February 2009 will be an exciting month at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk in Connecticut.

The only Aquarium focused on Long Island Sound presents sharks, seals, river otters, sea turtles, jellyfish and more than 100 other species from Long Island Sound and its watershed.

Exhibits show local species and exotic amphibians from around the world. Marine Lab shows visitors how we care for marine animals, including raising baby seahorses and jellies.

The IMAX^® Theater offers the largest screen in Connecticut with daytime documentaries and evening Hollywood movies.

In addition to all these there a bunch of special exhibits and activities this month and here’s a quick rundown of what you can see when you visit…

NEW PENGUIN EXHIBIT:

A special Penguin exhibit opens daily starting February 12^th. Just in time for Valentine’s Day come fall in love with these cute, awkward on land – graceful underwater, African Penguins. These penguins are from the waters of South Africa rather than Antarctica. Exhibit included in price of admission.

AFRICAN UNDERWATER SAFARI:

In this daily special exhibit explore the aquatic wonders of Africa, including amazing fish and reptiles from the Nile River, lakes of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, the Red Sea and Africa’s shorelines, including the remarkable ecosystem of Madagascar. Also featured are bright green, giant day geckos that use electrostatic toes to cling to smooth surfaces. Madagascar ground and tree boa snakes display differences in adaptations to the top and bottom of the rainforest. A hippo play space greets children as they enter. Exhibit included in price of admission.

NEW GREEN TURTLES:

Recently arrived from the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys, these little guys are just four years old and weigh less than 20 pounds each. Green sea turtles live 100 years or more and attain weights upwards of 500 pounds. Our juveniles are on display in the Aquarium’s 19,000-gallon sea turtle exhibit. An endangered species, these turtles were hatched and raised in captivity as part of an important research project by the Albert Einstein School of Veterinary Medicine in New York City. Now that their service to science is complete, they will live out their lives here at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. Exhibit included with Aquarium admission.

IN THE IMAX MOVIE THEATER:

The IMAX theatre has a full program planned as well and includes movies about the Grand Canyon, the South African ocean, and basketball great Michael Jordan. Admission price is separate from aquarium admission to exhibits.

“Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk” with Shows at 11 a.m. and 1 & 3 p.m. daily with a bonus 4 p.m. show Sat. & Sun. takes viewers on an exhilarating river journey that calls attention to global freshwater issues.

“Wild Ocean: Where Africa Meets the Sea” with shows at noon daily, captures what may be the world’s largest feeding frenzy for the world’s largest screens in this new IMAX^® documentary film.

In “Michael Jordan to the MAX” basketball legend Michael Jordan is seen as a player who was distinguished by more than his gravity-defying magnificence. It was also his work ethic, an indomitable will to win and, most importantly, class and dignity both on and off the court – shows at 2:00pm daily.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Visitors to the aquarium this month can also take the 3-D simulator film-ride “Secrets of the Lost Temple” – a roller coaster-like rode through caverns, underwater rivers and ancient passages. Ride tickets are $5.50 and you have to be 36 inches tall to board.

Visit the Toy Boat-making Workshop every Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a fun 20-minute boat-building project.  Build and decorate a toy sailboat to take home as a special keepsake of your visit.  Cost: $5 per child (plus Aquarium admission).

And finally the Winter Creature Cruises departs most weekends through April 2009. Dates and times vary by low tide. The cruise journeys out onto Long Island Sound in hopes of seeing some of the seals that spend the winter just off the aquarium’s shores. These invigorating cruises seek out the harbor seals, gray seals and even harp seals that have been coming down into the Sound in growing numbers each winter.  Long Island Sound is like the seals’ Florida as they come for our relatively warm winter waters and climate, at least warmer than Sable Island and Newfoundland. Educators on board the research vessel Oceanic will point out these federally protected marine mammals and talk about their natural histories. Cruise price is $20.50 per person.

Further information on any of these exhibits and activities can be found at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk official web site here.

For lots more ideas on things to see and do, and places to stay in Norwalk region check out my special Connecticut vacation guide here.

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Cliff Calderwood
Publisher
New England Online Magazine

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