Living Seashore
Discover the treasures of the mid-Atlantic in this interactive, hands-on exhibit.
A Hands-On Discovery
This award-winning exhibit takes you beyond the boardwalk to the crashing waves, sandy beaches and shifting dunes of the mid-Atlantic shore. Develop a new understanding of this unique habitat with the help of National Aquarium educational interpreters and a tactile discovery wall.
Get up close with the animals in this exhibit by exploring two touchpools where you can graze your hand over the sleek fin of an Atlantic stingray, the pulsing bell of a moon jelly and the rigid shell of a horseshoe crab.
10+
different species
300+
animals
7000+
gallons of water
Touchpool Conditioning
Each animal in Living Seashore has its own unique characteristics. Christopher Blair, an aquarist, explains how he cares for the animals in this exhibit.
Some animals, like the Atlantic stingrays, receive station training for ease of care. Each ray is trained to go to a specific colorful, circular object when it's placed in the exhibit. They're rewarded with food—often shrimp, which is their favorite!
Live Snails
Look closely at the sand in the main touchpool exhibit, and you may see little shells moving in the sand. In addition to horseshoe crabs and Atlantic stingrays, the touchpool is home to channeled and knobbed whelks. These marine snails move around with their muscular foot and use their siphon to pull water and oxygen into their body to breathe. They're fed several times a week and can be found picking at clam shells in the exhibit.
Color-Changing Fish
There's more to explore beyond the touchpools at Living Seashore. The community habitat houses a variety of fishes, like the planehead filefish. These odd-looking fish have a colorful talent. Special cells in their skin called chromatophores allow them to change colors and patterns depending on their activity. Be sure to spend some time in front of this gallery to see their colors and patterns shift as they navigate their environment.