In November of 2022 my father died. In March of 2023 my husband and I flew to New York for the Memorial service and time with my family and several old friends. My chosen treat / reward for this weighty trip was taking my sister Kaelin and her then boyfriend, Nate, to the New York Aquarium. I can’t remember ever going to the New York Aquarium in the years I was growing up in NY and it had been given a big upgrade in the years since anyway.
The New York Aquarium is right next door to Coney Island which is probably wild in the summer but was quiet and cold in mid March. Of course that also meant that there weren’t alot of people we had to share the aquarium with, which is always nice.
Link to online map with more details
Like most aquariums these days there was lots of great information about the animals in their care and what people can do to help them thrive. The info about their coral lab and how they are growing their own coral was very cool to see.
One exhibit that we were all delight to see was all about Sharks! There was a gorgeous lighting set up on the ceiling highlighting many species of sharks and rays, models we could touch and good info about why sharks are important.
There is an absolutely amazing tunnel of all things fishy, sharky, and wonderful that we had a lot of fun pointing out different fish and sharks.
There was also a kid sized tunnel which Kaelin took up the challenge of crawling into. Cozy, for an adult, if you don’t mind tight spaces
These was also a lovely, wide tank with these wonderful rays swimming through and occasionally giving their audience what they love – the “Cute” face underneath.
One of the things I look for at aquariums is exhibits about the region where it sits. Corals, sharks, penguins, sea otters, can be found in most aquariums these days. And while I love saying hi to all of them, I also want to learn more about the waters each aquarium has access to, NY Aquarium has a large, beautiful tank showcasing the Hudson Bay.
And of course there were Jellies! In addition to Moon jellies, who I have seen in several other facilities, they had a new to me species: the Australian Spotted Jellies which are native to the waters around Australia and Southeast Asia.
And of course we had to say hello to the Penguins and Sea Otters, both of whom had outdoor areas to swim and roam about in.
It was a lovely visit that definitely soothed a part of my heart at the end of a complicated week of our Dad’s Memorial. I’d love to visit the NY Aquarium again and see it with fresh, happier eyes.