Aquarium of the Pacific Aquarium Review

mstickmanp

mstickmanp

Well-Known Member
I will be making the reviews in seperate parts. It will be a different review for each gallery in the aquarium.

This Aquarium of the Pacific is rather new, so everything inside is clean and modern. The aquarium opened in 1998, on Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach, California. The aquarium is divided into 6 section/galleries which are the Great Hall of the Pacific, Ocean on the Edge Gallery, Southern California and Baja Gallery, Explorers Cove, Northern Pacific Gallery, and the Tropical Pacific Gallery. The Ocean on the Edge Gallery is a temporary gallery, and in the past years the aquarium has had different things in that area.
 
Great Hall of the Pacific

When visitors enter the aquarium this is the first section/gallery they’ll enter. In the great hall the first thing people see is the 88 foot long Blue Whale replicas, which are a mother and a calf. This area includes 3 tanks, some restaurants, the gift shop and a theater.

[thumb=16853;1082;2897139501_a6157c6e31_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Blue Whale Replica[/thumb]

Two of the tanks in this area of the aquarium are preview tanks for the Northern Pacific Gallery and the Tropical Pacific Gallery. Most people like to lounge while looking at these tanks, as there are sofas for people to sit on.

[thumb=16854;1082;2897985412_a5481d9ec4_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Tropical Pacific Gallery Preview[/thumb]

[thumb=16856;1082;2897150625_3d88b80949_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Northern Pacific Gallery Preview Tank[/thumb]

The third tank is the popular Blue Cavern tank, which I think is 33-foot tall (10 m). The Blue Cavern tank is modeled after Blue Cavern Point which is a kelp forest of the coast of Santa Catalina Island. Species found in this tank are Giant Sea Bass, Leopard Shark, Shovelnose Guitarfish, California Moray Eel, Kelp Bass, White Bass, California Sheephead, and Ocean Whitefish.

[thumb=16857;1082;2898161792_c6e8c5669f_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Blue Cavern Tank[/thumb]

[thumb=16859;1082;2897166561_27c80c7eea_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Giant Sea Bass[/thumb]

Inside the Great Hall there are two short films played every 15-30 minutes. The two films are called “WHALES: A Journey with Giants” which is about Blue Whales and the conservation programs the aquarium is involved to help this specie of whale, and the second film is about the first 10 years of the aquarium.
 
Ocean on the Edge Gallery

This gallery is a temporary gallery which highlights the top 10 most important issues facing the ocean. The issues that the aquarium talks about in this gallery are: (All the info on the issues is from the aquariums map/guide)

1.Ocean Literacy: Understanding how the ocean affects us and how we affect it is critical to protecting it.
2.Global Climate Change: Global climate change not only affects what happens on land, but in the ocean as well.
3.Overfishing and Bycatch: Today’s fishing practices unintentionally catch many unwanted fishes, seabirds, marine mammals, and turtles that often die in the process.
4.Sustainable Seafood: As our population grows, we need to look for environmentally friendly and long-term ways to meet the growing demand for seafood.
5.Biodiversity Loss: Through development and other human activities, we are reducing the range and number of plant and animal species found in their traditional habitats.
6.Land and Sea Connections: The Ocean is greatly affected by what we do on land.
7.Global Trade: Having the products we want made at a price we can afford has created a global trade system that affects our air and the ocean.
8.Ocean Health and Human Health: when the ocean is unhealthy, it can affect everyone’s health through the food we eat, water we swim in, and more.
9.Ocean Governance: The ocean, like the atmosphere, belongs to everyone. It is a “commons.” We must become better ocean stewards and promote national and international protection of the ocean.
10.Watershed Management: How we manage our groundwater, the water in our rivers, and rain after it falls on our yards and streets affects the ocean and our water resources.

Other problems that are talked about are the loss of Mangroves and the explosion in population of Sea Jellies. There are two tanks, one that has species that live within Mangroves and the other one with Jelly fish.

[thumb=16855;1082;2897991048_7e6baebb7e_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Mangrove Forest Tank[/thumb]

There are also other small tanks around this area and a ray touchpool.
 
Southern California and Baja Gallery

This is the largest out of all the galleries at the aquarium. This gallery is two floors, and it includes the Amber Forest Tank, many small tanks, Seal and Sea Lions exhibit, a Ray Touchpool, Shorebird Sanctuary, Rocky Intertidal Tank and a small Gulf of California section.

[thumb=16860;1082;2897170033_d8276e6d18_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific[/thumb]

1st Floor:
The first tank people see when they enter this gallery is the Amber Forest Tank which is represents the marine life that depends on kelp forests for food, protection, and breeding. This is almost like a smaller version of the Blue Cavern. The species in this tank are Senorita (Oxyjulis californica), Zebra Perch (Hermosilla azurea), Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus), Sargo (Anisotremus davidsonii), Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax), Blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis) and Salema (Xenistius californiensis).

[thumb=16861;1082;2898016358_b833794dc7_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Amber Forest Tank[/thumb]

After people are done with the Amber Forest then there is a long hall of smaller tanks. The tanks are Redondo Canyon tank, Kelp Camouflage tank, Eel Grass tank, Spiny Forest tank, Abalone and Urchins tank, Breakwater tank, Pinnacles tank, and Jellies tank.

[thumb=16862;1082;2897176287_dca7b5bc37_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Sand Dollars[/thumb]
[thumb=16879;1082;2898025964_0175b99c45_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific[/thumb]
[thumb=16878;1082;2897180249_e95e4f3097_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific[/thumb]
[thumb=16880;1082;2898029556_b359076571_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific[/thumb]

At the end of the small tanks it’s the underwater viewing tunnel for the Seals and Sea Lion exhibit. It’s not really a tunnel since you can’t see the pinnipeds swim over you, but you could see them on both sides. This part of the gallery is probably the most popular for the guests. The aquarium has 3 Harbor Seals and about 4 Sea Lions living together. There is also viewing opportunities from the top which is on the second floor of the gallery.

[thumb=16885;1082;2898041732_d9f92f6bd9_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Seals and Sea Lions exhibit[/thumb]
[thumb=16886;1082;2897199519_b8f6c13a85_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Seals and Sea Lions exhibit[/thumb]
[thumb=16892;1082;2898060954_1eb1d9c981_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Sea Lions[/thumb]
[thumb=16889;1082;2897211813_0da7602cfc_b.jpg]Aquarium of the Pacific - Sea Lion[/thumb]
 
What an awesome review Mario! You have certainly put a lot of time and effort into the visit, and I also have really appreciated your almost 200 photos of the aquarium that you've posted here at ZooBeat.
 
Thanks but I'm still not done. I've been busy with school lately so I haven't had time to finishing it. I've had these parts done for a while, so I just pasted them here. I'll probably finish by the weekend.
 
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