The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is one of the few in the country solely devoted to one body of water: in our case, Long Island Sound. One of every 10 Americans lives within 50 miles of the Sound, which for decades has borne the brunt of our pollution, development and carelessness. After visiting the Aquarium, we hope you'll agree that preserving Long Island Sound is vital -- to thousands of recreational boaters and fishermen, to one of the East Coast's largest oystering industries and of course to the hundreds of marine species that make the Sound their home.

The Aquarium features more than 1,000 marine animals native to the Sound and its watershed. Tanks portray successive levels of life in the Sound, from shallow tidal areas filled with oysters, sea horses, lobsters and small fish to the 110,000-gallonOcean tank with 9-foot sharks, bluefish, striped bass, rays and other creatures found in the Sound and the ocean beyond. In Falconer Hall, where your aquarium adventure begins and ends, harbor seals cavort in a special indoor-outdoor tank. These protected marine mammals often seem as interested in us as we are in them! Come see the seals being fed at 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 & 3:45 p.m. daily.

Be sure to stop by and visit our two playful river otters named Bell and Sprite, who frolic in their woodland shoreline habitat.

"Many visitors are surprised to learn that river otters are common throughout the Sound's watershed, even in Connecticut," says Jack Schneider, animal curator. "They're just not commonly seen."

The aquarium journey ends in "Jellyfish Encounter," a permanent exhibit area that offers a great (and sting-free) way to discover the splendor of these primitive but amazing creatures. Despite the general perception, jellyfish are more than floating annoyances that can pack a painful sting. The sight of dozens of jellyfish all pulsing through the water can almost take your breath away.

Kids especially enjoy bellying up to our supervised Touch Tank, where they can safely interact with live sea stars, crabs, whelks and other tidal creatures. And the Ray Touch Pool lets youngsters go home bragging that they petted a live ray!

Sea Turtle Exhibit Now
This new permanent exhibit will feature new additions to our marine animal family. The centerpiece will be a 18,000 gallon tank for up to six live sea turtles. Interpretive displays will provide information about the six species of sea turtles found in U.S. waters, including loggerhead, green and leatherback. All six species are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The turtle exhibit will be built in the 1,500-square-foot space recently vacated by the Aquarium's gift shop, which has moved into larger quarters in the new Environmental Education Center.

Special Exhibits

Entry into the special exhibits is included with general admission.

"The A-Mazing Sea"
Now through Dec., 31, 2001
"The A-Mazing Sea," a meandering adventure that explores animal behavior will be at the Aquarium starting Feb. 16. The 40-by-65-foot labyrinth will have visitors running in circles while they explore the sounds and behavior of whales, octopuses, sharks, sea turtles, seals and sea lions.

Younger visitors can get in on the fun with a separate 20-by-22-foot Mini-Maze that will share the exhibit area. Toddlers will also have their own space made up of colorful, soft structures designed to engage them in activities to stimulate their curiosity and creativity through play.  

"Forest Puzzles"
Now through Jan. 2002
What happens in forests, why we need them and the challenges involved in how to manage them are questions that are tackled by "Forest Puzzles,"ng May 19 in the second floor exhibit gallery.

Using the Pacific Northwest forest as an example, learn how the pieces of forest cycles, forest management and forest products fit together. Themes are demonstrated by interactive pieces included a spinning "time machine" that shows how forests change over time, matching photographs with maps to show vegetation zones, tracing the cycle of a raindrop, balancing wood products against weights representing the energy and trees used to make them, plus more pieces.

"Forest Puzzles" was developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. •