Turn Out, Take Action

World Wildlife Fund is asking the world to go dark.

 

To make a global statement of concern about climate change, World Wilflife Fund is inviting people and organizations from every nation to turn off any non-essential lighting for one hour – Earth Hour.

 

Inspired by the city of Baltimore, the National Aquarium will participate in Earth Hour 2009 by turning off our lights on Saturday, March 28 between 8:30 and 9:30pm. Of course, safety comes first so emergency lights will be lit but the Aquarium’s major exhibits, lobbies, ticket center, shops, and all outside lights on the pier will go dark.

 

As a major attraction that lights up Baltimore’s sky line, the Aquarium has become an important landmark on the Inner Harbor. It’s a very intricate building that is home to over 16,000 animals, and so turning off the lights off is no easy feat. But we are dedicated to showing our concern and respect for our beautiful planet.

 

You can do your part at home as well! Join the Aquarium and turn off your lights from this Saturday, March 28 between 8:30and 9:30pm. And be sure to tell your family, friends, neighbors! Click here to sign up and to learn more about Earth Hour. And please tell us how you plan to participate!

 

“One person committed to reducing energy consumption can make a difference, but millions working together can change the world.” 

An exciting day!

National Aquarium staff and visitors gathered together in the Aquarium’s 4-D Immersion Theater to watch as Barack Obama was sworn in as our nation’s 44th President. With nearly all of the 225 seats were filled, the room was packed with excitement! Sounds of clapper and cheers spread through the theater as Barack Obama and Joe Biden were sworn into office.

The Baltimore Business Journal captured the celebration at many locations around town. Click here to read about it!

Celebrating the presidential inauguration

On Saturday, January 17, 2009, President-Elect Obama will be visiting Baltimore on his way to his inauguration and will deliver a speech near City Hall at Baltimore’s War Memorial Plaza. The speech is scheduled to commence at 4:15 p.m.  National Aquarium visitors and overflow speech-goers will have a chance to see and hear the speech on a large screen in front of the Aquarium on Pier 3 in the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Waterfront Park.

For the safety and security of visitors to our city, many downtown streets will be closed on Saturday. Plan your visit to Baltimore City accordingly! Visit getarounddowntown.com, a service provided by Downtown Partnership, for a complete listing of these closures. Also, to accommodate visitors in the area, the Aquarium’s ticket center will close at 4 p.m. on Saturday.Visit aqua.org for details.

If you are traveling to Washington D.C. next week and looking for fun things to do around the city, stop by the newly renovated National Aquarium in D.C. located in the basement of the Commerce building.

An unchanged world

Of all of the places on earth to visit, The Galapagos Islands have been rated one of the top 7 and the trip is said to be a life-changing experience. With so many beautiful places to visit on earth, what makes these islands so special?

The native species of plants and animals have remained relatively the same since the days of Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835 as the islands are located 600 miles from the mainland. So, in a world that is filled with constant change and the creation of new things, these islands present the rarity of the unchanged.

Visitors are limited to itineraries that are set by the Ecuadorian government. In fact, many areas of the Galapagos National Park are not available for visitation to help manage the impact of people on the ecosystem. And in the areas where visitors can roam, no one is allowed to touch, feed or harass the wildlife.  Before leaving one island and travelling to another, visitors must clean off the soles of their shoes to eliminate the transfer of any plant or animal species from one island to another, as the flora and fauna of each island is unique to that island.

Seem like a lot of rules? Maybe. But it’s these set of rules that make the islands so fascinating. It’s conservation in its truest form. In June, the National Aquarium will embark on an 8 day cruise led by a naturalist and will visit 9 of the 13 main islands of the Galapagos. For more information on how you can join this excursion, click here!

From the Curator: National Aquarium wins best exhibit award!

From John Seyjagat, Curator of Australia Exhibits

The National Aquarium’s Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit was recently awarded best exhibit in the North America zoo and aquarium community. As the curator of this exhibit, I must say I am overwhelmingly proud to have received this coveted award given by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) each year– and the first to claim bragging rights, as this project was no easy feat for our exhibit team!

Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes is a lot more than a new exhibit. We have harnessed modern technologies, innovative designs, interactive learning, visitor friendly exhibitory and a unique Australian animal and plant collection, to create a one-of-a-kind visitor experience.

There are so many great features to this exhibit. Perhaps my favorite aspect is how the exhibit plays on the “wow” factor by incorporating prey and predators all sharing common spaces. The habitats are alive with color, movement, and noise the unique animals tell stories of their own.