Monterey Bay Aquarium

Over its first two decades, the non-profit Monterey Bay Aquarium has been lauded for creating an expertly designed "undersea tour" of Monterey Bay's hidden world. From coastal wetlands to the open sea, from kelp forests to a mile-deep submarine canyon, the bay shelters an amazing range of habitats and sea life. The bay is also at the heart of the largest marine sanctuary along the shores of the continental the United States. Visitors can discover the plants and animals of Monterey Bay in a series of remarkable exhibits that have changed the face of aquarium design. With the debut of its award-winning "Outer Bay" galleries, Monterey Bay Aquarium became the first in the world to create open ocean exhibits on a grand scale. The million-gallon Outer Bay exhibit houses the most diverse community of open-ocean animals at any aquarium, including tunas, sharks, pelagic stingrays, mahi mahi, sea turtles and - three times in the past four years - a young white shark. The aquarium's White Shark Project continues in 2008, and visitors may be treated to a repeat appearance by the renowned ocean predator.

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February

   Shark Days (February 20 & 21)

Awe…fear…wonder…respect.  Sharks and rays have always evoked strong feelings. Learn more about these amazing animals from aquarium experts.

March

      Hot Pink Flamingos: Stories of Hope in a Changing Sea – March 29

                  Engaging animals will capture hearts and minds when “Hot Pink Flamingos…” takes flight on March 29; visitors gain a new perspective on climate change.

April

   Dia del Nino (April 25)

Celebrate children and families with a craft room, live music, prize drawings and Latin American musical performances throughout the aquarium. Children 12 and under will be admitted free all day.

May

   Cooking for Solutions (May 21 - 22)

Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles, Rick Bayless of Topolobampo/Frontera Grill in Chicago, and Food Network’s Guy Fieri join other celebrity chefs from around the country for a celebration of sustainable seafood. Events include the signature gala, food and wine adventures, cooking demonstrations and more. On Saturday, all aquarium visitors enjoy the Sustainable Seafood Information Fair featuring special food events and book signings.

June

   World Ocean Day Celebration (June 5 & 6)

About 70% of our planet is covered by ocean. The aquarium invites visitors to join in for an international ocean awareness day. Come celebrate this amazing ecosystem and discover your role in assuring we have healthy oceans in the future.

July-August

   Evenings by the Bay – Saturdays & Sundays (July 3 through September 5)

Spend summer evenings on the bay with extended aquarium hours until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer.  Get a few more hours to commune with our animals, and enjoy special programs, live music and special events.

September

   Otter Days (September 25 & 26) – Sea Otter Awareness Week – Sept 26 – October 2

Learn about Monterey Bay’s most charismatic creatures from experts who care for them at the aquarium and researchers who study them in the wild. Special family activities and programs all feature adorable otters.

October

   Fiesta del Mar (October 3)

An annual Latin American cultural festival celebrating ocean conservation. Bilingual feeding shows, musical performances and other entertainment, plus the “Heroe del Medio Ambiente” (Hero of the Environment) award are part of this celebration. Children 12 and under will be admitted free all day.

November

      Feathered Friends (November 20 & 21)

The aquarium is home to a variety of birds – penguins, shorebirds and even an albatross. Find out how our aviculturists train and care for our feathered friends, and get an up close and personal look at some of them.

December

      Community Day (December 12, Open House December 5 - 12)

The aquarium invites local conservation and environmental organizations to share their contributions with residents and provide them with opportunities to get involved. During Community Open House, the aquarium is free to residents of Monterey County.

MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM: Explore the wonders of our ocean planet in nearly 200 galleries and exhibits at one of the world’s finest aquariums. Highlights include the largest jellyfish collection anywhere, a two-story exhibit of playful sea otters, a towering three-story kelp forest, a gallery devoted to the giant Pacific octopus; a walk-through wave crash tunnel; and the award-winning Splash Zone: Ocean Homes family galleries with penguins, sea dragons and other engaging marine animals. Visit www.montereybayaquarium.org for an exciting preview of aquarium exhibits and programs.

“HOT PINK FLAMINGOS: STORIES OF HOPE IN A CHANGING SEA” NEW SPECIAL EXHIBITION:  Amazing animals will capture visitors’ hearts and minds, and help tell stories of hope and struggle occurring across our planet due to global climate change. Gangly Chilean flamingos, vibrant scarlet ibises, young green sea turtles and dapper Magellanic penguins will join  colorful coral reef animals and other ocean wildlife to enchant visitors when this striking new exhibit opens on March 29. Galleries in the 7,000-square-foot exhibition introduce visitors to living animals from around the world, and incorporate video and interactive activities to address how our energy use creates carbon pollution. Included in the exhibition are inspiring stories of how people and communities across the globe are fighting climate change and making a difference. A new auditorium program and 15-minute live theatrical program on climate change will compliment visitors experience to the new exhibition. Included with regular aquarium admission.  

“COOKING FOR SOLUTIONS 2010”: Renowned chefs, Suzanne Goin from Lucques in Los Angeles, and Rick Bayless from Frontera Grill in Chicago, will share their passion for fine food and sustainable living when they’re honored at the aquarium’s annual “Cooking for Solutions 2010,” May 21-22. Special guest Guy Fieri, star of the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” will be the celebrity emcee at Saturday’s Sustainable Seafood Challenge, which promises to be a deliciously lively event. Reservations and ticket sales begin January 18; aquarium members can begin purchasing tickets January 4. For more information call (831) 644-7561, press 2, or visit www.cookingforsolutions.org

BLUE OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL & CONSERVATION SUMMIT: The acclaimed international ocean film festival and conservation event will move to the Monterey Peninsula in 2010. The initial Monterey festival – with the Monterey Bay Aquarium as the presenting sponsor – is planned for August 25-29. BLUE will offer an outstanding five-day agenda for community participation in fun activities: the screening of 50-plus award-winning ocean films, exhibits of acclaimed underwater photography and visual arts, opportunities to hear from renowned filmmakers, photographers, ocean conservation advocates, policy makers and celebrities, along with VIP parties and entertaining activities for the whole family. Event details to come in 2010. Visit www.bluefilmfest.com or www.montereybayaquarium.org for updates. 

“THE SECRET LIVES OF SEAHORSES” SPECIAL EXHIBITION: Just one look at seahorses and it’s easy to see why they fascinate people. With a head like a horse, a snout like an aardvark, a belly pouch like a kangaroo, a prehensile tail like a monkey and the ability to change colors like a chameleon, seahorses are not your average fishes. This visitor acclaimed, multimedia special exhibition at the nation’s No. 1 family aquarium shares the intriguing stories about seahorses, seahorse relatives and their habitats, as well as the threats they face in the wild. Included with regular aquarium admission.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS THROUGH NOVEMBER 2010: “Shark Days” on February 20 & 21 offers a chance to learn more about these amazing animals and what it takes to care for sharks and rays. “Dia del Nino” on April 25 celebrates children and families with live music, prize drawings and Latin American musical performances throughout the aquarium; children 12 and under admitted free all day. “World Ocean Day Celebration” on June 5 & 6 invites visitors to celebrate the ocean ecosystem and learn their role in assuring healthy oceans in the future. “Otter Days” on September 25 & 26 teaches visitors about one of the ocean’s most charismatic creatures; “Evenings by the Bay” from July 3 through September 5, spend summertime Saturday and Sunday evenings lingering by the Bay with extended aquarium hours until 8 p.m. and a variety of special events and live music performances; “Fiesta del Mar” on October 3 includes bilingual feeding and training sessions, musical performances and more; children 12 and under admitted free all day. “Feathered Friends” on November 20 & 21 gives visitors the opportunity to learn about how aviculturists train and care for the aquarium’s feathered friends. Visit www.montereybayaquarium.org for more information.

AUDITORIUM PROGRAMS: Programs featuring high-definition video footage run daily in the aquarium’s 250-seat auditorium; included with admission. Topics include jellyfish, otters, the deep sea, sharks – including the story of the aquarium’s great white sharks – and other fascinating species and conservation issues.

ADMISSION: All exhibits and programs included with aquarium admission – $29.95 adult; $27.95 senior (over 65) and student (full-time college, with I.D.); $17.95 children and the disabled; under 3 free (rates subject to change). Located at 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, California. The aquarium is open daily except Christmas Day. Hours of operation vary by season. Visit www.montereybayaquarium.org or call (831) 648-4888 for daily schedules and information. Advance tickets: online at www.montereybayaquarium.org or by phone, (800) 756-3737. Discounted tickets for members of the military and their families can be purchased in advance at many California and Nevada installations.