The Aquarium at Fort Fisher has had an excellent year….thanks in part to our loyal visitors. This holiday season, we have a gift for you.

Visit the Aquarium Saturday, December 12 & Sunday, December 13 between 9 am and 5 pm each day at the child’s rate…all visitors admitted for only $6 each.

* Have your photo taken with Santa (don’t forget to bring him your wish list!)

* Enjoy holiday crafts

* Watch “Mickey’s Magical Christmas” on the big screen

* See a puppet show called “Polar Opposites”

* Visit with Scuba Santa in the big tank!

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen at 9 am on December 26. Happy Holidays!

Pack a diaper bag and bring your camera…we’re showing off our babies! The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher will host an “Aquababies Weekend” November 21-22, 2009 from 9 am to 5 pm each day.

The Aquarium’s tremendous success producing baby animals will be highlighted all weekend. Meet our ‘youngsters’ including: jellyfish, sea turtles, alligators, sea horses, fishes, snakes and more. “This is a unique opportunity for the community to see babies that were either born here at the Aquarium or came to us as babies,” says Hap Fatzinger, aquarium curator.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Education awarded the North Carolina Aquarium Society $580,000 for the Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s proposal “Using marine mammals to communicate solutions to ocean issues”. The Aquarium plans to increase public understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness of people and the environment, with a focus on climate change impacts, through statewide outreach using a portable, inflatable GeoDome theater and an on-site exhibit upgrade.

The Aquarium will work in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the Elumenati LLC, University of North Carolina Wilmington and Duke University Marine Laboratory to develop marine mammal and climate change programs for GeoDome presentations. Ultimately, teenagers aged 14-17 will become engaged in climate and ocean literacy through a better understanding of marine mammals.

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher invites you to view the peaceful moments in life with its new Spadefish gallery art exhibit. “Photography by Matt Lettrich” will be on display September- November. The exhibit showcases breathtaking photographs of coastal landscapes with unique lighting and remarkable perspectives.

After taking a darkroom studio photography course in high school, Lettrich became entranced by photography. The class credit quickly morphed into a passionate hobby. Lettrich enjoys engaging in outdoor activities and snapping shots of subjects that enhance his experience. His camera always accompanies him in case the perfect shot arises, such as waves crashing underneath a pier or a fisherman lifting a cast net out of the water at sunset. Matt currently attends the University of North Carolina Wilmington as a graduate student in the Marine Science program.

The Spadefish gallery at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher showcases local artists throughout the year. Artwork that coincides with the Aquarium’s mission of “Inspiring Appreciation and Conservation of North Carolina’s Aquatic Environment” is located on the second floor, near the auditorium.