Maine State Aquarium invites visitors to enjoy an under-the-sea holiday during its first “Sea of Lights” festivities. The aquarium will be open on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., until Jan. 3.  

Department of Marine Resources’ (DMR) Education Division Director Dottie Yunger explained the aquarium decided to stay open for multiple reasons, including capitalizing on the visitors drawn by Gardens Aglow and giving locals who may not have time, or avoid the facility during its busy summer months, a chance to visit.  

Recent upgrades to their life support system have also enabled DMR to keep the animals in the aquarium year-round, rather than transporting them downstairs to the wet lab during the winter. The system includes pumping water in from Boothbay Harbor, which then goes through sand and several other filtering processes, and can then be further adjusted with heating and cooling systems.

“We can maintain more constant ... (and) more natural conditions for the animals,” said Yunger. Another benefit is that keeping the animals in one location also reduces their stress, she explained.

Some of the displays include Elvis the blue lobster, baby skates, chain catsharks, and a 7-month catshark egg case or "mermaid purse." 

In addition to observing local sea life and trying their hand at some nautical crafts, visitors can also hear about the research DMR scientists are doing in the field. On Dec. 12, Beatrice Cheung and Phoebe Hodson shared information about whale sounds recorded in the Gulf of Maine. There will be talks about visual surveys done on marine mammals in the Gulf on Dec. 20 and the frost fish, aka the “Christmas Fish,” on Jan. 2.  

Yunger has been pleased with the turnout, estimating there were about 120 visitors during the aquarium's first weekend open. She thinks these numbers will likely increase in the coming weeks when school lets out.