Baltimore, Md. (June 3, 2003) – Tired of sleeping with the same old fish?
The National Aquarium in Baltimore has just the cure with new shark-themed sleepovers launching July 1, 2003. “Sleep with the Sharks,” an overnight adventure, provides expert guided tours, behind the scenes access, and hands-on activities for adults and children over age eight.
During the sleepover, a guide leads visitors behind the scenes of the Aquarium, including a visit to the food-prep area to learn how sharks and rays are cared for and fed. Guests can stroll the Shark Catwalk to see sharks swimming just inches below their feet.
After a guided tour of the galleries and hands-on activities and crafts in the Shark Discovery Lab, visitors sleep near their gilled friends in the underwater viewing area.
In the morning after breakfast, guests end their adventure with an interactive presentation on sharks and a visit to the shark nursery pool where they have the opportunity to touch a live juvenile bamboo shark.
The Sleep with the Sharks program includes dinner, a snack, breakfast, Aquarium admission, reserved seating at the dolphin show, and a discount coupon at the Aqua Shop.
Dates:
July 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 14, 17, 20, 21, 27, 31
August 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 21
Program Time: 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the next day
Rates:
- Adults $69.00
- Seniors (60+) $65.00
- Children (8-11) $59.00
- Group Buy-Out (maximum 35 tickets) $2,300.00
Guests bring their own sleeping bags. Space is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance by credit card. Tickets for reservations made less than seven days in advance are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Participants of Sleep with the Sharks are required to be at least eight years old; no exceptions. A paid adult must accompany all children and a parent or guardian must sign a waiver agreement. For reservations, call 410-576-3833, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The shark sleepovers are being offered in conjunction with Shark Quest, a new exploration at the Aquarium that encourages people to get “uncomfortably close” to sharks. Through encounters with live sharks, jaw-dropping artifacts and lively actors, visitors will learn the truth about these misunderstood and threatened fish.
Guests can talk with underwater divers, find shark teeth embedded in a new “fossil wall,” and may touch a live juvenile bamboo shark in a re-engineered nursery pool. Shark Quest concludes at the end of 2003.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, a non-profit organization, is Maryland’s leading attraction, hosting more than 1.5 million visitors per year. The Aquarium’s mission is to connect people with aquatic life in order to create a better world for both. It’s dedicated to education and conservation through a wide variety of programs that serve the environment and the community.
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