New England Aquarium — Aquarium Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"Zoom out. What’s this place all about? When the New England Aquarium opened on Boston's waterfront in 1969, it arrived during a period of major urban renewal for Boston, and was one of the world's first modern aquariums. While it has undergone various improvements and renovations at one time or another, the museum has operated in the same space since then, and has been a fixture of the city's waterfront for half a century. The Aquarium's unofficial mascot, its resident 90 year-old Green Sea Turtle "Myrtle the Turtle," has been enchanting visitors since her arrival one year later in 1970. A museum's permanent collection is its defining feature: How was this one?   It all starts with the penguins—when you first enter, you're greeted by African Penguin and Rockhopper colonies that are by any measure an absolute delight to watch. Just past, the main attraction is the 40-foot wide, floor-to-ceiling, 200,000 gallon salt water Ocean Tank, home to about 1000 marine animals, including turtles, eels, and tropical fish. A cylindrical walkway makes it possible for guests to experience the tank from every depth and angle, and a number of smaller satellite rooms contain informational displays and touch tanks that kids and adults alike will enjoy. Exhibits keep us coming back. What can we expect?   Because of the complicated nature of managing ocean life in the confines of a museum, exhibits don't rotate here as often as, say, an art museum where you can move a couple paintings around and call it a day. Currently, there's an Olympic Coast exhibit highlighting marine animals from the Pacific Northwest, including hundreds of endemic fish, live anemones, and a giant Pacific Octopus, as well as a Gulf of Maine exhibit which includes a number of fish species from Boston Harbor's waters. What did you make of the crowd? The Aquarium is a popular field trip spot, so you're likely to be surrounded by schools of rambunctious kids on any given day, especially from the lunch hour onwards. The museum implemented timed ticketing during the pandemic and is likely to keep it moving forward, which acts as a good form of crowd control, but the quietest times to visit are still weekdays first thing in the morning. On the practical tip, how were the facilities?   This place is a well-oiled machine that is used to managing crowds of chaotic children and the exasperated adults who manage them. There are plenty of benches and places to pause for a break, and there are elevators to access every level of the aquarium. Any guided tours worth trying?    Guided tours were unfortunately a casualty of the pandemic, but the Aquarium hopes to bring them back at some point, as well as immersive encounters with a meet-and-great component. But while there aren't any formal tours or audio guides at the moment, the Aquarium does keep educators stationed throughout the building, who are on hand to answer any questions and walk you through the various exhibits. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it?    The gift shop is surprisingly beautiful by museum standards (especially museums which cater to so many school-aged visitors). The selection of plush turtles, penguins, and North Atlantic right whales make great gifts for the kids in your life. But for something extra special you don’t often see in museum gift shops, look for the paintings made by the Aquarium’s crew of resident harbor seals. As part of daily enrichment and feeding sessions, the seals are given blank canvases and paint brushes and trained to “paint.” Where else can you get an eight-by-ten, matted, unique painting for $70? They’re not exactly Monet quality, but they’re a meaningful keepsake that helps fund the Aquarium’s mission. Is the café worth a stop? With so many amazing restaurants within walking distance, you aren't necessarily coming to the Aquarium to eat, but the on-site café serves well in a pinch. Expect classic chicken fingers and hot dogs fare for the kiddos, and fresh fruit cups and kale salads for grown-ups. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? Average visits last about two hours (keeping in mind that the average visitor is wrangling kids half the time). Ninety minutes is ideal, but you can absolutely have a memorable experience in sixty minutes flat." - Todd Plummer