The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Inc

The Maritime Aquarium inspires people of all ages to appreciate Long Island Sound and protect it for future generations. A vibrant and entertaining learning environment, it achieves this goal through living exhibits, marine science, and environmental education. \r\n\r\nThe Maritime Aquarium is the only aquarium focused on Long Island Sound. From this core, it explores related animals and conservation issues from around the world. Its exhibits, admired for their quality and dramatic elegance, are carefully designed to give people of all ages entertaining, educational, and emotional experiences with animals in order to instill a sense of wonder in the diversity of nature.\r\n\r\nThe Maritime Aquarium's ultimate goal is to help people recognize that Long Island Sound enriches the quality of their lives, and must be protected.

We are a constantly evolving facility. The Maritime Aquarium offers visitors personal interactions with animals and interpretation by knowledgeable staff and volunteers. With its welcoming atmosphere, focus on service to visitors, and outstanding amenities, The Maritime Aquarium is the premiere family destination in the region, attracting large numbers of return visitors. As it grows, it retains its intimate scale, and remains a beloved institution with deep ties to its community.\r\n\r\nAnchored by its collection, The Maritime Aquarium offers a preeminent visitor experience and education programs widely admired for their depth and innovation. The Maritime Aquarium supports an active collaborative research program on species and natural systems related to its collections. It is a regional forum for dissemination of information related to Long Island Sound and the oceans.

The primary capability is contained in our knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Both groups are very knowledgeable and up-to-date in regard to Long Island Sound, its species and natural systems. \r\n\r\nOur success will also be driven by the following principles which guides our daily activities:\r\n• Passion\r\nFor the animals in our care, for our visitors, for our work, for nature\r\n• Warmth\r\nIn our welcoming interactions with visitors\r\n• Pride\r\nIn our work, in our service to visitors and the community\r\n• Respect\r\nFor our visitors, staff, colleagues and constituents\r\n• Integrity\r\nIn all our dealings with ourselves and others\r\n• Teamwork\r\nTo collaboratively reach and execute the best decisions\r\n• Innovation\r\nTo solve problems unconstrained by the status quo\r\n• Excellence\r\nIn everything we do

With over 450,000 visitors, the Aquarium is the second most heavily attended family institution in the State. TripAdvisor travelers have also rated us, in 2015, as a Top 25 U.S. Aquarium and #1 in New England.\r\n\r\nThe Aquarium's education programs reach 150,000 students a year, including schools in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Litchfield, Hartford and Windham Counties. Through innovative educational programs, The Maritime Aquarium serves as a leading regional resource for STEM education.\r\n\r\nIn 2013, The Aquarium received accreditation from the American Zoos and Aquariums Association (AZA).