PlanetEye

When visitors enter the New England Aquarium, they are immediately drawn to the Aquarium’s showpiece attraction, the 4-story glass circular Giant Ocean Tank. GOT is pretty amazing- a recreated Caribbean coral reef that is  home to more than 100 different animal  species and more than 600 individual animals including sharks, barracudas  and colorful fish. Press your nose to the glass windows and look for Myrtle the sea turtle, the largest turtle in the tank and easily GOT’s most famous resident. She is said to be more than 70 years old!  The biggest school of fish here are the “look downs” -ask one of the many friendly Aquarium volunteers stationed along the tank’s walkway to point them out. The shape of GOT  is deceptive-although the tank seems tall - like a soda can-  with a dimension of 40 feet wide and 24 feet deep, its structure  is actually more like a tuna can.

 Fans of penguin movies will be glad to know that the Aquarium has a large penguin pool with nearly 70 animated and very cute penguins. The penguin exhibit is closed until April 12 for maintenance, but Aquarium educators are giving Penguin Presentations several times a day- check the schedule when you arrive. The antics of the Aquarium’s seals are another crowd pleaser.  The harbor seals are on display outside behind the Aquarium ticket windows. (The seal tank is located in the plaza and is actually free for the public to view during Aquarium hours) For young children, the “Edge of the Sea” exhibit is all about hands-on fun. Kids can touch and (gently!) pick-up periwinkles, horseshoe crabs and sea stars in a recreated New England tide pool. Older kids and teens will beg to see an IMAX film –“U23D” and “Dolphins and Whales 3D” are showing now. You can afford to indulge the kids- Aquarium/IMAX combo tickets are a good value at $23.95 for adults and $15.95 for children ages 3-11.

Tip:  Resist the urge to visit GOT first. The most efficient way to “do” the Aquarium is to look at the exhibits in the side galleries on the first floor and work your way up to the “Top of GOT”; then explore GOT up –close by walking down the spiral ramp.