Andrew
02-20-2008, 12:38 PM
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2008
DIVE INTO THE EXPANDED HABITATS
OF 'SPLASH ZONE: OCEAN HOMES' IN 2008
The best family exhibits at the nation's No. 1 family aquarium are
getting bigger and better than ever with the opening of the revamped and
expanded "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" galleries at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium.
Starting March 17, 2008 visitors can journey through an enchanting
underwater forest, stroll beneath a sunlit kelp canopy, delight in the
wonders of pot-bellied seahorses and pharaoh cuttlefish, pop up next to
penguins and much more.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is a dramatic transformation of the
award-winning family exhibit, which opened in April 2000 and has been
drawing praise ever since for its engaging and playful atmosphere.
The expanded "Splash Zone" doubles the space where families with
children can play and learn together about the ocean. The renovated
galleries explore three ocean habitats - the Enchanted Kelp Forest,
Coral Reef Kingdom and Rugged Rocky Shore - and combine new interactive
experiences, games and live animals with visitor favorites from the
original galleries.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" features over 45 new and improved bilingual
interactive exhibits, and many new animals, including leafy and weedy
sea dragons, two relatives of seahorses and masters of camouflage;
pot-bellied seahorses, one of the largest and most spectacular species
of seahorses; and both splendid and spotted garden eels, whose bodies
sway in the current like sea grass until the eels are frightened and
retreat back into slime-lined burrows.
Children can crawl through a coral reef cave, make waves along the rocky
shore and investigate creatures that live in a kelp holdfast. It's all
designed for family fun, and to build magical and lasting connections
with the ocean for children of all ages.
"We wanted to create a place where families can actively explore the
ocean together, race to find hidden kelp forest animals and cuddle up in
a giant clam," said Exhibit Developer Jenny Sayre Ramberg. "We hope that
fun encounters with ocean life will create lasting memories and an
abiding love of the ocean."
The expanded "Splash Zone" remains home to visitor favorites like the
colony of blackfooted penguins, the den of moray eels and water play
areas for kids and families. But visitors will find significant changes,
including new animals on exhibit, a larger and more immersive touch pool
area, a crawl-through kelp holdfast and walk-through kelp forest, plus
15 new interactive exhibits where children can discover how animals eat,
hide and survive in the ocean.
These are the kinds of exhibits that earned the Monterey Bay Aquarium
the No. 1 ranking from Parents magazine as the best aquarium for
families in the nation; and similar honors in the Zagat Survey U.S.
Family Travel Guide.
"We want families to have fun exploring ocean life together," said
Ramberg. "Children who bond with the natural world at an early age learn
to love it, and will be more inclined as adults to protect it."
The second floor of the aquarium's signature three-story living Kelp
Forest exhibit is the gateway into the new "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes"
galleries. Visitors entering the Enchanted Kelp Forest gallery first
encounter an impressive 40-foot-long touch pool where they can encounter
the many plants and animals that live in the multi-layered and sheltered
kelp forest habitat, including sea stars, abalones, sea urchins, kelp
crabs, snails, sponges and sea cucumbers.
Interactive experiences and exhibits teach visitors about the lives of
the animals that live in this rich habitat, from the top of the
sheltering kelp canopy down to the haven of the holdfast - the root-like
mass that anchors giant kelp to the seafloor.
A giant kelp holdfast sculpture invites visitors to explore a 10 times
life-size kelp holdfast and discover animals that call this intricate
structure home. Inside, explorers can touch the colorful ridges of
oversized sea bugs, see the hairy arms of brittle stars, find a stash of
hidden fish egg models and discover a living exhibit that's home to a
red octopus.
Dappled sunlight illuminates golden giant kelp blades streaming overhead
where a canopy of kelp arches over visitors in a kelp tunnel exhibit -
encouraging visitors to imagine themselves diving in a kelp forest.
Another new live exhibit lets visitors view a kelp canopy from above and
below the waters' surface, where kelp fronds crawl with life and provide
shelter to jeweled top snails, kelp crabs and well-camouflaged fishes.
The "Kelp Dive" invites families to dive into an "I Spy" game about how
animals hide and survive in kelp forest habitats. Players will search a
touch-sensitive mural of a richly populated kelp forest for six animals
found on their "dive card." They'll be rewarded with a fun video clip
after they find all six animals.
Interactive exhibits and experiences are integral to "Splash Zone: Ocean
Homes" and can be found throughout the expanded galleries. At one new
exhibit, children can race each other to grow a giant kelp plant by
supplying the three essential things kelp needs to survive: sunlight,
nutrients and moving water. In "Kelp Forest Mysteries" they can also use
scientific tools to collect clues and uncover why a kelp forest isn't
thriving. And, in all three galleries children can stamp bookmarks to
take home as souvenirs - each with a conservation message that connects
their actions to the health of the ocean.
Coral encrusted walls welcome visitors into the colorful world of
tropical reefs and the Coral Reef Kingdom gallery. Here, pharaoh
cuttlefish and garden eels make their debut, joining such family
favorites as moray eels and sea horses. Visitors will learn that the
ghostly cuttlefish is not a fish at all; it's a relative of the octopus.
A realistic, life-size touch model of this highly intelligent animal
demonstrates its unique way of catching food. Kids (and adults) can see
and be seen as they make their way through a Coral Cave tunnel, where
they'll encounter tropical sea horses.
The popular Coral Reef Play and Coral Babies areas encourage
imaginative and interactive play for younger children, including infants
and toddlers. Costumes, ride-on sea creatures, and a giant clam chair
invite children to imagine themselves at home in a coral reef.
The third habitat in "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is the rough
and tumble environment of the Rugged Rocky Shore. Crashing waves and
granite rocks are the backdrop for a splashingly fun waterplay exhibit.
Children can learn how different boats maneuver through waves and how
some rocky shore animals hang on to rocks while others ride the waves
and "go with the flow." A cylindrical display features clingfish and sea
stars that can stick to rocks when the tide goes out.
The popular blackfooted penguin colony returns to a new and
larger exhibit, complete with large flat screen video monitors to
improve viewing during twice-daily feeding shows. A new penguin trivia
game at the exhibit will answer frequently asked questions about these
beguiling birds. (Or are they mammals? Hint: They have wings and beaks.)
But penguins aren't the only birds that call the Rugged Rocky Shore
home. Common murres are native to California's Central Coast, nesting
along rocky coastal cliffs. Their new location across from the penguins
give visitors an up-close and personal look at these sleek, black and
white diving birds that are often confused with penguins. An interactive
exhibit invites visitors to compare murre and chicken eggs to see which
species is better equipped to nest on steep narrow cliffs. Video and
audio bring visitors the sights and sounds of a raucous nesting colony
of hundreds of birds.
The original "Splash Zone" was designed for families with children from
infancy up to age 9. The expanded galleries include new experiences for
families with children up to 12 years old. One of the more advanced
interactive exhibits, "Gulp, Hunt, Filter, Slurp," challenges children
to match sea otters, barnacles and fish with their hunting method and
food items. Once all three items are correctly aligned, players are
rewarded with a high-definition video clip of the animal eating.
All of the changes to the renovated galleries reflect years of careful
study about how children and families learn while they're at the
aquarium, and draw on learning principles established by children's
museums, early childhood education experts and informal education
specialists.
Spanish-speaking visitors can find bilingual signage throughout "Splash
Zone: Ocean Homes." High-definition video displays feature bilingual
captions, and interactive exhibits include bilingual instructions.
Exhibit modifications also include better access for visitors with
disabilities.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is included with regular
aquarium admission of $24.95 adult; $22.95 senior (65+) and student
(full-time college, with I.D.); and $15.95 children 3-12 and the
disabled. (2008 rates) Children under 3 are admitted free of charge.
Discounted tickets for members of the military and their families can be
purchased in advance at many California and Nevada installations.
The aquarium is located on historic Cannery Row in Monterey. It is open
daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in summer and major holiday periods
from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Christmas Day). Summer hours include
extended weekend hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and
Sundays, between July 5 and August 31, 2008.
More information about "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" and the aquarium in
general is available online at www.montereybayaquarium.org
<http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> ; or by calling (831) 648-4888.
Advance tickets can be purchased online or by phone from the aquarium at
1-800-756-3737. Seasonal specials, details about special events and
programs, family activities and live web cams can all be found online at
www.montereybayaquarium.org <http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> .
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of
the oceans.
- 30 -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2008
DIVE INTO THE EXPANDED HABITATS
OF 'SPLASH ZONE: OCEAN HOMES' IN 2008
The best family exhibits at the nation's No. 1 family aquarium are
getting bigger and better than ever with the opening of the revamped and
expanded "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" galleries at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium.
Starting March 17, 2008 visitors can journey through an enchanting
underwater forest, stroll beneath a sunlit kelp canopy, delight in the
wonders of pot-bellied seahorses and pharaoh cuttlefish, pop up next to
penguins and much more.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is a dramatic transformation of the
award-winning family exhibit, which opened in April 2000 and has been
drawing praise ever since for its engaging and playful atmosphere.
The expanded "Splash Zone" doubles the space where families with
children can play and learn together about the ocean. The renovated
galleries explore three ocean habitats - the Enchanted Kelp Forest,
Coral Reef Kingdom and Rugged Rocky Shore - and combine new interactive
experiences, games and live animals with visitor favorites from the
original galleries.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" features over 45 new and improved bilingual
interactive exhibits, and many new animals, including leafy and weedy
sea dragons, two relatives of seahorses and masters of camouflage;
pot-bellied seahorses, one of the largest and most spectacular species
of seahorses; and both splendid and spotted garden eels, whose bodies
sway in the current like sea grass until the eels are frightened and
retreat back into slime-lined burrows.
Children can crawl through a coral reef cave, make waves along the rocky
shore and investigate creatures that live in a kelp holdfast. It's all
designed for family fun, and to build magical and lasting connections
with the ocean for children of all ages.
"We wanted to create a place where families can actively explore the
ocean together, race to find hidden kelp forest animals and cuddle up in
a giant clam," said Exhibit Developer Jenny Sayre Ramberg. "We hope that
fun encounters with ocean life will create lasting memories and an
abiding love of the ocean."
The expanded "Splash Zone" remains home to visitor favorites like the
colony of blackfooted penguins, the den of moray eels and water play
areas for kids and families. But visitors will find significant changes,
including new animals on exhibit, a larger and more immersive touch pool
area, a crawl-through kelp holdfast and walk-through kelp forest, plus
15 new interactive exhibits where children can discover how animals eat,
hide and survive in the ocean.
These are the kinds of exhibits that earned the Monterey Bay Aquarium
the No. 1 ranking from Parents magazine as the best aquarium for
families in the nation; and similar honors in the Zagat Survey U.S.
Family Travel Guide.
"We want families to have fun exploring ocean life together," said
Ramberg. "Children who bond with the natural world at an early age learn
to love it, and will be more inclined as adults to protect it."
The second floor of the aquarium's signature three-story living Kelp
Forest exhibit is the gateway into the new "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes"
galleries. Visitors entering the Enchanted Kelp Forest gallery first
encounter an impressive 40-foot-long touch pool where they can encounter
the many plants and animals that live in the multi-layered and sheltered
kelp forest habitat, including sea stars, abalones, sea urchins, kelp
crabs, snails, sponges and sea cucumbers.
Interactive experiences and exhibits teach visitors about the lives of
the animals that live in this rich habitat, from the top of the
sheltering kelp canopy down to the haven of the holdfast - the root-like
mass that anchors giant kelp to the seafloor.
A giant kelp holdfast sculpture invites visitors to explore a 10 times
life-size kelp holdfast and discover animals that call this intricate
structure home. Inside, explorers can touch the colorful ridges of
oversized sea bugs, see the hairy arms of brittle stars, find a stash of
hidden fish egg models and discover a living exhibit that's home to a
red octopus.
Dappled sunlight illuminates golden giant kelp blades streaming overhead
where a canopy of kelp arches over visitors in a kelp tunnel exhibit -
encouraging visitors to imagine themselves diving in a kelp forest.
Another new live exhibit lets visitors view a kelp canopy from above and
below the waters' surface, where kelp fronds crawl with life and provide
shelter to jeweled top snails, kelp crabs and well-camouflaged fishes.
The "Kelp Dive" invites families to dive into an "I Spy" game about how
animals hide and survive in kelp forest habitats. Players will search a
touch-sensitive mural of a richly populated kelp forest for six animals
found on their "dive card." They'll be rewarded with a fun video clip
after they find all six animals.
Interactive exhibits and experiences are integral to "Splash Zone: Ocean
Homes" and can be found throughout the expanded galleries. At one new
exhibit, children can race each other to grow a giant kelp plant by
supplying the three essential things kelp needs to survive: sunlight,
nutrients and moving water. In "Kelp Forest Mysteries" they can also use
scientific tools to collect clues and uncover why a kelp forest isn't
thriving. And, in all three galleries children can stamp bookmarks to
take home as souvenirs - each with a conservation message that connects
their actions to the health of the ocean.
Coral encrusted walls welcome visitors into the colorful world of
tropical reefs and the Coral Reef Kingdom gallery. Here, pharaoh
cuttlefish and garden eels make their debut, joining such family
favorites as moray eels and sea horses. Visitors will learn that the
ghostly cuttlefish is not a fish at all; it's a relative of the octopus.
A realistic, life-size touch model of this highly intelligent animal
demonstrates its unique way of catching food. Kids (and adults) can see
and be seen as they make their way through a Coral Cave tunnel, where
they'll encounter tropical sea horses.
The popular Coral Reef Play and Coral Babies areas encourage
imaginative and interactive play for younger children, including infants
and toddlers. Costumes, ride-on sea creatures, and a giant clam chair
invite children to imagine themselves at home in a coral reef.
The third habitat in "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is the rough
and tumble environment of the Rugged Rocky Shore. Crashing waves and
granite rocks are the backdrop for a splashingly fun waterplay exhibit.
Children can learn how different boats maneuver through waves and how
some rocky shore animals hang on to rocks while others ride the waves
and "go with the flow." A cylindrical display features clingfish and sea
stars that can stick to rocks when the tide goes out.
The popular blackfooted penguin colony returns to a new and
larger exhibit, complete with large flat screen video monitors to
improve viewing during twice-daily feeding shows. A new penguin trivia
game at the exhibit will answer frequently asked questions about these
beguiling birds. (Or are they mammals? Hint: They have wings and beaks.)
But penguins aren't the only birds that call the Rugged Rocky Shore
home. Common murres are native to California's Central Coast, nesting
along rocky coastal cliffs. Their new location across from the penguins
give visitors an up-close and personal look at these sleek, black and
white diving birds that are often confused with penguins. An interactive
exhibit invites visitors to compare murre and chicken eggs to see which
species is better equipped to nest on steep narrow cliffs. Video and
audio bring visitors the sights and sounds of a raucous nesting colony
of hundreds of birds.
The original "Splash Zone" was designed for families with children from
infancy up to age 9. The expanded galleries include new experiences for
families with children up to 12 years old. One of the more advanced
interactive exhibits, "Gulp, Hunt, Filter, Slurp," challenges children
to match sea otters, barnacles and fish with their hunting method and
food items. Once all three items are correctly aligned, players are
rewarded with a high-definition video clip of the animal eating.
All of the changes to the renovated galleries reflect years of careful
study about how children and families learn while they're at the
aquarium, and draw on learning principles established by children's
museums, early childhood education experts and informal education
specialists.
Spanish-speaking visitors can find bilingual signage throughout "Splash
Zone: Ocean Homes." High-definition video displays feature bilingual
captions, and interactive exhibits include bilingual instructions.
Exhibit modifications also include better access for visitors with
disabilities.
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" is included with regular
aquarium admission of $24.95 adult; $22.95 senior (65+) and student
(full-time college, with I.D.); and $15.95 children 3-12 and the
disabled. (2008 rates) Children under 3 are admitted free of charge.
Discounted tickets for members of the military and their families can be
purchased in advance at many California and Nevada installations.
The aquarium is located on historic Cannery Row in Monterey. It is open
daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in summer and major holiday periods
from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Christmas Day). Summer hours include
extended weekend hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and
Sundays, between July 5 and August 31, 2008.
More information about "Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" and the aquarium in
general is available online at www.montereybayaquarium.org
<http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> ; or by calling (831) 648-4888.
Advance tickets can be purchased online or by phone from the aquarium at
1-800-756-3737. Seasonal specials, details about special events and
programs, family activities and live web cams can all be found online at
www.montereybayaquarium.org <http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> .
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of
the oceans.
- 30 -