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Discover. Learn. Encounter. Participate. These four words aptly sum up the thrilling experience that awaits you when you visit the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach. The exciting array of exhibits will keep you entranced as you learn some of the secrets of the underwater world. Exciting events are always occurring at this facility. You may be there just in time to see the four new ray pups that were born to one of the female rays on June 15, 2009. The babies have to be kept behind the scenes for a short time until they are large enough for the display area.

Immerse yourself in a 3D experience with dolphins and whales as you dive into the waters of the coral reefs off the Bahamas to learn about the wide variety of marine life and how it adapts to its ever-changing environment. Kermit the Green Turtle is scheduled to be released back into the sea on June 22, 2009, which was definitely an exhilarating experience for everyone involved.

The aquarium has an extensive animal gallery of sea creatures. Here you will see harbour seals, loggerhead turtles, river otters, sand tiger sharks and the cownose ray. Even though it is not a creature of the sea, the aquarium also houses the Great Horned Owl. In addition, to seeing each of these creatures in their native habitat, you will gain valuable information about their characteristics and feeding habits.

At the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center the activities are not confined to the indoors. You can go out on the water and get close enough to whales and dolphins to have an up close view. The Seal Splash program at the facility is the only one in the country that offers visitors the opportunity to interact directly with the Harbor Seals. You can also take a tour of the facility to learn how things work behind the scenes and what goes into caring for all the animals at the center. There are two such tours, each lasting 45 minutes, in which you will get a different view of sea turtles and harbour seals.

Take a ride on the Rudee Explorer, a 50-passenger pontoon boat, to explore Owls Creek Salt Marsh, an undeveloped salt marsh in Virginia Beach. This cruise takes about 35 minutes and teaches you all about the ecosystem of the marsh and about the habitats of some of the animals who live there.

With over 700,000 gallons of water and hundreds of hands-on exhibits, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Center is one of the best aquariums in the US. Here you not only have the opportunity to see the creatures of the deeps, but you can take part in many different programs to learn more about them. There are educational programs for families, teachers and children, with so many fun filled activities that you won't even realize that you are learning at the same time.

Learn more about this author, Frances Stanford.
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