Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration
55 Coogan Blvd
Mystic, CT
Exit 90 off I-95

If you plan to be in southeastern Connecticut, you have to take time to see the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration.

We have a membership and visit frequently, so we thought we would share some of our favorites at the aquarium:

~penguins (There are two younger ones who especially love visitors & are very responsive!)
~sharks
~clown fish (my kids love visiting Nemo!)
~Bat Cave
~octopus
~Ray Touch Tank (this cool exhibit lets you actually touch a Ray!)
~Sea Lions (The older two are Coco and Surfer, and they have recently been joined by a young pup named Boomerang. He loves to play with young visitors, often swimming back and forth to keep up with the children moving around!). There are also Sea Lion shows scheduled throughout the day. This is included in the price of your admission.
~Titanic exhibit (Ok, my children are rather bored by this exhibit, but I find it all very fascinating. The artifacts and details are very interesting and I could easily spend an hour in this exhibit alone, if given the chance.).
~Beluga whales (These creatures are just breathtaking. They are very playful, too, and will often interact with visitors through the glass wall.)

There are many more exhibits, but these are the highlights.

Tickets can be purchased online through their website at a discount. Online prices are as follows: adults are $23, seniors are $20, and children 3-17 are $17. Children two and under are free. I recommend checking out their "combo ticket" which costs a little bit more but also includes a visit to the Mystic Seaport (another great local attraction).

There is a small restaurant at the aquarium, the Penguin's Cafe, that serves an assortment of food & beverages. We have found the prices to be high and the selection to be small, so we like to bring our own picnic lunches. There are picnic tables near the parking lot (if you get your hand stamped before you leave, you can re-enter at a later time).

The employees at the aquarium are an endless source of knowledge and really seem to have a passion and respect for marine life. My children tend to ask a lot of questions, and the employees have always shown a lot of patience and seem to enjoy sharing their knowledge with interested visitors.

The aquarium has changed a lot over the past few years, so whether it's been a while since your last visit, or this will be your first time, I highly recommend spending a day at this educational and fun spot.

Recommended: Yes