Catch it while you can, the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s Sea & Me exhibit will sail away on January 5. Visitors have just one more week to take a final drive in the yellow submarine, watch seahorses tail wrestle, and stroll over cichlids.
The Sea & Me has been a popular fixture with young families and school groups during its three year tenure. Its interactive displays were designed to encourage learning about the ocean and outdoors through play. That, coupled with colorful fishes and murals, perfectly appealed to the exhibit’s four to ten year old target demographic.
Despite the exhibit’s success, it will close for good in early January. Changing exhibits are part of the museum industry and as a living museum the Aquarium is no exception.
Carrie Lewis, President/CEO of the Aquarium explained, “Maintaining our position as one of the top ten aquariums in the country requires constant renewal. We are excited about the new experiences we will be able to offer our visitors this coming summer.”
That new experience will arrive in form of a completely new exhibit called Secrets of Shipwrecks, opening Memorial Day weekend 2015.
The change of scenery elicits mixed feelings for the aquarists that care for these animals. The chocolate chip sea stars that use their tubefeet to tickle aquarists’ toes as they scrubbed their tank and a plethora of other animals will head to their new homes at Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facilities in Georgia and Florida.
Meanwhile, excitement for the new exhibit is already buzzing behind the scenes. A six foot long moray eel and the impending arrival of barracudas present new challenges for the team of fish and invertebrate biologists that keep the Aquarium’s water-breathers healthy.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is open every day this winter from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit aquarium.org or call 541-867-FISH.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is dedicated to the highest quality aquatic and marine science programs for recreation and education so that the public better understands, cherishes, and conserves the world’s natural marine and coastal resources. An accredited Association of Zoos & Aquariums institution, this 501(c)3 non-profit organization is ranked as one of the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. Visit us at 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Rd., Newport, OR. www.aquarium.org, 541-867-3474. Follow us on Facebook.com/OregonCoastAquarium, or Twitter.com/OrCoastAquarium for the latest updates.
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