If you are planning a trip to West Boothbay Harbor, Maine, then you will certainly want to check out the Maine State Aquarium that is located right on the water. The aquarium was built in 1993 with the completion in 1995 of the exhibits and support systems. The main gallery is enough to visit on its own because it is like the actual rocky coast of Maine. Within the cliffs that appear to be granite you can find invertebrates and regional fish. There are plenty of touch tanks and other interactive displays that make the aquarium a great place to visit for families with kids of all ages.
One of the amazing aspects of the aquarium are all the lobsters! There are so many different sizes and colors that it is quite amazing. One of the most popular lobsters is named Fritz. He weighs 23 pounds and has huge claws. Another tank that is colorful and great to look at is the “Downeast” tank. Here you will find purple sunstars, red sea anemones, and more. Everyone will be entranced with the sea creatures they find here, especially the shrimp and how the behave!
The center stage tank has 850 gallons and is home to sharks and skates. You can actually pet a real, live shark and tough a skate to see how rough its skin is. Top it all off by visiting the 20 foot long touch tank where you can see how a scallop or sea cucumber squirts while touching sea urchins, sea stars, and watching moon snails. The Aquarium is open seven days a week from 10 am until 5 pm. Adult tickets are $5, children 5-16 are $3, kids under 4 are free, and senior citizens are $3. Go ahead and buy tickets so you can have them ready and waiting for your trip to the Maine State Aquarium.
