Monterey Bay Aquarium
MEMORIES:
PHOTOS:
Built inside a historic sardine cannery building in Monterey, California, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and is considered the finest in the United States. Nestled in the middle of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the largest protected marine areas in the world, and located off the legendary Highway 1 on the coast of Northern California, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has become a favorite for locals and visitors alike with its picturesque displays and dedication to the preservation of marine life. In 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium opened with a mission “to inspire conservation of the oceans” as well as opening its doors to a multitude of wildlife throughout the years, everything from otters to penguins, from tuna to jellyfish and more recently, great white sharks.
Today, Monterey Bay Aquarium houses nearly 200 galleries and exhibits. As soon as a visitor walks through the doors, they’re completely surrounded by sea creatures. To the left of the main entrance is the impossible-to-miss three-story giant kelp tank, as well as an octopus exhibit. Other popular exhibits include the waddling penguins, the happy-go-lucky otters and the petting pools where both kids and adults can touch bat rays. The aquarium also houses an aviary, featuring a wide variety of local birds and shoreline creatures.
Visitors are often awestruck upon entering the Outer Bay for the first time (and second, and third). Before getting close to the over one-million gallon tank, visitors walk through one of the largest jellyfish exhibits in the world. Egg-yolk jellies and sea nettles glide gently throughout the exhibits, leading visitors to the magnificent one million gallon Outer Bay tank, is home to a wide variety of creatures, from turtles to tunas, sunfish and sharks. Twice, the aquarium was a first (and second) in successfully playing host to great white sharks, educating visitors on the facts and fictions of the mysterious ocean hunter made famous by the movie Jaws, and its sequels. Not to be missed, upstairs in the outer bay area is the mind-blowing glass dome featuring thousands of glistening silver anchovies. Witnessing the spectacles of anchovies whizzing around and around and around the “track” could make anyone think twice about putting it on their next pizza.
Each year, the Monterey Bay Aquarium sees 1.8 million visitors, most of who come during the summertime – as school is out and kids are ready to experience nature and the world around them. Those who haven’t seen the aquarium in person had a chance in 1986, when the aquarium appeared as the ‘Cetacean Institute of Biology’ in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Whether seen on film or in person, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has proved itself both a beautiful and educational attraction not to be missed.
