Mystic Aquarium

Mystic Aquarium is a marine aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. It is one of only two U.S. facilities holding Steller sea lions, and it has the only beluga whales in New England. Special exhibits include a ray and shark touch pool, an African penguin exhibit, a jelly gallery, and the "Jurassic Giants" dinosaur exhibit (closed in 2022 for renovations). The aquarium is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is a subsidiary of the Sea Research Foundation, Inc.

History

Mystic Aquarium was first opened in 1973 as a privately owned corporation. Industrialist and philanthropist Kelvin Smith was the primary shareholder; he chose Mystic, Connecticut as the site because of the area's scenic shoreline and rich maritime history. In 1999, the aquarium and Ballard's Institute for Exploration combined to form a $52 million expansion. The expansion features the ''Arctic Coast,'' a outdoor beluga whale display containing of water.

The aquarium hosted several marine mammals from the Shedd Aquarium while it was undergoing renovation to its marine mammal habitat between September 2008 and May 2009. The National Geographic Society's ''Crittercam'' exhibit was set up at the aquarium in February 2011 but has since been removed.

In 2012, Mystic Aquarium opened the ''Ocean Exploration Center'' featuring maps, diagrams, and models from Dr. Robert Ballard's explorations of the Black Sea and of the wreck of the RMS ''Titanic''. Presentations in the ''Nautilus Live Theater'' told more of Ballard's recent explorations and the ship E/V Nautilus. Audience members had a live link to crew members on the ship at sea and could ask them questions directly. The aquarium opened ''Titanic – 12,450 Feet Below'' on April 12, 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic''. The exhibit was created by Ballard, who found the ''Titanic'' in 1985, and Tim Delaney, a former Walt Disney Imagineer. It was funded by a $1 million donation from United Technologies Corporation. After being open to the public for over three and a half years the exhibit came to a close in January of 2015.

The aquarium was presented with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2014. The award was accepted by Sea Research Foundation's president Stephen M. Coan. The Titanic exhibit was also remodeled into a new exhibit named ''Exploration: Wild'' in 2015, after Ballard ended his association with the aquarium. The new exhibit was designed entirely by aquarium staff and cost $500,000; it focuses on conservation and consists of interactive environments highlighting desert, rainforest, the Arctic, wetlands, and the open ocean.

Animals

Mystic Aquarium holds six beluga whales (Juno, Natasha, Kela & 3 more), four Steller sea lions, six northern fur seals (two adult and four pups), six California sea lions, one Pacific and seven Atlantic harbor seals, two Arctic spotted seals, a large colony of 31 African penguins, unicorn fish, blue tang, octopus, Japanese spider crabs, sand tiger sharks, bamboo sharks, sea turtle, clownfish, an extensive sea jelly exhibit, seasonal birds, and other oceanic creatures. It is among the first aquariums to attempt artificial insemination of a beluga whale as part of its conservation work, in order to increase breeding in human care.

Within the aquarium, encounter programs are offered to visitors for an additional fee, who can get close to the African penguins, touch and stand in the water with beluga whales, touch bamboo sharks, and feed and touch sting rays in a special pool.

Other Experiences

Aside from the exhibits included with the price of admission there are other experiences people may enjoy for an additional cost. One of these add on experiences is Jurassic Giants. Jurassic Giants includes two 4D experiences, a walk through with animatronic dinosaurs, as well as frogs and other reptiles. There is another experience called the Undersea Explorer Virtual Reality where participants lay in a pod and experience a virtual reality world. After putting on a virtual reality headset the participant can pick from a variety of themed worlds to explore.

People can also have private events at the aquarium. A list of some of these events include weddings, corporate, proms, holiday, social, convention, and non-profit events.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mystic Aquarium
Aquaria in Connecticut
Mystic, Connecticut
Tourist attractions in New London County, Connecticut
Buildings and structures in New London County, Connecticut