City: West Boothbay, ME

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (207) 633-9559

Address: McKown Point Rd.

Description: A petting zoo of sorts resembling the Maine coast, this small aquarium opened in 1993. Kids love to lean over the side of the 20-footl-ong touch tank and handle the invertebrates, feeling the sea urchin and getting squirted by a sea cucumber. And they like to peer into the 850-gallon tank filled with sharks and skates, even getting a chance to feel a shark’s skin. Then there’s Fritz the Lobster, who weighs close to 23 pounds. The aquarium is run alongside the Department of Marine Resources’ fisheries research station, and there are occasional presentations about the state of the state’s fisheries. Tours of the research facility are also available. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Memorial Day through September 4. Children 4 and under free.