Oceanarium opens full-time
Published: July 3, 2009
NEW BEDFORD, Mass.—New Bedford is celebrating more than just Independence Day as the city welcomes the full-time opening of the Ocean Explorium.
More than a decade in the making, the aquarium and ocean science center overcame major financial hurdles and finally opened to the public last year - but on Saturdays only. As of July 4, it will be open seven days a week.
The Explorium features a computerized image of Earth in 3-D and a living coral reef exhibit that highlights issues of coral bleaching and global warming.
It also includes an activity center for children.
New Bedford was once among the world’s foremost whaling ports and remains a major fishing center.
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Reader Reactions
Whoops! I got the location wrong—it on the corner of Purchase and Union in downtown New Bedford, about three blocks away from where I mentioned it was. Sorry!
It is interesting to note that this project—or one like it—was slated for the former power generation facility on the waterfront, and in a much bigger scale. Seems that that property was and is too badly polluted to be used for that.
The location, in the building at the corner of County St. and Union St. (the old WNBH studios) is somewhat small, but it is still good to see that there is something being done to get people back to the New Bedford center and downtown—an area that had been hurting ever since the North Dartmouth Mall came into being.
Kudos, New Bedford. Now if Fall River could get ITS act together and get something there to get people back to the downtown area…...
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