Norwalk residents can get close to seals, sharks and sea turtles for free on Sat., Sept. 16 in a special admission offer from their grateful hometown jewel, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.
During its annual “Salute Norwalk Days,” the popular family attraction thanks Norwalkers for their support by offering free admission to city residents. Proof of residency is required. (Another “Salute Norwalk Day” is planned for Sat., Dec. 2.)
Admission – which includes one of four spectacular 40-minute IMAX® movies – regularly is $22.95 for adults, $20.95 for youths (13-17) & seniors (65+), and $15.95 for children (3-12). Thus, free admission for a family of four is a $77.80 value.
In addition to free admission on Sept. 16, Norwalk residents receive 10 percent discounts in the Aquarium Gift Shop.
Visits to The Maritime Aquarium bring families closer as they get close to some 300 species of marine animals, including sand tiger sharks, harbor seals, river otters, sea turtles, octopuses and sea horses – all native to Long Island Sound, its watershed and the oceans beyond. New to The Maritime Aquarium this fall is “Journey With Jellies,” an expanded display of local and exotic jellyfish.
“Salute Norwalk Day” also helps Norwalk’s citizenry take pride in their hometown IMAX movie theater, whose six-story screen is the largest in Connecticut. On Sept. 16, choose between “Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Secret Ocean” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., “Dream Big” at noon and 4 p.m., “Beavers” at 1 p.m. and “Amazon Adventure” at 3 p.m.
Special offerings – free for all guests – on Sept. 16 include: face-painting by Picasso Parties and strolling juggler/comedian Peter Straus (both 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.); children’s musician Ryan San Angelo (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.); and animal encounters (bearded dragon, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; and a diamondback terrapin, 12:30-1:30 p.m.)
“Salute Norwalk Day” is just one of many contributions The Maritime Aquarium makes to Norwalk and its citizens. The Aquarium offers dozens of educational programs and other marine-science opportunities that supplement the education of Norwalk's students, sometimes at no cost to the schools. And the Aquarium and its 475,000 visitors inject more than $20 million annually into Norwalk's economy.
For more information about Maritime Aquarium offerings this fall, call (203) 852-0700 or go online to maritimeaquarium.org.