The Aquarium of the Pacific is adding new content daily for kids and adults alike through its Online Academy and will host its first virtual Earth Day event.
Though it has been closed to the public since mid-March due to the pandemic, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, has had its virtual doors open to people around the world. With many kids and adults staying at home, the Aquarium is offering them free online resources with daily live and on-demand content, including new additions, like the live penguin nest cam. The Aquarium hosted its first virtual Earth Day event on April 22 featuring themed classes for kids, an evening lecture for adults hosted by the Aquarium’s president, a special edition of the Daily Bubble show, and live appearances by the Aquarium’s ambassador animals.
You can visit the Aquarium’s website or follow their social media channels for live feeds and updates. Here are some of these offerings broken down by age group and all accessible via the Aquarium’s Online Academy webpage.
Live animal webcams (all ages): Find out which penguin couples decide to build a nest this season with the new nest cam and watch their antics underwater. Take a virtual dive through colorful coral reef habitats teeming with fish or through a lagoon filled with sharks. Feel the tranquility that watching mesmerizing sea jellies can bring, and explore kelp forests with some very big fish. The Aquarium of the Pacific currently features seven webcams where you can experience all of this live, along with accompanying educational resources.
The Daily Bubble show featuring the comedy of the Pacific Pals (all ages): Looking for a laugh while learning? The Pacific Pals hope they can help. This group of puppet characters includes Axl the axolotl, Seymour Shark, Piper the seahorse, Captain Quinn, and the newly added character, Quinn’s son Kevin the crab. You can meet Kevin in this episode, but we won’t say more so we don’t ruin the surprise. In their Daily Bubble show, the Pacific Pals bring you Aquarium news, education, home craft ideas, and updates in their own special way. You can also download Pacific Pals coloring and activity sheets.
Live interactive classes for kids (grades K-12): The kids are home and school is in session with Aquarium of the Pacific educators. These interactive sessions are offered live, and kids can send in their questions via text or email to the Aquarium educator, but can also be watched on-demand. The classes are divided by grade levels: Pre-K to second grade; third to fifth grade; sixth to eighth grade; and ninth to twelfth grade, and feature interviews with Aquarium animal experts, live looks at animals, and opportunities to draw with the Aquarium. These classes cover a diverse range of topics, including learning about animals and their habitats, ocean exploration, marine science, and even about careers in the field. Parents can print out certificates of completion for their fin-tastic students at home.
Virtual Visitor Guide embossing activity with digital prize (all ages): Virtually explore the Aquarium’s galleries and search for answers to questions about the animals. You can download the Visitor’s Guide and use the Online Learning Center to find the answers to all eight questions. Once you complete the activity, you’ll unlock a digital surprise, courtesy of the SoCal Honda Dealers Association.
Lifelong learning through the Guest Speaker Series and Aquatic Academy (adults): If you have an interest in environmental subjects, the Aquarium offers a tremendous volume of lecture videos on-demand, featuring scientists, artists, journalists, and Aquarium staff. These lectures cover a wide range of topics, from ocean research and conservation to how we can use art to build connections to nature. Each speaker also records a short Aquacast at the Aquarium, and that podcast is also archived on the Aquarium’s website. In addition, the Aquarium has made its Aquatic Academy six-part courses a free online resource. These courses feature leading experts teaching adults about environmental topics, including the most recent series from last month about the effects of Earth’s health on human health.
Seafood at home with Seafood for the Future (adults): Looking for recipes to cook at home or ideas on how to make responsible seafood choices? The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Seafood for the Future programs offers online resources to help. This includes the Ocean to Table video series featuring chefs and seafood farmers and its Storied Seafood series, which includes videos in both English and Spanish.
All viewing is free to the public, according to the aquarium.
Courtesy photo
Visitors feed the fish at the Aquarium of the Pacific before it was closed because of coronavirus. The AOP is now offering free online exhibits and programming.