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Free Traveling Guides » States » California » Central Coast
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium, located in a former cannery and brewery on
Cannery Row in
Monterey, is one of the largest and most well-respected aquariums in the
world. Nearly two million people visit the aquarium each year. It houses
over 35,000 plants and animals of over 600 species, all local to the area.
The aquarium began operation in 1984.
The aquarium contains two huge tanks. One, shown above, is 33 feet tall. It
has a kelp forest as well as numerous schooling fish and simulates tidal
currents. The other is a million-gallon tank with the world's largest
single-paned window. Another impressive exhibit is an open tank with sea
otters, which can be viewed either from inside or outside. The otters are
fed every two hours.
In addition to marine life, the aquarium has many local birds and reptiles.
It also has small tanks of stingrays as well as sea slugs, urchins, and
anemones, which visitors can touch.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium was featured in the 1986 film Star Trek IV:
The Voyage Home.
- Address: 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
- Telephone: (831) 648-4888
- Hours: 10 AM - 6 PM daily, 9:30 AM - 6 PM summers and holidays, closed Chrismas
- Website: www.mbayaq.org
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