Hungry For Fish? Head To The Aquarium!
Written: Nov 18 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Interactive and well-designed exhibits, good variety, helpful volunteers.
Cons: Fairly small for the price; gift shops every 20 feet, yeesh.
The Bottom Line: You want thingamabottomlines? I've got twenty. But who cares? No big deal - I want more...
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| disinclined's Full Review: Audubon Institute Aquarium of the Americas |
“So, you won’t mind if we spend a while at the otter exhibit, will you?” asked my friend as we got our tickets. “Like an hour or so?” It’s amazing what you find out about people when you vacation with them; I’d previously been unaware that she was an otter nut. But I was feeling generous. We were in New Orleans for a week, with nothing to do but cram ourselves with food and lumber from one tourist attraction to another. I could afford to indulge her ottermania; if she spent more than four hours with her nose pressed to the glass…well, there’s always a gift shop.
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is located near Canal Street on the Mississippi River, on the very fringe of the French Quarter. Although the aquarium itself is somewhat small and won’t take up more than an afternoon, there are other things in the vicinity to help you fill up your day. Nearby is the Canal Street Ferry that will take you to Mardi Gras World; the multi-story Riverwalk Mall (which has a truly impressive food court); and the ritzy Shops at Canal Place, in case Rolexes are your idea of souvenirs for the folks back home.
As you enter the aquarium, the first thing you’ll see is the Caribbean Tunnel, an overhead water-filled arch crammed full of brightly colored tropical fish. It’s eye-catching and fun to watch, and the fish aren’t shy about coming up to the glass to stare back at you.
Sharks are the main attraction of the Gulf of Mexico exhibit, though it also offers turtles and sting rays, and, of course, more fish. Nearby, the jellyfish on display (one of the most extensive in the country) range from itty-bitty blobs to monstrous transparent sacs, all pulsating menacingly in their tanks.
Upstairs, the Amazon Rainforest exhibit – complete with piped-in mist to simulate rainforest conditions – is nicely designed to feel outdoorsy, with tropical vegetation and simulated rock. Piranhas zip around in one tank, along with other homely fish of the Amazon. A trainer is on hand to field questions about the parrots and macaws seated on a branch in this area.
The penguin exhibit is fairly small and unremarkable; the penguins declined to swim and frolic for us, preferring to sit on their rocks, which may have contributed to my disappointment. You can, however, hit a button and listen in on the penguins talking. I was much more pleased with the seahorses and sea dragons (a personal favorite of mine). There are free-standing tanks where you can observe the seahorses sucking up shrimp, and both weedy and leafy sea dragons in separate tanks. There’s also an electric eel section nearby, and a shark touchpool that’s sure to titillate the kiddies.
Next was the much-anticipated otter exhibit, featuring Emma and Buck. We happened to be there at feeding time, and got to watch the otter inhaling chunks of fish with gusto (no screwing around with the breaking-abalone-shells-on-chest routine here). Sea otters seem to enjoy playing in the water more than river otters, and Emma and Buck obligingly frolicked in their connected tanks for us. At one point, a volunteer brought out an otter pelt on a cart for us to pet; otter pelts are, of course, illegal, but this one was recovered from a poacher and donated to the zoo for educational purposes. Otters don’t have layers of blubber to keep them warm, so they rely on their thick, super-soft fur to stay toasty. Once the volunteer pried my fingers off the pelt and left, I adjourned to the gift shop – yes, the otters are so popular that they have their own gift shop. My friend decided that she needed a set of Emma & Buck pajamas, with the slogan “Love One An Otter” atop a picture of the embracing otters, but I refrained from otter-related purchases.
The current temporary exhibit is called “Frogs!” and features a variety of exotic frogs from around the world. I’m not a big fan of them, so we went through this section rather quickly, but it did seem to have a good assortment of amphibians and related information.
Last is the Mississippi swamp exhibit (never let it be said that Louisianians lack swamp pride). Here, among a naturalistic environment, you’ll find catfish and other local delicacies, some owls and eagles that seem stuffed but are not, and the obligatory albino alligator. A large bay window offers a scenic view of the river for those who want to stop and rest.
Nicely designed, with a simple layout and lots of interactive stuff for the kids, the Audubon Aquarium is nevertheless fairly small. You won’t need more than two hours to see everything, even if you’ve got a confirmed otterphile in your party, but there is an IMAX theater located in the building (showing both educational nature films, and regular movies; “Matrix Reloaded” was showing when we were there) to complete your outing. If being in New Orleans has worked up your appetite for fish, the Audubon Aquarium will satisfy your cravings.
Tickets are $14 for adults, with discounts available for children. Package deals combining aquarium, zoo, and/or cruise tickets can also be purchased. A food court is located on the second floor. Hours are 9:30 to 6:30, with extended hours on weekends. For more information, visit www.auduboninstitute.org/aoa/.
Check out my other New Orleans reviews:
Laura Plantation: http://www.epinions.com/content_118307458692
Oak Alley Plantation: http://www.epinions.com/content_118051606148
Torres Cajun Swamp Tours: http://www.epinions.com/content_117647511172
Audubon Zoo: http://www.epinions.com/content_117496909444
Recommended:
Yes
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