Mainers and tourists alike can once again step foot into the Maine State Aquarium.
BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — The Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor has been closed since 2020, but now it’s reopening after four years.
Opening Day is Wednesday, June 26.
The closure was due to COVID-19 restrictions and repairs that ended up being more extensive than originally thought.
“[We’re] excited to be able to share some of the work that we do and maybe open up, you know, this opportunity and excitement to others as well,” Maine Department of Marine Resources Science Bureau Director Carl Wilson said.
Thanks to funds, including $850,000 that state Rep. Holly Stover helped secure, the aquarium is ready to reopen its doors to in-person visitors.
“We have ecosystem tanks, talking about the flora and the fauna of the Gulf of Maine,” Wilson said. “There are some really exciting interactive exhibits, but it also touches on the work that we do and some of the staff that are doing that work that they are doing around the Gulf of Maine.”
Heather Glon, a lobster biologist with DMR, joined after the aquarium closed. It’s finally time for visitors to return, and she’s looking forward to showing them her work.
“One of the big things I do is I coordinate the larva lobster survey at DMR,” Glon said. “When lobsters reproduce, they have eggs, and they hold those for about nine months. Those eggs hatch, and they are free-floating in the water.”
Another component of the work at the Maine State Aquarium is climate change.
“We are actively working to ensure we understand how changing water temperatures impact habitat and what we need to do in return to protect the lobster resource,” DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher said.
There are plans to add more exhibits as time goes on.
The Maine State Aquarium will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday through Labor Day.
- Adults 13 to 59: $10
- Children 3 to 12 $7.50
- Children 2 and under: Free
- Seniors 60+: $7.50
- Veterans and Military Personnel: $7.50
