Frommers.com Frommers.com
Most Recent Destination Forum Posts
Most Recommended Articles
Most Commented Articles
  Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS

New England Aquarium Frommer's Highly Recommended

Hours July-Labor Day Mon-Thurs 9am-6pm, Fri-Sun and holidays 9am-7pm; day after Labor Day-June Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun and holidays 9am-6pm. IMAX: Thurs-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun-Mon 10am-6pm
Location Central Wharf (off State St. and Atlantic Ave.)
Transportation T: Blue Line to Aquarium
Phone 617/973-5200, Simons IMAX Theatre: tel. 866/815-4629 or 617/973-5206
Web site www.newenglandaquarium.org
Prices Admission $19 adults, $11 children 3-11. Free for children under 3 and for those visiting only the outdoor exhibits, cafe, and gift shop. IMAX: Tickets $10 adults, $8 children 3-11
Season Closed Dec 25 and until noon Jan 1

Frommer's Review

This complex is home to more than 15,000 fish and aquatic mammals, and at busy times, it seems to contain at least that many people -- in July and August, try to make this your first stop of the morning, especially on weekends. Pause as you enter to visit with the harbor seals, who frolic in a free outdoor enclosure just past the ticket booth. Inside, penguins from three continents greet visitors as they enter. The focal point of the aquarium is the four-story, 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank. A four-story spiral ramp encircles the tank, which contains a replica of a Caribbean coral reef and an assortment of sea creatures that seem to coexist amazingly well. Part of the reason for the peace might be that scuba divers feed the sharks twice a day. The two-floor Amazing Jellies exhibit is home to hundreds of eye-catching jellyfish. At the Edge of the Sea exhibit, visitors can touch the sea stars, sea urchins, and horseshoe crabs in the tide pool. The Medical Center is especially involving: It's a working veterinary hospital. Other exhibits show off tropical sea creatures (including clownfish -- you know, Nemo), freshwater specimens, denizens of the Amazon, marine life in the Gulf of Maine, and the ecology of Boston Harbor.

The Simons IMAX Theatre, which has its own building, hours, and admission fees, is worth planning for, too. Its 85-foot-by-65-foot screen shows 3-D films with digital sound that concentrate on the natural world. It's an impressive experience.

The aquarium turns 40 in 2009; the big day is June 29, but check ahead all year for special exhibits, events, and activities.

I suggest starting your day here because you'll want to spend at least half a day, and huge afternoon crowds can make getting around painfully slow. Discounts are available when you combine a visit to the aquarium with an IMAX film or a whale watch. Also consider investing in a Boston CityPass or Go Boston card; either one allows you to skip the ticket line, which can be uncomfortably long, and may represent a savings on the steep admission charge.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


Back to Top


  Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS


Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Frommer's Boston 2010 Destination Guide Frommer's Boston 2010

Author: Marie Morris
Pub Date: September 08, 2009
Price: $17.99

Add to Cart
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide Related Titles:
Boston For Dummies, 4th Edition
Destination Guide
Frommer's 23 Great Drives in New England, 1st Edition
Destination Guide
Frommer's Boston Day by Day, 1st Edition
Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide
Destinations
Destinations

Frommer's Star Ratings

Frommer's Recommended 0 stars Frommer's Recommended
Frommer's Highly Recommended 1 stars Frommer's Highly Recommended
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended 2 stars Frommer's Very Highly Recommended
Frommer's Exceptional 3 stars Frommer's Exceptional

About Our System

Frommer's ranks every hotel, restaurant, attraction, shop, and nightlife establishment it reviews for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating scale, an expression of the strong compare-and-contrast opinions that are a brand hallmark.

Other ratings provide stars based primarily on price and amenities; the Frommer's star rating is meant to quantify the kind of intangible, experiential elements that help travelers make informed decisions.

The "baseline" recommendation is zero stars--every hotel, restaurant, attraction, shop, and nightlife establishment that Frommer's chooses to review is recommended; otherwise, we simply wouldn't include it.

Close Window