Andrew
04-09-2008, 11:49 AM
NEWS RELEASE
SPLASH INTO SUMMER AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer activities for the whole family - new behind-the-scenes tours, no
lines and extended weekend hours make for one cool vacation!
The nation's No. 1 family aquarium is throwing open the doors to summer
2008 in style. New exhibits with cool new animals, new behind-the-scenes
tours, sailing and scuba adventures, deck shows, extended weekend hours
and no-wait online ticketing are just a few ways to splash into summer
at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
You'll also be among the first to explore and enjoy the expanded Splash
Zone exhibits, and groove to the beat and beauty of the acclaimed
Jellies: Living Art special exhibition one last time.
This summer marks the launch of new behind-the-scenes tours, available
several times a day - with or without a reservation. Beginning May 1
visitors ages six and up can participate in a guided 50- minute tour and
find out what it takes to care for animals and exhibits at the aquarium.
The dynamic tours will be offered several times throughout the day for
$10 per person, plus aquarium admission. An expert guide,
state-of-the-art headset technology and explorations that take you where
the day's action is the most intriguing make this a must-see addition
for repeat as well as first-time aquarium visitors. Space is limited and
- while drop-in slots are available - advance purchase online is
recommended.
Also for the first time, beginning May 1, visitors can purchase tickets
online for select "Aquarium Adventures" - including the new
behind-the-scenes tours, and "Day Sail" and "Sunset Sail" excursions
on Monterey Bay. Aquarium admission tickets are also available online,
at www.montereybayaquarium.org <http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> .
There's no service charge when you print the tickets at home or pick
them up when you arrive, and just a small fee if you want tickets mailed
out in advance. Either way, advance tickets are a great way to avoid
ticket lines on busy summer days.
If you still want more hours to partake in summer aquarium activities -
you've got it!
You'll enjoy an off-season experience during the peak summer season each
Saturday and Sunday from Fourth of July weekend through Labor Day
weekend (July 5-August 31). The return of "Evenings by the Bay" means
the aquarium will remain open until 8 p.m. - providing two extra hours
to explore and a front-row seat to commune with your favorite sea
creatures. In addition to all the exhibits and daily events, you'll
enjoy live jazz, an opportunity to make a dinner reservation in the
ocean-view Portola Restaurant and special programs.
While at the aquarium don't miss the opportunity to get up close and
personal with one of the most spectacular oceanic seabirds, a Laysan
albatross. Makana, which translates as "gift" in native Hawaiian, is the
only one of her kind in any zoo or aquarium in the world. She is an
ambassador for her species, and during her 15- minute daily program she
helps raise awareness about the threats facing seabirds across the
Pacific. The daily 11:15 a.m. program on the Great Tide Pool deck
highlights the global threats albatross face from plastics pollution and
what each of us can do to make a difference.
This summer marks the launch of a new and lively deck program, created
in collaboration with El Teatro Campesino. Accompanying engaging
performances of Basta Basura! (Enough Trash!) - which focuses on
reducing, reusing and recycling to keep the oceans free of trash - is a
new 15-minute performance with an emphasis on energy conservation.
Bilingual performances are presented throughout the day on the Great
Tide Pool deck.
Another new program for 2008 invites children ages 3 to 7 to get
"ArtSea" as it combines science and art in projects led by local
Abrakadoodle artists. The aquarium's youngest visitors can mix art and
science as they create unique handicrafts inspired by local artists. The
program runs from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. twice a month on Saturdays.
Special events abound as well, including a "World Ocean Day" weekend
celebration on June 7 and 8. Activities and performances will highlight
the 70 percent of the Earth that's covered by the ocean, including ways
that visitors can assure its health for future generations.
Summer visitors will get a first look at the completely re-imagined
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" family exhibit. Since its renovation, the
award-winning exhibit has been lauded for its playful and educational
atmosphere and its expanded space - twice as large as before - where
families can engage and learn about the ocean. The three galleries -
"Enchanted Kelp Forest," "Coral Reef Kingdom" and "Rugged Rocky Shore" -
explore different ocean habitats and the animals that call these places
home.
Splash Zone visitors will 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. In addition to nearly 45 new and improved bilingual
interactive exhibits, visitors can also get their hands wet in a 42-
foot long touch pool and come face-to-face with incredible animals -
from spiny lumpsuckers to garden eels - throughout Splash Zone.
This is also the final opportunity for guests to experience the
award-winning Jellies: Living Art special exhibition, home to the
largest collection of jellies on the planet, including species never
displayed anywhere else in the world. The unique blend of stunning live
exhibits combined with intriguing artwork has earned exhibit honors from
the American Association of Museums and the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums. Since Jellies opened in 2002 the aquarium has extended its
run three times due to popular demand.
The exhibition takes visitors on a sensory-rich tour through four
different galleries focusing on the beauty and fascination of jelly
physiology from shape and size, to rhythm and movement and finally, to
color and pattern. Art installations demonstrate the ways in which
jellies and sea life have inspired artistic imagination, including
pieces by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, David Hockney, Ernst
Haeckel, Cork Marcheschi and others. Jellies closes at the end of Labor
Day weekend, on September 1.
Summer visitors will find a full lineup of "Aquarium Adventures"
programs including additional "Day Sail" and "Sunset Sail" excursions on
Monterey Bay, "Underwater Explorers" surface SCUBA for kids ages 8 to
13, "Morning Rounds" feeding tasks, behind-the-scenes tours and more.
Most "Aquarium Adventures" are offered Memorial Day weekend through
Labor Day. "Sailing Adventures" aboard the eco-friendly Derek M. Baylis,
a 65-foot research sailboat, resume on May 11.
During "Day Sails" visitors will work alongside aquarium naturalists
gathering plankton, observing seafloor animals and learning about the
intricate Monterey Bay ecosystem. Each participant will take a turn at
the helm, steering the boat and learning about navigation and sailing,
while fellow sailors keep an eye out for migrating whales, rafts of
otters and pods of dolphins.
"Sunset Sail" participants can relax on the elegant ship while sipping
wine, enjoying hors d'oeuvres and watching the bay come to life as
evening approaches. Seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins and whales are
common inhabitants in Monterey Bay. "Sunset Sails" begin on May 11; they
cost $45 for aquarium members and $55 for the general public.
The popular "Underwater Explorers" surface SCUBA experience for kids age
8 to 13 resumes in June. "Morning Rounds" behind-the-scenes feeding
tours, "Fishing for History" Cannery Row walking tours and family
sleepovers in the aquarium galleries happen on select days through
September. For more information on "Aquarium Adventures" visit
www.mbayaq.org/vi/vi_aquarium/vi_aq_adventures.asp.
Monterey Bay Aquarium offers unprecedented live exhibits - from a
three-story Kelp Forest to a two-story sea otter exhibit, as well as a
million-gallon indoor ocean with tunas, sea turtles and sharks, a
peaceful aviary, a walk-through Wave Crash exhibit and more. Daily
feeding shows and auditorium programs educate as well as entertain, and
plenty of hands-on displays promise hours of family fun.
All exhibits and programs except "Aquarium Adventures" are included with
2008 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. 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.
Located on famed Cannery Row, the aquarium is open daily from 9:30 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during summer and holidays; until 8 p.m.
on Saturdays and Sundays between Fourth of July weekend and Labor Day;
and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily the rest of the year. Many local hotels
and motels offer special family rates and aquarium ticket packages;
visit www.montereyinfo.org <http://www.montereyinfo.org/> for details.
And while in town, leave the driving to someone else - enjoy a free ride
on the MST Trolley from downtown parking garages and hotels to the
aquarium and other waterfront attractions, courtesy of Monterey-Salinas
Transit (www.mst.org <http://www.mst.org/> ).
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of
the oceans.
- 30 -
SPLASH INTO SUMMER AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer activities for the whole family - new behind-the-scenes tours, no
lines and extended weekend hours make for one cool vacation!
The nation's No. 1 family aquarium is throwing open the doors to summer
2008 in style. New exhibits with cool new animals, new behind-the-scenes
tours, sailing and scuba adventures, deck shows, extended weekend hours
and no-wait online ticketing are just a few ways to splash into summer
at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
You'll also be among the first to explore and enjoy the expanded Splash
Zone exhibits, and groove to the beat and beauty of the acclaimed
Jellies: Living Art special exhibition one last time.
This summer marks the launch of new behind-the-scenes tours, available
several times a day - with or without a reservation. Beginning May 1
visitors ages six and up can participate in a guided 50- minute tour and
find out what it takes to care for animals and exhibits at the aquarium.
The dynamic tours will be offered several times throughout the day for
$10 per person, plus aquarium admission. An expert guide,
state-of-the-art headset technology and explorations that take you where
the day's action is the most intriguing make this a must-see addition
for repeat as well as first-time aquarium visitors. Space is limited and
- while drop-in slots are available - advance purchase online is
recommended.
Also for the first time, beginning May 1, visitors can purchase tickets
online for select "Aquarium Adventures" - including the new
behind-the-scenes tours, and "Day Sail" and "Sunset Sail" excursions
on Monterey Bay. Aquarium admission tickets are also available online,
at www.montereybayaquarium.org <http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/> .
There's no service charge when you print the tickets at home or pick
them up when you arrive, and just a small fee if you want tickets mailed
out in advance. Either way, advance tickets are a great way to avoid
ticket lines on busy summer days.
If you still want more hours to partake in summer aquarium activities -
you've got it!
You'll enjoy an off-season experience during the peak summer season each
Saturday and Sunday from Fourth of July weekend through Labor Day
weekend (July 5-August 31). The return of "Evenings by the Bay" means
the aquarium will remain open until 8 p.m. - providing two extra hours
to explore and a front-row seat to commune with your favorite sea
creatures. In addition to all the exhibits and daily events, you'll
enjoy live jazz, an opportunity to make a dinner reservation in the
ocean-view Portola Restaurant and special programs.
While at the aquarium don't miss the opportunity to get up close and
personal with one of the most spectacular oceanic seabirds, a Laysan
albatross. Makana, which translates as "gift" in native Hawaiian, is the
only one of her kind in any zoo or aquarium in the world. She is an
ambassador for her species, and during her 15- minute daily program she
helps raise awareness about the threats facing seabirds across the
Pacific. The daily 11:15 a.m. program on the Great Tide Pool deck
highlights the global threats albatross face from plastics pollution and
what each of us can do to make a difference.
This summer marks the launch of a new and lively deck program, created
in collaboration with El Teatro Campesino. Accompanying engaging
performances of Basta Basura! (Enough Trash!) - which focuses on
reducing, reusing and recycling to keep the oceans free of trash - is a
new 15-minute performance with an emphasis on energy conservation.
Bilingual performances are presented throughout the day on the Great
Tide Pool deck.
Another new program for 2008 invites children ages 3 to 7 to get
"ArtSea" as it combines science and art in projects led by local
Abrakadoodle artists. The aquarium's youngest visitors can mix art and
science as they create unique handicrafts inspired by local artists. The
program runs from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. twice a month on Saturdays.
Special events abound as well, including a "World Ocean Day" weekend
celebration on June 7 and 8. Activities and performances will highlight
the 70 percent of the Earth that's covered by the ocean, including ways
that visitors can assure its health for future generations.
Summer visitors will get a first look at the completely re-imagined
"Splash Zone: Ocean Homes" family exhibit. Since its renovation, the
award-winning exhibit has been lauded for its playful and educational
atmosphere and its expanded space - twice as large as before - where
families can engage and learn about the ocean. The three galleries -
"Enchanted Kelp Forest," "Coral Reef Kingdom" and "Rugged Rocky Shore" -
explore different ocean habitats and the animals that call these places
home.
Splash Zone visitors will 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. In addition to nearly 45 new and improved bilingual
interactive exhibits, visitors can also get their hands wet in a 42-
foot long touch pool and come face-to-face with incredible animals -
from spiny lumpsuckers to garden eels - throughout Splash Zone.
This is also the final opportunity for guests to experience the
award-winning Jellies: Living Art special exhibition, home to the
largest collection of jellies on the planet, including species never
displayed anywhere else in the world. The unique blend of stunning live
exhibits combined with intriguing artwork has earned exhibit honors from
the American Association of Museums and the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums. Since Jellies opened in 2002 the aquarium has extended its
run three times due to popular demand.
The exhibition takes visitors on a sensory-rich tour through four
different galleries focusing on the beauty and fascination of jelly
physiology from shape and size, to rhythm and movement and finally, to
color and pattern. Art installations demonstrate the ways in which
jellies and sea life have inspired artistic imagination, including
pieces by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, David Hockney, Ernst
Haeckel, Cork Marcheschi and others. Jellies closes at the end of Labor
Day weekend, on September 1.
Summer visitors will find a full lineup of "Aquarium Adventures"
programs including additional "Day Sail" and "Sunset Sail" excursions on
Monterey Bay, "Underwater Explorers" surface SCUBA for kids ages 8 to
13, "Morning Rounds" feeding tasks, behind-the-scenes tours and more.
Most "Aquarium Adventures" are offered Memorial Day weekend through
Labor Day. "Sailing Adventures" aboard the eco-friendly Derek M. Baylis,
a 65-foot research sailboat, resume on May 11.
During "Day Sails" visitors will work alongside aquarium naturalists
gathering plankton, observing seafloor animals and learning about the
intricate Monterey Bay ecosystem. Each participant will take a turn at
the helm, steering the boat and learning about navigation and sailing,
while fellow sailors keep an eye out for migrating whales, rafts of
otters and pods of dolphins.
"Sunset Sail" participants can relax on the elegant ship while sipping
wine, enjoying hors d'oeuvres and watching the bay come to life as
evening approaches. Seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins and whales are
common inhabitants in Monterey Bay. "Sunset Sails" begin on May 11; they
cost $45 for aquarium members and $55 for the general public.
The popular "Underwater Explorers" surface SCUBA experience for kids age
8 to 13 resumes in June. "Morning Rounds" behind-the-scenes feeding
tours, "Fishing for History" Cannery Row walking tours and family
sleepovers in the aquarium galleries happen on select days through
September. For more information on "Aquarium Adventures" visit
www.mbayaq.org/vi/vi_aquarium/vi_aq_adventures.asp.
Monterey Bay Aquarium offers unprecedented live exhibits - from a
three-story Kelp Forest to a two-story sea otter exhibit, as well as a
million-gallon indoor ocean with tunas, sea turtles and sharks, a
peaceful aviary, a walk-through Wave Crash exhibit and more. Daily
feeding shows and auditorium programs educate as well as entertain, and
plenty of hands-on displays promise hours of family fun.
All exhibits and programs except "Aquarium Adventures" are included with
2008 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. 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.
Located on famed Cannery Row, the aquarium is open daily from 9:30 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during summer and holidays; until 8 p.m.
on Saturdays and Sundays between Fourth of July weekend and Labor Day;
and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily the rest of the year. Many local hotels
and motels offer special family rates and aquarium ticket packages;
visit www.montereyinfo.org <http://www.montereyinfo.org/> for details.
And while in town, leave the driving to someone else - enjoy a free ride
on the MST Trolley from downtown parking garages and hotels to the
aquarium and other waterfront attractions, courtesy of Monterey-Salinas
Transit (www.mst.org <http://www.mst.org/> ).
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of
the oceans.
- 30 -