Visitor's Guide to the New England Aquarium

The city of Boston owes its very existence to the sea. Its deep harbor made Boston a center of fishing and commerce in colonial New England, and the most influential city in America's early years of independence. So, it is fitting that one of the leading aquariums in the country is located along the Boston waterfront.

Since it opened over 40 years ago, the New England Aquarium has been not only a top tourist attraction in Boston, but also a leading center of marine life education. Well over one million people visit the New England Aquarium each year to experience the wonders of underwater sea life up close.

The centerpiece - quite literally - of the New England Aquarium is the Giant Ocean Tank. The four-story tank holds over 200,000 gallons of water. It is so large that it was constructed first and the rest of the aquarium was built around it. A circular ramp takes visitors around the tropical tank, with its coral reef and wide variety of sea creatures. More than 600 species swim in the massive tank, including sharks, barracudas, and sting rays. But the most popular resident of the tank, and perhaps of the entire New England Aquarium, is Myrtle the giant sea turtle. She's been living there since the aquarium opened in 1969.

Another popular exhibit is the penguin habitat, where more than six dozen penguins of three different varieties live. The penguin exhibit completely surrounds the giant ocean tank, taking up much of the aquarium's first floor.

The aquarium features its local New England habitat in the third-floor Gulf of Maine exhibit. Six separate areas display the cold water inhabitants that fueled the New England fishing industry, including cod and halibut, crabs and lobsters. The different tanks display different New England offshore habitats, from sandy shoals to rocky shores.

But the New England Aquarium also offers a glimpse of natures wonders far from Boston. The Amazon rain forest display includes six different exhibits highlighting the planet's most diverse habitats. You can get up close with fearsome piranhas, electric eels, and anacondas. Plus, you can experience the colorful collection of tetras and dart frogs.

The aquarium offers much more than just tanks and exhibits. There are educational programs for every age visitor, from summer Harbor Discovery Camps to whale watching tours and overnight visits. No wonder it's one of the most popular school field trip destinations in the northeast. Plus, the New England Aquarium supports a wide variety of highly-recognized conservation programs , including efforts focused on climate change and sustainable fisheries.

The New England Aquarium is located at 1 Central Wharf on the Boston waterfront, a short distance from Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. The aquarium is open daily. Discounted admission is available for children and seniors.