![]() ![]() He and his son had taken scuba diving lessons at the YMCA in Cincinnati so on the island that summer they had the chance to see Maine sea life up close and personal. The fishermen were very generous, taking us out on their boats, bringing in stuff from the ocean for us to look at,” Mills said. During one of our visits to Maine, we stayed on Little Cranberry Island. “We lived in Cincinnati, but often visited my wife’s family in Bangor. The idea for an ocean museum came about after a memorable vacation the Mills family took in Maine. The Oceanarium, which is dedicated to educating people about marine life and industry, remains open for business as it has for more than thirty years. The company has donated their time and services to the project. One donation came from Clean Moves, a fire restoration company, which is helping the Oceanarium restore all that was salvaged from the fire. While some items cannot be replaced, such as a replica made by Dick Black of a trap his father used when lobsters were selling at two cents a pound or an English trap created in memory of fishermen lost at sea, Mills said he has already received many generous donations. In June, a fire broke out at the Oceanarium’s Lobster exhibit building in Bar Harbor and destroyed many of the displays. “It’s a special community and people have been hugely generous,” he said. Nevertheless, David Mills, founder and director of the Mount Desert Oceanarium in Bar Harbor, is hopeful. Rebuilding a collection full of history is not an easy task. To help prepare for your visit, download our “Suggestions for Visiting the Park” from 2016 MAIER MFP event at YWK.First published in the MLA Newsletter, August, 2011. Zoos and amusement parks offer a wide variety of sensory experiences, some which may be difficult for your child. The Park can get very busy (and hot) on summer days, however, so consider downloading MAIER’s “Suggestions for Visiting YWK” handout developed for families attending the 2016 event.Ĭonsider attending on a day when crowds are smaller, (i.e., early or late in the season, early/late in the day) or take a break in the day by visiting downtown York Beach during the most crowded time of day- your entry wristband allows you to reenter the park later in the day! MAIER partnered with YWK in the fall of 2016 to host a MAIER Family Partnership (MFP) event, which was a huge success! (See our news post about the event here) Families told us the Park was small enough not to be overwhelming, yet big enough to offer a variety of options and excitement. See website for specific ride restrictions.Īdmission: Fee charged, with options to visit just the Zoo, just the Amusement Park, or both areas. Amusement rides are geared for smaller children with various height restrictions for specific rides, however there is a Super spiral, Go Karts, and Bumper cars for older children. Suggested ages for visiting: Zoo is good for all ages. Days and closing times vary according to season, so see website for most-up-to date listings. Zoo opens at 10am, Amusement Park opens at noon, weather permitting. *See website for directions or use this address for GPS directions:ĭays/Hours: Opens May 26 th for 2018 season. ![]() There’s also a separate building with self-guided art projects.”Ī family oriented zoo and amusement park with a large number of beautifully landscaped animal exhibits numerous rides for all ages plus food and ice cream stands, picnic area, and gift shop. The porch offered more hands-on and tactile exhibits. The main room of the aquarium was small and can get a little loud, but there were many choices about what to focus on: fish tanks, a touch tank with coastal creatures, and the shark tank. There were enough places to go that we never felt crowded even though there were lots of people there. Sensory Alerts: “For us, it was helpful that there were lots of different spaces and sensory opportunities, both indoor and outside (although outdoors is weather contingent). A short walk took us to the pier, where we could try fishing and pulling crab pots (with real bait)!” ![]() “We had a great visit! There were lots of things to do and see: touch a shark, learn about lobsters, or try fishing off the pier….There were picnic tables for eating that overlook the bay. Suggested ages for visiting: Good for all ages! The Maine State Aquarium is operated by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. The Maine State Aquarium offers a collection of regional sea life that can be viewed in tanks set in the main gallery walls and a 20 foot long touch tank to encourage children to engage their senses with a variety of sea creatures. ![]()
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