This article is part of an Earth Month series exploring environmental issues, climate initiatives and community stakeholders throughout Providence and Rhode Island.
Smooth dogfish sharks, crabs, seahorses, starfish and clams: all residents of Narragansett Bay and on display at Save The Bay’s new Hamilton Family Aquarium in downtown Newport. The aquarium, which opened its doors on March 18, exclusively features species found in local waters, and a large majority of the animals on display will return to the Bay after bringing joy to children and adults alike.
Save The Bay is a non-profit organization “with a mission to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and a vision of a Bay that is fully fishable, swimmable and accessible to all,” according to the organization’s website. Their work focuses on education, advocacy and restoration.
The Bay’s previous aquarium and center on Easton’s Beach closed in October 2023, according to a press release. “Following 17 years of successful operations … the nonprofit organization sought a larger, less vulnerable location to expand its educational offerings,” reads the press release.
“A huge part of (Save The Bay’s) mission is education,” said Marissa Scott, aquarium education AmeriCorps member at Save The Bay. “In order to get people to care more about the (Narragansett) Bay and … help, first you need to know what you’re caring about.”
According to Scott the aquarium supports Save The Bay’s conservation work by “bringing people in (and) showing them the animals that are affected by different issues, giving them that little spark of passion.”
Jessica Daltorio, a visitor at the aquarium who graduated from the University of Rhode Island last year with an animal science degree, highlighted the value of dedicating a space to educate people about the local environment.
“It’s nice to go to the beach and see (the animals) for yourself, but getting education and information along with that is vital,” she said. “Knowing that they are doing it in a sustainable way is also fantastic.”
Surrounding touch tanks and display cases, the aquarium’s walls are covered with informational diagrams, photos and interactive tablets where visitors can read about the aquarium’s animals, the history of Narragansett Bay and the organization’s broader conservation efforts. The aquarium also features puzzle and craft stations.
The main touch tanks — labeled “sandy shores,” “rocky shores” and “sandy bottom” — feature different animals found in various parts of the Bay. The aquarium also includes “tropical travelers,” or “animals swept up by the Gulf Stream,” explained Kady McCain, aquarist apprentice at Save The Bay.
“Everything looks professional, the exhibits are so fancy and really well put together,” said Elsa Gonsiorowski, a visitor at the aquarium. Gonsiorowski and her three-year-old daughter were regular visitors at Save The Bay’s old aquarium.
Meredith Doherty, an after-school assistant teacher, said her students would “be all over” the new aquarium.
Last summer, Doherty’s students took a field trip to an aquarium two and a half hours away. “It was rough,” she said. “They were overtired and hungry.” The new Hamilton Family Aquarium solves the issue of travel. Doherty added that the new aquarium is within walking distance from the school.
General admission to the aquarium is $15, with a variety of discounted and free opportunities. Gonsiorowski and her young daughter plan to visit the aquarium frequently. They’d been visiting the old location “since she was born.”
Gonsiorowski’s daughter couldn’t pick a favorite animal or exhibit from her visit to the aquarium. She said she loved “all of it!”
The aquarium is open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Ciara Meyer is a Senior Staff Writer covering the Beyond Brown beat. She is from Saratoga Springs, New York and plans on concentrating in Statistics and English nonfiction. In her free time, she loves scrapbooking and building lego flowers.
