Maria Mitchell Aquarium facts for kids
Exterior of the Maria Mitchell Aquarium Gift Shop, July 2012
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| Date opened | 1997 |
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| Location | Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA |
| Coordinates | 41°16′55″N 70°05′45″W / 41.2819°N 70.0959°W |
| No. of animals | 50+ |
| No. of species | 50+ |
| Annual visitors | 7,000 |
| Memberships | 700 + (of Maria Mitchell Association) |
The Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium (MMA Aquarium), also known as the Nantucket Aquarium, is a small, local aquarium in Nantucket, Massachusetts. It's open during certain seasons. It's the only marine science center on the island. The Aquarium is part of the Maria Mitchell Association. This group teaches people about science and does research. They do this to honor Maria Mitchell (1818-1889). She was America's first female astronomer and was born in Nantucket.
History of the Aquarium
The Maria Mitchell Aquarium is located at 28 Washington Street. This spot used to be the ticket office for the old Nantucket Railroad. It sits right on the edge of the Nantucket Harbor. The harbor connects to the Nantucket Sound. Most of the animals at the aquarium are caught in the waters around Nantucket. They are released back into the ocean at the end of each summer.
The aquarium is the newest part of the Maria Mitchell Association. It opened in 1997. It started as one small room. Now, it has grown to three rooms and two outdoor touch tanks. Its location downtown helps more people visit. It is also closer to the harbor, which is great for collecting animals.
Plans for a New Science Center
For a while, the Maria Mitchell Association planned to build a much bigger aquarium. They wanted to move it across the street. This new center would have allowed science to be taught all year. The current aquarium can only host school trips when the weather is good.
There were some discussions about the design of the new building. Some people thought it should look more like Nantucket's old houses. Others felt it should look like a modern museum. Even with support from local businesses, the project was put on hold. This was because they couldn't get enough money.
Amazing Exhibits
The aquarium has 20 saltwater tanks. It also has two "touch tanks" where you can feel some animals. These are spread across three small buildings. The tanks are home to local sea creatures. These animals are released back into the wild when the aquarium closes for winter. The touch tanks let you get close to animals like crabs, Horseshoe crabs, and clams.
Fun Touch Tanks
A popular part of the aquarium is the touch tank. It's right next to the small gift shop. In this tank, you can find:
- Crabs
- Fish, especially flounder
- Shrimp
- Clams
- Snails, including a large, hunting snail called a moon snail
Other Cool Displays
The aquarium also offers free tours from its staff. They focus on showing only local species. Some of the special animals you might see include:
- A very large American lobster
- A rare blue lobster (its shell is blue due to a natural color change)
- A common octopus
- Lined seahorses
You might also see local favorites like American eels, dusky smooth-hound sharks, sea robins, and different types of skate and squid. The animals on display often change. This is because the staff adds new animals they find.
The biggest tank holds 400 gallons of water. There's also a large outdoor tank that looks out over Nantucket Harbor. This round outdoor tank often has bigger fish like scup and black sea bass. It also houses small sharks called smooth dogfish. Other tanks have trigger fish, lobsters, mantis shrimp, and other local species.
Sometimes, you can even see tropical fish! This happens because the Gulf Stream ocean current passes by Nantucket. So, fish like French angelfish, groupers, butterflyfish, damselfish, and permits sometimes end up in the exhibits.
Important Research
The aquarium helps with important research projects. These include studies on bay scallops and Horseshoe crabs. They also study the variety of marine life in the ocean around Nantucket.
Bay Scallop Research
One main research project is about the Bay Scallop. Nantucket Bay Scallops are very important for the island's economy. They are worth a lot of money. The Maria Mitchell Association works with the Nantucket Shellfish Association. Since 2003, they have been counting bay scallops in Nantucket Harbor. They want to make sure there are enough scallops for the future. They use special lines to collect scallops of all ages. This helps them understand how many young scallops are growing.
Horseshoe Crab Survey
The aquarium also takes part in the yearly Nantucket Horseshoe Crab Survey. In early summer, usually from May to June, the aquarium staff looks for Horseshoe Crabs. They count how many are mating in different areas around the island. This helps them track the health of the Horseshoe Crab population.
Studying Marine Life Diversity
The Maria Mitchell Aquarium offers daily trips in the summer. People can join these trips for a fee. The goal is to teach visitors about marine life. It also helps staff count the different kinds of sea creatures in Nantucket's waters. Here are some of the most common species found:
| Species | How Common It Is | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic silverside | Found in very high numbers, but mostly in certain seasons. |
| 2 | Black-fingered mud crab | The most commonly found species, and the second most abundant. |
| 3 | Northern pipefish | The second most commonly caught species, and third most abundant. |
| 4 | Four-spine stickleback | Very common all year round. |
| 5 | Shore shrimp | Both common and found in large numbers. |
| 6 | Striped killifish | Found in large groups, or "schools." |
Since the early 2000s, the aquarium has counted about 56,347 individual animals. These animals represent 104 different kinds of marine species. This shows how rich the ocean life is around Nantucket!
Educational Programs
The aquarium offers many fun programs. These include:
- Marine Ecology Field Trips
- Family Snorkeling Tours
- Beach Discovery Field Trips
- Night Marine Ecology Field Trips
- Whale Watches
- Seal Cruises
Marine Ecology Field Trips
These trips are part of the aquarium's project to study marine life. They are open to the public, but there is a fee to join. During these trips, staff use a special net called a seine net. They use it to collect animals from the eelgrass beds. This helps them study the animals and teach visitors.
The "Feeding Frenzy"
The "Feeding Frenzy" is a daily program in the summer. Aquarium staff feed the animals. Visitors who pay a special fee can watch this exciting event!
Whale Watches and Seal Cruises
The Maria Mitchell Aquarium works with a local tour company. They offer tours of the harbor and ocean during the summer. On these trips, you can see amazing marine mammals. You might spot seals and even whales! The Seal Cruise takes you to nearby Muskeget Island to see grey seals.
See also
In Spanish: Acuario Maria Mitchell para niños
