"Big Fish of The Bay" Makes a Splash at the Exploration Center

By Matt Vieira, PR & Multimedia Coordinator

Thursday morning, we celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of our brand new Big Fish of the Bay exhibit at our Exploration Center and Aquarium in Newport.

Sen. Paiva Weed, Jonathan Stone, Pell Students
and Adam Kovarsky cut the ribbon on the new tank! 

Executive Director Jonathan Stone served as master of ceremonies and introduced Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, who offered remarks on why this tank, and the Exploration Center and Aquarium in general, are so important for the communities it serves.

This brand-new exhibit offers the opportunity for us to showcase some of the larger marine life that inhabits Narragansett Bay. The 1,500-gallon tank, which increases the water capacity at our center by 40 percent, was unveiled with the help of third graders from Pell Elementary School, who were front and center for the unveiling. Our Aquarist Adam Kovarsky gave guests and students information about the new tank and the rest of the 
Exploration Center, which houses more than 40 species from Narragansett Bay.

Along with the grand opening of the new "mega-tank" (my own personal nickname for it) visitors also enjoyed the rest of what our aquarium has to offer. Guests came from right off Easton's Beach to pet our Dogfish Sharks, spot flounders in their specially designed tank and hold Sea Urchins in the palm of their hands. The Aquarium was buzzing with activity, all stemming from the unveiling of "Big Fish". 

Our Exploration Center and Aquarium takes pride in its local inhabitants. In fact, we have the only aquarium in Rhode Island that features the marine life of Narragansett Bay exclusively. This gives our visitors a close up look at what lurks right beyond the waves of their favorite Rhode Island beaches. We work tirelessly year round to foster environmental stewardship in those who inhabit the areas surrounding the Narragansett Bay and its watershed. 

To see this monster of a tank for yourself, visit our Exploration Center and Aquarium during our normal business hours, which this time of year is daily from 10 a.m. –4 p.m.. Admission is $8 per person with children 3 and under and Save The Bay "Family" members are free!