Construction is nearly finished on the new live exhibits at the Ocean Explorium.  "The installation crew has worked around the clock, stopping only for student field trips and our visitor hours", said Mark Smith, Ocean Explorium Executive Director.  

Warren Gibbons, Curator of Exhibits, oversees the construction and credits volunteers for their assistance.  "Without the help of Ocean Explorium volunteers, this installation would never have been possible.  Some of the exhibit was built off-site in a Volunteer's garage and then brought to the Ocean Explorium in the back of his pick-up truck."

The first exhibit to be operational is the ray and shark touch tank, which is finished and filled with water.  A variety of ray and shark species will inhabit the tank and are expected to arrive any day now.

It is not entirely coincidental that the Ocean Explorium ray and shark exhibit comes on line around the same time as the New England Aquarium's new exhibit.  Indeed the tank that Mr. Gibbons is installing was purchased from the Boston attraction two years ago. "The New Bedford community will have its own extraordinary ray and shark touch tank experience right at home, at a much lower cost and with fewer parking hassles."

The Ocean Explorium is located at 174 Union Street in downtown New Bedford and is handicap accessible through the rear entrance.  Call 508.994.5400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            508.994.5400      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit the website, www.oceanexplorium.org, for more information.