Monterey Bay Aquarium To Celebrate Silver Anniversary In 2009

By Kasia Deuel 

Monterey, CA - During its 25th anniversary year the nation’s No. 1 family aquarium continues to fascinate visitors with innovative new exhibits and animals with the opening of its newest special exhibition, The Secret Lives of Seahorses.

Seahorses have been celebrated in art, literature and mythology for centuries, so you’d think we know a lot about them. On April 6 in The Secret Lives of Seahorses you’ll discover that nothing could be further from the truth.

It’s one of many surprises in 2009 that await visitors at the world-renowned aquarium.

The aquarium’s grand opening on October 20, 1984 launched a new era in ocean conservation awareness and aquarium design – sparking the “Age of Aquariums” in more than two dozen cities across the United States.

It’s been a trendsetter among aquariums for a quarter century. It was the first to successfully exhibit great white sharks, create the world’s largest living deep-sea exhibits and living kelp forest exhibit, design galleries especially for kids and families, and pioneer mesmerizing jellyfish exhibits on a grand scale. Its Seafood Watch program is transforming the global seafood market by helping consumers and businesses choose sustainable seafood. Through ongoing conservation outreach, research programs and engaging exhibits the aquarium will continue to inspire ocean conservation throughout 2009.

The newest and biggest inspiration will come in a variety of shapes and sizes when the new special exhibition, The Secret Lives of Seahorses, opens on April 6.

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 anything but ordinary.

Nine species of seahorses, plus enchanting seahorse relatives including sea dragons, ribboned pipehorses, dragon pipefish and shrimpfish beckon visitors into the elusive water world of these charismatic creatures. Each exhibit highlights the varied habitats in which seahorses and their relatives live, and shares important stories about the threats they face in the wild.

“Seahorses are wonderful ambassadors for ocean conservation because they live in the most endangered habitats in the world – coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangrove forests,” said Ava Ferguson, senior exhibit developer for The Secret Lives of Seahorses. “When you save a seahorse, you also save some of Earth’s most precious marine habitats.”

As they explore the exhibit, visitors will meet the entire seahorse family: fishes that have fused jaws and bony plates in place of the scales normally associated with fish. Although seahorses and their kin come in many shapes and body forms, all are masters of disguise. Their ability to camouflage and blend with their environment helps them avoid detection by predators.

Sadly, the mystique and elusiveness that draws people to seahorses is also the reason they’re in jeopardy in the wild.

“So little is known about seahorses that we are at risk of losing these animals before we even know them,” said Ferguson. “Until recently, we had no idea that seahorses were being caught and collected at a rate that threatens their survival.”

Of the 34 known seahorse species, eight are listed as threatened to some degree on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) “Red List.” They’re declining worldwide because of destruction of the reefs and shallow waters where they live, invasive fishing practices in which they’re accidentally killed as bycatch, and because of the excessive collection of seahorses for the curio trade, home aquariums and for use in traditional medicines. 

The multimedia galleries in The Secret Lives of Seahorses will connect visitors with conservation stations that provide the tools they need to help save these fascinating animals.

In one gallery, visitors learn why seahorses and their relatives are the ocean’s kings of camouflage. One live exhibit features stick-like shrimpfish, which usually keep their heads pointed downward between sea urchin spines and colorful corals to blend with the surrounding habitat. A newborn seahorse clutch in another live exhibit helps demonstrate how seahorse babies are insanely tiny yet totally self-sufficient. Visitors can test their own camouflage skills at an interactive exhibit by designing a custom seahorse. Be advised: The seahorse that’s least well-hidden will be eaten by a passing predator. 

Elsewhere, the award-winning “Splash Zone: Ocean Homes” family exhibit continues to enchant visitors and to build magical and lasting connections with the ocean for children of all ages.

The expanded Enchanted Kelp Forest, Coral Reef Kingdom and Rugged Rocky Shore galleries that opened in 2008 are home to visitor favorites like a colony of blackfooted penguins, a den of moray eels and water play areas. With double the space for families, visitors can now 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.

New behind-the-scenes tours also continue in 2009, giving visitors the opportunity to learn other secrets about the aquarium. 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. These dynamic tours will be offered several times a day for $12 per person for the general public and $10 per person for members. An expert guide, state-of-the-art headset technology and explorations that take you to where the day’s action is 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 usually available – advance purchase online is recommended.

General admission tickets, as well as behind-the-scenes tickets, are now available online at www.montereybayaquarium.org. There’s no service charge to print tickets at home or pick them up upon arrival, and just a small fee to receive tickets by mail. Either way, advance tickets are a great way to avoid ticket lines on busy days.

The aquarium’s first-ever freshwater special exhibition, Wild About Otters, continues to captivate visitors with feisty freshwater otters and over 30 species of tropical freshwater fishes and reptiles. Visitors can also explore the deep sea in the aquarium’s “Mission to the Deep” exhibit. Through large, multi-screen presentations and interactive displays, “Mission to the Deep” invites visitors to join researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute as they photograph deep-sea animals, map vast undersea mountains and monitor animals that colonize a sunken whale carcass.

In addition to special exhibitions, the aquarium’s acclaimed permanent exhibits include playful sea otters; a towering three-story kelp forest; touch pools and other hands-on exhibits; and a million-gallon Outer Bay exhibit, home to sharks, tuna, ocean sunfish and other open-ocean animals.

There are daily feeding shows in the Kelp Forest and sea otter exhibits, as well as daily auditorium programs featuring high-definition video clips that take visitors into the deep sea and waters around the world to learn about sharks, jellies and otters.

A full lineup of Aquarium Adventures programs will kick off the summer of 2009, including sailing excursions, behind-the-scenes tours and children’s SCUBA diving in the Great Tide Pool.

Also in summer and back by popular demand are extended weekend hours during “Evenings by the Bay.” Each Saturday and Sunday visitors will have two additional hours – until 8 p.m. – to enjoy The Secret Lives of Seahorses and everything else the aquarium has to offer. The evenings also include live music and an opportunity to have dinner in the ocean-view Portola Restaurant.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, acclaimed as one of the world’s finest, has attracted more than 44 million visitors and has won national awards for its permanent and special exhibitions, its architecture, and its cultural, educational and economic impact.

All exhibits and programs except “Aquarium Adventures” are included with 2009 aquarium admission of $29.95 adult; $27.95 senior (65+) and student (full-time college, with I.D.); and $20.95 children 3-12 and the disabled. (2009 prices; rates subject to change and will be confirmed before January 1). 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 historic Cannery Row in Monterey, the aquarium 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); with extended weekend hours on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer.

For more information visit www.montereybayaquarium.org or call (831) 648-4888.

The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans.