Aquarium's bilingual 'Ocean in Motion' exhibit opens Nov. 7 for the youngest ocean lovers
The English and Spanish exhibit uses movement and play to build empathy with ocean life, with a wave machine, penguins, and role-play.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium will open "Ocean in Motion / La Danza del Mar," a bilingual English and Spanish exhibit for young children, on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Announced Sept. 8, the exhibit is built around a simple idea: empathy through movement and play. Children are invited to move their bodies like the animals, mirroring a penguin's waddle or a blenny's leap, in a space of discovery, wonder, play and connection.
The gallery includes a coral reef with a custom-built wave machine, an expanded African penguin habitat, and multiple play areas with role-play and mimicry built in. The animal cast includes big-belly seahorses, cuttlefish, clownfish, bluespotted ribbon tail rays and penguins, chosen, the aquarium says, because they move in fun ways.
The exhibit is designed for ages 2 to 6 and welcomes visitors of all ages.
"The main theme of this exhibit is building empathy with ocean life in kids through movement, so we've selected endearing animals that move in fun ways. We want Ocean in Motion / La Danza del Mar to be a space of discovery, wonder, play, and connection that will make a lasting difference in the lives of our visitors and the health of our ocean. By inviting children to move their bodies like a penguin or a leaping blenny and mirror their behavior we're activating their brain's empathy engine through play, and creating a deep and joyful connection with ocean life," said Jenny Gray in the announcement.
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