U.S./China Environmental Education Exchange

Day 2: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Day 2 Aquarium Photos | Introduction to Exchange

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located at the end of Cannery Row, famous for the Chinese squid fishermen. The Aquarium is unique because it specializes in conservation and education. Buit in an old cannery building, it is integrated right into the bay that its exhibits represent.

The group was led on a personalized before-hours behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium. The tour included the jellyfish display, million-gallon outer bay (deep ocean) tank, three-story kelp forest, and two-story sea otter exhibit.

The teachers were most Discovery Center where school children spend an hour touching and observing organisms from different biomes in the Monterey Bay area. Hands-on education is the focus.

Upon arrival, the sea otters had been replaced by scuba divers -- volunteers who wait a year or mor to clean the tank. The sea otters returned later in a highly entertaining mood -- cleaning their fur and swimming around and around.

There are many hands-on exhibits where visitors can pick up and pet a variety of organisms including starfish, sea cucumbers, and crabs.

Behind-the-scenes, the group saw how waves were made in the tanks, how the kelp forest stayed wet enough to survive, and the pipe system, which filters and replenishes the water in the tanks.

Day 2 Aquarium Photos | Introduction to Exchange