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The New England Aquarium’s free celebration will feature marine scientists, climate art, hands-on activities, and more at Central Wharf.
People wait in line to get into the New England Aquarium. (Pat Greenhouse / Globe Staff)
The New England Aquarium is celebrating World Ocean Day on Sunday with a full day of free activities on Boston’s waterfront.
The celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Wharf, with activities happening at the aquarium’s front plaza, Harbor View Terrace, and Simons Theatre, according to aquarium officials.
One of the event’s biggest attractions is “Salt,” a life-sized inflatable humpback whale offered by NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. According to aquarium officials, visitors can learn about whale anatomy and conservation efforts as they explore the massive installation.
The day will also spotlight the region’s indigenous communities, with members of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag demonstrating traditional fishing methods used for generations.
Guests can meet aquarium researchers and animal care experts at an “Ask a Scientist” booth, where staff from the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation team, and other departments will answer questions about marine conservation and animal care.
Other free activities include ocean-themed face painting, water quality demonstrations, environmental stewardship exhibits, and an interactive mural project led by Artists For Humanity. Visitors can also experience the “Temperature Tapestry,” a colorful climate-focused art installation that visualizes nearly two centuries of global temperature data.
The Aquarium’s Simons Theatre will host free screenings of Ocean Dreams at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The documentary, narrated by actor Shailene Woodley, follows marine wildlife and conservation efforts from Norway’s fjords to Indonesia’s biodiverse waters. Aquarium officials said seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The aquarium is partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston to offer free shuttle transportation from Dorchester and Roxbury, though pre-registration is required through participating club locations.
World Ocean Day also falls on a Boston Family Day, a local program that offers Boston students and their families free admission to the aquarium.
More information about Sunday’s programming is available at neaq.org.
Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.
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