New England Aquarium Boston – Myrtle the Green Sea Turtle
Considered one of the most sought attractions the New England Aquarium Boston is a must-see for your family. Join us for a day at the aquarium in Boston as we take you through the museum and give you tips and tricks to making it the best day for you and your family!
What is New England Aquarium Boston known for?
This public aquarium is one of the most renowned aquariums in New England. The aquarium is home to 100 species, like sea turtles, eels, barracuda, tropical fish, and an anaconda.
Before walking into the aquarium, be sure to stop and get a glimpse of the Atlantic Harbor Seals in the outdoor tank! It’s the one exhibit you can see for free, without purchasing a ticket. Once you are inside the aquarium, be sure to check out the following attractions!
Giant Ocean Tank
Giant Ocean Tank | Image Credit – New England Aquarium Boston
When you enter the dimly-lit aquarium, you’re greeted by a giant 200,000 gallon tank in the middle. The center spiral staircase is lined by more than 50 viewing windows, so you’ll be sure to get a good glimpse of the aquatic creatures.
Myrtle the Green Sea Turtle
Queen of the Giant Ocean Tank – Myrtle the Green Sea Turtle at the New England Aquarium Boston
Fondly called the Queen of the Giant Ocean Tank, Myrtle the Green Sea Turtle has been with the Aquarium since 1970. She came from Provincetown Aquarium in 1970, just one year after the Aquarium opened.
She is estimated to be somewhere between 70-90 years old. Her diet includes romaine lettuce, squid, cabbage, zucchini, bok choy, and (her current preference) Brussels sprouts. She weighs ~ 500lbs and visits the divers (when they vacuum the bottom of the tank) for some shell scratches!
Penguin Colony
Penguin Colony Under the Giant Ocean Tank at New England Aquarium Boston
A large penguin colony home to more than 60 penguins sits at the base of the giant tank (image above). Aquarium visitors can watch biologists feed the penguins twice a day at 9 am and 2:30 pm, where they’ll eat fish like capelin, anchovies, and sardines. You may ask yourself “where is all the snow?” In fact, penguin species are actually temperate species and actually live in climates like Boston.
Marine Mammal Center
Seals at the Marine Mammal Center of New England Aquarium Boston
If you and your family are especially interested in seals, you can purchase a special ticket to go behind the scenes of the Marine Mammal Center, and get to watch trainers feed and play with the seals.
How long does it take to go through New England Aquarium?
Image Credit – New England Aquarium Boston
We arrived at the Aquarium on a Sunday, which may be one of the busiest days to go. Given the number of people, it took about an hour and a half to really see and walk through all the exhibits.
You could spend as much, or as little time in the Aquarium, depending on your group. There’s also the Harbor View Cafe in the Aquarium that has pizza, sandwiches, soups, and snacks if you want to grab a bite. It’s open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the weekends, it stays open an hour later and closes at 4 p.m.
New England Aquarium Boston – What are the Boston Aquarium Hours?
Image Credit – New England Aquarium Boston
The Aquarium Boston hours change, depending on the time of year. Below are the current days and hours for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter.
Spring / Summer Hours (May 27th – September 6th):
- Monday–Thursday 9:00 am–6:00 pm
- Friday 10:00 am–8:00 pm
- Saturday–Sunday 9:00 am–6:00 pm
Fall / Winter Hours (September 7th – May 26th):
- Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
New England Aquarium Parking
The Aquarium, located at 1 Central Wharf, Boston MA 02110, is extremely accessible by bus, train, car, and bike. The Aquarium itself doesn’t operate any parking garages, according to their website, there are five parking garages within .3 miles of the Aquarium that range in price, but are typically a pricey $40 a day.
Parking near the Aquarium is available but expensive.
Localite Boston Tip: We went to visit on a Sunday so we were able to park at a meter a few streets away for free (all meters in Boston are free on Sundays!). If you plan to go any other day, the easiest and most cost-efficient way to get to the Aquarium is to take the Blue Line.
Boston Aquarium Tickets Price, Coupons & Discounts
There are a few ways to grab Aquarium tickets. We have a great guide to securing discounts and deals for tickets, which you can find here.
Localite Boston Tip: One thing to note is that timed tickets are necessary for admission, and it’s strongly encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time.
Since we wanted to see a lot this weekend, we used CityPASS to get into the Aquarium, one of the best options for Boston Aquarium discount tickets. For $67 for adults, and $56 for children, you can save 47% on admission to 4 attractions in Boston including the Aquarium, the Museum of Science, and 2 attractions out of Boston Harbor City Cruises, Franklin Park Zoo and Harvard Museum of Natural History. Certainly worth the price if you’re looking to do a few activities over the course of the weekend!
Get all the details and Save Big using Boston CityPASS!
Hotels Near Boston Aquarium
Luckily, the Aquarium is in a prime location in Boston, with many hotels and lodging options. Below are a few hotels that are within .2 miles of the aquarium:
- Boston Marriott Long Wharf
- Harborside Inn
- Boston Yacht Haven Inn & Marina
- Marriott Vacation Club Pulse at Custom House, Boston
- Boston Harbor Hotel
However, if you chose to stay somewhere else in the city, it’s truly an easy place to get to with the help of the MBTA.
Our visit to the aquarium was fun, and certainly, a must-see when you’re in Boston!
Stay on top of the latest events & activities in the Boston area with our weekly updates to Things to do in Boston this Week and Things to do in Boston this Weekend
And if you would like to get this delivered directly to your feed, give us a follow on Facebook by clicking the …next to the search lens icon
