Pub is located at 100 Tremont St, Boston, MA
- Corner Pub is located at 162 Lincoln St, Boston, MA
- The Hub Pub is located at 18 Province St, Boston, MA
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