A Visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific!

 The Aquarium of the Pacific, since it opened in 1998, has oceans of aquatic environments and animals! It is located in the Rainbow Harbor area of Long Beach, just across the street from the Long Beach Convention Center. More info at: https://www.aquariumofpacific.org. The adult ticket is $49.95! Seriously. This may be due to the federal cuts to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. So places like the Long Beach Aquarium need you to support them. 

There are two new exhibits, but basically it is the same aquarium, so is it worth the price? Yes!, if you have never been to the aquarium, but no if you have already been to the aquarium and not interested in seeing animals again (like me!) or a new exhibit. Always support aquariums, zoos, and museums. The interesting center piece of the museum is the whale sculpture that runs through the bottom floor. To the left is the gift shop and exit and to the right is the area with medium displays of sea stars and fish.

A diver at Blue Cavern greets visitors at the Long Beach Aquarium, photo by the author. 

I did like the parent who pointed out a Nemo and then corrected herself saying it was an orange Garibaldi. This part also had a kiosk with information for visitors. Next is a massive window for the Blue Cavern displaying sea life off of the coast of Catalina Island. This has a Leopard Shark and Giant Sea Bass. Later, there were two divers pointed out features and answering questions to the floor filled with young kids. This leads to a winding hall past Spiny Lobsters and and Purple-Striped Jelly. Finally, there is a tunnel with windows at both sides for the Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions. 

The first floor opens to the ourdoor with gift booths, the Lorikeet Forest, Shark Lagoon, and the Moon Jelly Touch Lab. Up some steps is seating area for the seal and sea lion shows. The second floor leads to the Northern Pacific Gallery. There is an exhibit for Diving Birds including the Horned Puffin. It leads down to the Giant Pacific Octopus, Ghost who sadly died last year. The hall turns and goes to the large Sea Otter Habitat which had some tiers for sitting to watch the feeding show. The Southern Sea Otters were busy feeding and splashing around. The next room had the new exhibit, Frogs: Facing a Changing World, this had a number of small tanks. 

A pool of Moon Jellies at Jelly:Dreamscapes, author’s photo. 

One of them had the Axolotl, the Mexican Salamander that was featured in the aquarium’s commericals. The info card noted that they are black or brown, but this one is pale and pinkish. It had black eyes with pinkish external gills that give Axolotl their distinctive look. Some were colorful like the Blue Poison Dart Frog with black spots and blue skin showing the threat of its poison. The other new exhibit is Jelly: Dreamscapes. It had a pool of Moon Jellies and South American sea nettles. The sea nettles have yellow bells like a 17th century ladies hat with streaming, ghostly arms like a lacy trail of a dress and thin, red tentacles flowing like a fan. The guide book is great plus there is a pressed penny machine by the gift shop! The Long Beach Aquarium has fascinating displays of marine animals that are always new to discover!   

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