City Boasts Unique Connection to the Sea

NEW BEDFORD — Despite the toughest of economic times, the dream of a place to celebrate New Bedford’s unique connection to the oceans is coming true. On Saturday, July 4, the Ocean Explorium will open its doors to the public seven days a week, complete with several new living aquarium exhibits and an innovative children’s activity center.
The new exhibits include a large living coral reef, which will highlight the issue of coral bleaching and global warming, scallops, New England fishes, jellyfish, anemone fishes and seahorses. The new children’s activity center will provide a special hands-on room for younger children to explore and learn through ocean-related games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and books.
The Ocean Explorium is located inside the historic building that once housed the New Bedford Institution for Savings, on the corner of Union and Purchase Streets in downtown New Bedford.
The project is the outcome of a significant partnership between the New Bedford Oceanarium and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, which purchased the Ocean Explorium’s focal exhibit, Science on a Sphere, last year.
Science on a Sphere uses a state-of-the-art global display system to create an image of the earth and other planets in 3-D. It displays scientific data sets, both historic and real-time, to demonstrate environmental issues on a global scale.
UMASS Dartmouth Chancellor Jean MacCormack has supported the concept of a public ocean science education center in New Bedford since she joined the University 10 years ago.
For further information, contact Ellen Carpenter (508) 758-8494; or ellenbmcarpenter@yahoo.com.au) or go to the Ocean Explorium website at www.oceanexplorum.org
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