New England Aquarium – preserving the world beneath the waves
In a bid create awareness or rather 'protect and promote' the world in the great oceans, the New England Aquarium brings the marine world closer to ours. In as much as it is a popular tourist attraction in Massachusetts, the aquarium which opened in 1969, was among the pioneering efforts to modernize the concept of aquariums.
While the aquarium focuses on creating as natural a setting as possible, through all its years in existence it still retains its commitment to conservation as much as it does to entertain visitors while educating them about these creatures. So much so that the staff at the aquarium are often engaged in rescue operations involving injured or stranded turtles or marine mammals.
It is estimated that over a million people visit the aquarium every year and each year more features are added. At the moment, the aquarium features whale watching between April and October, an IMAX theater, as well as a separate section for special exhibits.
Most of the viewing at the aquarium is done from the Giant Ocean Tank. This structure is a 750,000 litre capacity sustaining tank which is cylindrical in shape. Within the tank, the aquarium's organizers have created a Caribbean like coral reef setting, where species of turtles, small reef fish and sharks freely roam about.
The opening at the top of the tank has a pathway which leads down through a spiral where visitors can view the creatures through 50 odd large windows with views from every conceivable angle.
Just at the front of the aquarium is a seal exhibit and tourists could view it from the outside without having to pay to enter. In addition fur seals could be seen towards the terrace on the harbor side.
Tourists travelling with families will enjoy a visit to the 'Killer Instincts' special exhibition section which is more educational. It includes an up close and larger than life shark videos to help tourists face their fears.
This is not all - the 'Pre historic adventure' programme is not to be missed. With life like 3D images, a movie retells the modern generation of the sea's terrifying creatures that once roamed during the Cretaceous period.
A stay at one of the many hotels in Boston would be ideal, especially after an exciting visit to the New England Aquarium. A hotel like the Langham Hotel Boston offers guests simple yet elegant accommodation. A unique feature at this hotel unlike other Boston hotels is that it is close by to many attractions and is an AAA Four Diamond hotel.
About the Author:
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.