Exploration Center & Aquarium, Newport

This was a cool spot for my family on our tour of New England. There are three rooms of exhibits showcasing local sea life. Many volunteers are there caring for the animals and sharing a wealth of knowledge with the visitors. My kids enjoyed each of the three touch tanks including the one with a shark. My 5 year old made sure to make a craft at the craft table before leaving. We did the whole thing in an hour. We learned a lot and would recommend visiting this aquarium on your trip to RI but make sure to plan other things for your day.

Lovely place, lots of interesting marine life and couple of touch pools. Some of the creatures I was surprised to see were the snapping turtle, horseshoe crabs, seahorses, common octopuses, rare orange lobsters, flounders and the like. The animals are all thriving within their own environment and you're able to see some of the shark and skate eggs laid right there in the nursery. Come during feeding times to witness really unique sites like the octopus coming out for their food and toadfish gobbling food down. There's one octopus that even spends it's time in the corner playing with Lego. Staff are passionate and knowledgeable, many of them being either volunteers or interns. Highly recommend!