In the darkness of the deep sea, animals that are red appear black such as the bloody-belly comb jelly appear nearly invisible to predators Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium
California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium will soon debut an exhibition with aquatic species so rare that some of them don’t even have a name yet.
Set to open April 9, Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean, is a collaborative effort between the aquarium and its research and technology partner the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), with the exhibition made possible following a US$15m (€13.2m, £11.1m) donation from the Grainger Family Fund.
The exhibition, says the aquarium, will “transport visitors into the largest living space on Earth, telling stories of the creatures that live there, and the people and discoveries that are illuminating the last unexplored reaches of our planet”. It will also show how deep-sea habitats face the same threats as the rest of the ocean, from elements such as fishing pressure, habitat destruction, plastic pollution, and climate change.
“For most people, this is the first time they’ve ever seen a living deep-sea animal,” said Beth Redmond-Jones, vice president of exhibitions and facilities. “We want visitors to understand that these habitats, seemingly so distant from our lives and so different from the ocean we’re familiar with, are critically important to the health of our planet. We’re confident that Into the Deep will make that connection and inspire people to learn more about the deep sea and support its conservation.”
Combining interactive and multimedia experiences, the 10,000sq ft (929sq m) exhibit will be the largest in North America to focus on deep-sea life.
The exhibition also represents a breakthrough in aquarium animal care and life support, with Monterey Bay Aquarium spending more than five years developing an exhibition space capable of hosting an environment suitable for deep-sea animals, many of which cannot survive in the shallower parts of the oceans.
While all the animals in the exhibit can survive at surface pressure, the life support systems created for the exhibition lower water temperatures, adjust pH and reduce oxygen levels to sustain the animals.
The experience is divided into three sections, starting with ‘Entering into the Deep’, where visitors will leave the light-filled surface waters to explore a darker, deeper realm below.
From there guests enter ‘The Midwater’, where they move into deeper and darker waters, known as ‘twilight’ and ‘midnight’, where visibility in the ocean is greatly reduced. Here they will encounter animals, such as the bloody-belly comb jelly invertebrate and other bioluminescent animals, that are perfectly evolved to survive in a world without light or boundaries.
Finishing their descent, guests will find themselves on ‘The Seafloor’ where they will come face-to-face with species, such as giant spider crabs, bone-eating worms, and giant isopods, that make their home on the seafloor.
“Connecting people with the astounding diversity of life found beneath the waves and inspiring conservation of the ocean is what Monterey Bay Aquarium was created to do,” said Julie Packard, executive director of the aquarium.
“This unprecedented exhibition tells the story of the deep sea and reveals the many ways the deep ocean sustains our lives on the surface.”
In the darkness of the deep sea, animals that are red appear black such as the bloody-belly comb jelly appear nearly invisible to predators Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium
California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium will soon debut an exhibition with aquatic species so rare that some of them don’t even have a name yet.
Set to open April 9, Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean, is a collaborative effort between the aquarium and its research and technology partner the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), with the exhibition made possible following a US$15m (€13.2m, £11.1m) donation from the Grainger Family Fund.
The exhibition, says the aquarium, will “transport visitors into the largest living space on Earth, telling stories of the creatures that live there, and the people and discoveries that are illuminating the last unexplored reaches of our planet”. It will also show how deep-sea habitats face the same threats as the rest of the ocean, from elements such as fishing pressure, habitat destruction, plastic pollution, and climate change.
“For most people, this is the first time they’ve ever seen a living deep-sea animal,” said Beth Redmond-Jones, vice president of exhibitions and facilities. “We want visitors to understand that these habitats, seemingly so distant from our lives and so different from the ocean we’re familiar with, are critically important to the health of our planet. We’re confident that Into the Deep will make that connection and inspire people to learn more about the deep sea and support its conservation.”
Combining interactive and multimedia experiences, the 10,000sq ft (929sq m) exhibit will be the largest in North America to focus on deep-sea life.
The exhibition also represents a breakthrough in aquarium animal care and life support, with Monterey Bay Aquarium spending more than five years developing an exhibition space capable of hosting an environment suitable for deep-sea animals, many of which cannot survive in the shallower parts of the oceans.
While all the animals in the exhibit can survive at surface pressure, the life support systems created for the exhibition lower water temperatures, adjust pH and reduce oxygen levels to sustain the animals.
The experience is divided into three sections, starting with ‘Entering into the Deep’, where visitors will leave the light-filled surface waters to explore a darker, deeper realm below.
From there guests enter ‘The Midwater’, where they move into deeper and darker waters, known as ‘twilight’ and ‘midnight’, where visibility in the ocean is greatly reduced. Here they will encounter animals, such as the bloody-belly comb jelly invertebrate and other bioluminescent animals, that are perfectly evolved to survive in a world without light or boundaries.
Finishing their descent, guests will find themselves on ‘The Seafloor’ where they will come face-to-face with species, such as giant spider crabs, bone-eating worms, and giant isopods, that make their home on the seafloor.
“Connecting people with the astounding diversity of life found beneath the waves and inspiring conservation of the ocean is what Monterey Bay Aquarium was created to do,” said Julie Packard, executive director of the aquarium.
“This unprecedented exhibition tells the story of the deep sea and reveals the many ways the deep ocean sustains our lives on the surface.”
