The Maine State Aquarium has fin-tastic news: opening day for the 2026 season is June 17. The aquarium will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on federal holidays. Admission information, visitor tips, and online ticket sales are available on our website. https://www.maine.gov/dmr/programs/education-division/aquarium

The aquarium will also participate in Windjammer Days on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can explore the fascinating world of lobsters by learning how they grow, what they eat, why some are unusual colors, and how Department of Marine Resources (DMR) scientists study them. Alongside the aquarium’s hands-on exhibits and interactive displays, guests will meet lobsters with genetic mutations that give them rare, vivid colors, hear from researchers, and create lobster-themed crafts.

Aquariums are always evolving in how they care for animals and educate visitors, and the Maine State Aquarium is no exception. Staff continue building on the aquarium’s long tradition while developing new exhibits and improving the visitor experience. Feedback from the past two seasons has helped shape many of the updates completed during the off-season.

With Maine’s rich marine life and the wide scope of DMR research, there is no shortage of new stories and exhibits to share with school groups and summer visitors. This season, the aquarium is expanding its interactive porch exhibits to highlight marine mammal research and collaborations with Maine’s lobster industry. Large ecosystem display tanks will focus on Maine’s blue economy, particularly kelp and scallop aquaculture. Visitors will learn about the ecological role of kelp and scallops in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the science and management behind aquaculture in the region. The Boothbay Sea and Science Center is working with the aquarium on the kelp exhibit, while a local fourth-grade class is helping design the scallop exhibit. The students are excited to “shell-abrate” its success.

School field trip season is already underway, and students have a whale-y good time visiting the aquarium for free. Teacher workshops will also return this summer utilizing the Aquarium, Learning Lab, and Burnt Island, together called the Gulf of Maine Discovery Center (GOMDC). These two-day professional development opportunities help educators integrate DMR science into the classroom while making use of GOMDC facilities and resources. Workshops are led by DMR staff, Maine educators/Keepers of Burnt Island Light board members.

Tickets are available online and in advance through the aquarium website. Season passes are also available online and can be picked up in person. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 3–12, seniors, and veterans or military personnel.

Aquarium staff recently provided a sneak peek for a local family, and the child enthusiastically awarded the experience “180 gold (sea) stars.”

As one 2025 visitor described it: "Yes, this aquarium is small—but that’s part of its charm. If … you’re looking for a thoughtfully curated experience where you can get up close to the exhibits, learn something new, support local marine conservation efforts, all in a beautiful location, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes good things really do come in small packages."

Staff hope to continue delivering the same memorable experience throughout the 2026 season. Maine State Aquarium is located at 194 McKown Point Road in West Boothbay Harbor.