Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

Mystic Aquarium logo
Date opened	1973
Location	Mystic, Connecticut, USA
Coordinates	41°22′29″N 71°57′10″W / 41.3748°N 71.9529°W / 41.3748; -71.9529Coordinates: 41°22′29″N 71°57′10″W / 41.3748°N 71.9529°W / 41.3748; -71.9529
Memberships	AZA,[1] AMMPA
Website	http://www.mysticaquarium.org/

The Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration is an aquarium and oceanography institute in Mystic, Connecticut. The Aquarium is one of four U.S. facilities holding Steller sea lions and it has one of the largest outdoor Beluga Whale exhibits in the United States. Special exhibits include a ray and shark touch pool, a penguin exhibit, and a jelly gallery.

The Institute for Exploration features maps, diagrams, and models from Dr. Robert Ballard's explorations of the Black Sea and of the wreck of the RMS Titanic. At the Nautilus Live Theater, presentations tell more of Dr. Ballard's more recent explorations and the ship E/V Nautilus. Through technology, audience members are linked to crew members on the ship at sea and can ask them questions directly.

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).

History

Mystic Aquarium was first opened in 1973 as a privately owned corporation. Kelvin Smith, the industrialist and philanthropist who was the primary shareholder, 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 dollar expansion. The expansion features the Arctic Coast, a 1-acre (4,000 m²) outdoor beluga whale display, containing 750,000 US gallons (2,800 m³) of water.^[2]

The Challenge of the Deep exhibit includes new content on the explorations of Dr. Robert Ballard. The XD Theater operates year-round, featuring four different 3-D movies and a moving theater. The movies include Deep Sea 3-D, Sea Scare, and a roller coaster movie.

Animals

Penguin feeding

Mystic Aquarium holds four Beluga whales, five Steller sea lions, six California Sea Lions, a Pacific Harbor Seal, a large colony of African Black-footed Penguins, sea stars, Unicorn Fish, Blue Tang, Octopus, Leopard Shark, bamboo sharks, Sheepshead Fish, Horn Sharks, sea turtles, clownfish and other oceanic creatures. As part of its conservation work, it is among the first aquariums to attempt artificial insemination of a Beluga Whale, in order to increase breeding in captivity.

Within the aquarium, encounter programs are offered to visitors for an additional fee. For instance, the penguin encounter programs allow visitors to get close to one of the African Penguins; visitors may also touch and stand in the water with a beluga whale. In summer, visitors may touchencounter where you are able to touch and stand in the water with a whale. Also, visitors may feed and touch the sting rays in a special pool.

Staff feeding Pinnipeds (sea lions) at the aquarium

Between September 2008 and May 2009, the aquarium hosted several marine mammals from the Shedd Aquarium while that institution was undergoing renovation to its marine mammal habitat.

The National Geographic Society's Crittercam exhibit is at the aquarium as of Feb 2011.

References

External links

• Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration Official website
• Volunteer Divers, Mystic Aquarium
• Nautilus Live Website, Mystic Aquarium