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FEATURING
FEATURING
OUR FUTURE, REIMAGINED Donor Support Means Progress For Inner Harbor Restoration 04
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A Second Chance for Florida Reefs 08
Shake Your Tail Feathers to See New Macaws 07
THE ART OF ARTIFICIAL Creating One-of-a-Kind Corals 06
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One Family’s Support Takes Many Forms 10
A Floating Haven in the Harbor 04
FROM THE CEO
One of our nation’s earliest and most ardent conservationists, President Theodore Roosevelt, once said: “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children.” Reflecting on this sage counsel, I feel both pride in our nation’s legacy of conservation and concern at what could be if we don’t do more to protect our fragile ecological heritage. Luckily, we have ample opportunity to create positive change. Beginning on page 8, you’ll learn about our role in an ambitious conservation undertaking on behalf of the Florida Reef. In partnership with the state of Florida and several dozen peer organizations, our aquarists are providing round-the-clock care to live corals recently rescued from the path of a fast-moving infection that has devastated coral colonies in Florida and the Caribbean. Our collective goal is to sustain the vitality of the specimens in our care so that they might eventually be returned to the reef to aid in the restoration of this critical tropical habitat, ensuring the longevity of thousands of aquatic species that rely upon it. Closer to home, we are ready to move ahead with plans to bring the living, breathing Chesapeake Bay back to our waterfront. Through the generosity of CFG Bank and a community of farsighted donors, we’ll continue work on a network of floating wetlands, which will turn the water between our piers into an immersive experience for residents and visitors—and a new outdoor classroom for students. Learn more about our vision and meet the donors making this progress possible on page 4. It should come as no surprise that, like you, these civic-minded philanthropists are also National Aquarium members. Perhaps you’ve heard me say before that our members are our greatest resource. Your support helps us fulfill our mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. Thanks to you, we will continue to undertake work
NATIONAL AQUARIUM INC. CHAIR Marc Bunting IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Thomas E. Robinson VICE CHAIR Jane W. I. Droppa EX OFFICIO Todd Chester Carolyn Mozell The Honorable John Olszewski, Jr. Samantha F. O’Neil John C. Racanelli The Honorable Bernard C. “Jack” Young
WATERMARKS CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS
LIFE DIRECTOR Frank A. Gunther Jr.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kristin Zissel
BOARD MEMBERS Timothy J. Adams Adam Borden John Bremer Keith Campbell David Churchill Céline Cousteau Joseph A. Crumbling Colleen Dilenschneider Dr. Nancy Grasmick Mohannad F. Jishi Robb Merritt Joseph Nigro The Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Jennifer W. Reynolds Dr. Enric Sala Shari Sant Plummer Alex Smith Chuck Tildon Tamika Tremaglio C. Elizabeth Wagner Edward Wiese
EDITORS Nabila Chami Megan Kowalski Kate Schmelyun DESIGNERS Binglin Hu Erin Ouslander PHOTOGRAPHERS David Coffey Theresa Keil Mark Moody Anastasia Tantaros COPY EDITOR Chris M. Junior A copy of the National Aquarium’s financial statement is available upon written request. Documents filed in accordance with the Maryland Charitable Organization Solicitation Act may be obtained from the Maryland Secretary of State. © 2019 National Aquarium Inc.
that answers Roosevelt’s challenge for generations to come. Warmly,
— J ohn C. Racanelli PRESIDENT AND CEO
ACCREDITED BY 100% RECYCLED FIBER
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
FEATURES
IN EVERY ISSUE
GIVING BACK
AQUARIUM NEWS
FAMILY TIME
CFG BANK MAKES A PLEDGE WORTH
CLIMATE CHANGE CHECK-IN:
SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS AND FIND
CELEBRATING IN SUPPORT OF OUR
DOING WHAT WE CAN
AQUATIC ANIMALS WHO DEPEND ON
WATERFRONT AND OUR CITY, BECAUSE
REEF ENVIRONMENTS.
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LONGTIME MEMBERS, THE DWYER FAMILY, WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. 04
A RACE TO RESTORE
12 BONDING WITH BILLY AND CHARLIE IN UPLAND TROPICAL RAIN FOREST. 07
THE REEFS WHEN SCIENTISTS IN FLORIDA NOTICED
ANIMAL UPDATES
A FRIGHTENING CORAL DIE-OFF, OUR
DOZENS OF FISHES, PREHENSILE-
AQUARISTS ANSWERED THE CALL TO
TAILED SKINKS AND A PUFFLING NAMED
PRESERVE, PROTECT AND SAVE CRITICAL
MACARONI ARE NEW FOR YOU TO VIEW.
REEF HABITATS— AND THE SPECIES
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ON THE COVE R A black-crowned night heron fishes for its next meal on the floating wetland adjacent to our Inner Harbor campus. P H O T O G R A P H B Y D AV I D C O F F E Y
ABOVE General Curator Jack Cover and Aquarium staff inventory plants and wildlife thriving on the first of what will soon be multiple floating wetlands adjacent to our campus. PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL
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Fighting Climate Change Together In the face of a rapidly changing planet, what can you do? BY MEGAN KOWALSKI
ERRATIC WEATHER EVENTS. DANGEROUS FLOODING AND DEVASTATING SEA LEVEL RISE. AN ALARMING WARMING OF THE OCEAN. THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR: THESE DISTURBING TRENDS ARE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THEY’LL ONLY CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY AND WORSEN WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT, IMMEDIATE STEPS. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A COMPLEX AND CRITICAL ISSUE, BUT IT’S NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. THERE ARE STEPS EACH OF US CAN TAKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SHRINK YOUR FOOTPRINT The accumulation of excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is the driving force behind climate change. What steps can you take to reduce your personal footprint? Here are some ideas:
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT Perhaps you’re already well-versed in climate science facts, and that’s a great start—but these facts are of little use if you’re not sharing them with others. According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 69% of Americans believe climate change is happening, but only a third talk about it.
Eat a plant-rich diet. When it comes to your diet and the environment, there’s a simple overarching theme: Food made from plants has less climate impact than food made from meat. Cutting your consumption of meat by just a few meals a week can make an impressive difference.
It’s imperative that we close that gap. Informed, productive discussions are key to turning the tide on climate-related misconceptions, creating public awareness and empowering others to act.
Choose green appliances. If you’re in the market for new appliances for your home, be sure to go green. More energy-efficient appliances use less electricity, and the production of electricity is a big contributor to carbon dioxide emissions that fuel climate change. Travel smart. Choosing electric when buying a new car makes a huge impact on your personal carbon emissions. When traveling long distances, consider a train instead of plane, if possible—planes produce over 53 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile. And, of course, choose walking, biking or public transportation over driving whenever you can!
POWER AT THE POLLS Your individual actions are inarguably important, but it’s also crucial to exercise your power to vote into office those who have the power to make large-scale changes. Learn more about the environmental voting records of candidates at the local, state and federal level, and align yourself with those who make environmental conservation their priority. At the National Aquarium, we’re committed to taking action and fighting the battle against climate change. Are you with us?
OPPOSITE Addressing your carbon footprint can positively impact the health of our ocean. Seen here, the Atlantic Ocean meets a pristine Florida beach. P H O T O G R A P H B Y D AV I D C O F F E Y
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O U R C I T Y, REIMAGINED BY KATE SCHMELYUN Baltimore businessman and philanthropist Jack Dwyer can tease out two threads that run through the projects he financially supports: education and recreation.
in the harbor between Piers 3 and 4 in August 2017. Since then, the prototype has provided microhabitats for an increasing number of wildlife, including turtles, fishes and birds.
“They’re two fundamental things that everybody needs,” Dwyer says. “If you don’t have a good education, if you don’t have opportunities for recreation, you’re going to get in trouble. I know if I hadn’t had those two things growing up, it would have been a problem.”
“The Aquarium’s waterfront campus is educational, and it’s accessible to everyone,” says Dwyer. “That’s big. That’s what convinced me that [supporting it] is the right thing to do.”
Through their business, CFG Bank, the Dwyer family is currently supporting two major projects in Baltimore City that check the boxes for education and recreation—the new Mother Mary Lange Catholic School in West Baltimore, and the waterfront campus at the National Aquarium. Through a $3 million gift to the Aquarium, CFG Bank is now the lead funder of the waterfront campus project, which will carry the company’s name. The expansive project will turn the waterfront surrounding the Aquarium into a living laboratory that promotes healthy water, attracts native species and teaches students and other Inner Harbor visitors about wetland ecosystems. As part of the project, the Aquarium installed a prototype floating wetland
CFG Bank and the Aquarium announced the gift at a joint event on November 6. “As a nonprofit, we are immensely grateful for partners like CFG Bank and the Dwyer family, whose values align with ours and who make the work we do possible,” says National Aquarium President and CEO John Racanelli. “Educating people, especially young people, is central to what we do every day at the Aquarium. Young people are this planet’s best hope for the future.” Emily Dwyer, Jack’s daughter, handles marketing for CFG Bank, and was instrumental in forging the partnership between the two organizations. “One thing my dad has instilled in my sister, Kelsey, and me is that giving back to the community is really important,” Emily says. “When the waterfront campus is complete, it will be absolutely incredible for Baltimore. We’re lucky that we’re able to support
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it in the way that we are. Our family feels such a personal connection to the Aquarium.”
FAMILY HISTORY The Dwyers have been members of the National Aquarium since 1996. Jack says he and his wife, Nancy, would bring Emily and Kelsey to the Aquarium a few times a year when the girls were young. He still remembers two sleepover experiences with them in Dolphin Discovery—and the terrible nights’ sleep he got both times. “I was one of the dumber dads; I just brought a sleeping bag. Other dads brought air mattresses. But it was really cool; I liked all the behind-the-scenes stuff as much as my daughters did.” Emily considered a career in marine biology for a time and spent one summer as an Aquarium intern during high school. “It was a fantastic experience,” she recalls. “I loved talking with young kids about animals like the screaming piha in the rain forest and the sharks in Shark Alley and making a difference in their day by helping them learn something new.” OPPOSITE For CFG Bank, investing in Baltimore is good business. Here, bank founder Jack Dwyer and Corporate Marketing Associate Emily Dwyer are pictured near our wetland prototype. PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA KEIL
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A TRUE LOCAL BANK CFG Bank employees can share the Dwyer family’s love of the National Aquarium. Because the company is a corporate member, CFG employees can enjoy free admission, buy their own memberships at a reduced rate and take advantage of other benefits.
“We are truly a locally owned business, committed to giving back to the community—not only through philanthropy, but also through the loans we give for apartments, office buildings, health care facilities,” Jack notes. “We’re enhancing Baltimore from that perspective, too.”
“When people use the free tickets, they’re so excited to tell me all about their plans—when and why they’re going,” Emily says. “Education is important to my dad; it’s also really important to the entire CFG family of companies. Everyone who works at the bank is excited to be part of the waterfront campus project.” CFG Bank recently changed its name from CFG Community Bank to better reflect the company’s growing national presence and scope of services. The bank is locally owned and operated with headquarters in northern Baltimore and branches in downtown Baltimore and Lutherville. The company prides itself on offering the same products and level of expertise as larger banks coupled with relationship-driven service, for everything from personal checking and savings accounts to commercial business and real estate loans.
MOVING FORWARD The waterfront campus is the backdrop for the Aquarium’s growing What Lives in the Harbor education program, which will eventually engage every sixth grader from Baltimore City Public Schools in researching aquatic species that live in the harbor and the rest of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The program is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Chesapeake Bay Trust, with additional support from Morgan State University, Towson University and University of Baltimore. While the waterfront campus continues to grow and develop between Piers 3 and 4 in the Inner Harbor, across town, the Mother Mary Lange Catholic School in West Baltimore is taking shape, too. The groundbreaking for the school— which is the first new Catholic school to be built in the city in decades—was
held in October. Its doors are slated to open in time for the 2021-22 school year. CFG Bank is one of several key funders supporting the project. “Baltimore has been good to me and my family,” concludes Jack. “I feel obligated to give back. Businesses should invest in the communities where they operate.”
WITH GRATITUDE In addition to CFG Bank and the Dwyer family, the following donors have signed on as funders of the National Aquarium’s waterfront campus project: •T he Whiting-Turner Contracting Company • Mary Catherine Bunting •C onstellation, An Exelon Company • Bunting Family Foundation • Cimed International, Inc. •M aryland Heritage Areas Authority • State of Maryland • Baltimore City • The Citizens of Baltimore County
LEARN MORE
Visit aqua.org/waterfront to learn more about the project and opportunities to support it. LE F T This artist’s rendering depicts the channel between Pier 3 and Pier 4 upon completion of wetland installation.
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Introducing Billy and Charlie Meet the colorful new residents of Upland Tropical Rain Forest. BY MEGAN KOWALSKI From the aptly named screaming piha, to the brilliantly colored paradise tanagers, to the graceful scarlet ibis, our Upland Tropical Rain Forest exhibit is full of incredible birds. The next time you visit, keep your eyes peeled for two feathered friends that now call the exhibit home: a scarlet macaw and a blue and gold macaw. Meet Billy and Charlie! Billy, the scarlet macaw, is around 21 years old—middleage for these birds, which typically live to be about 60. Like all scarlet macaws, Billy’s coloration is breathtaking— vibrant red feathers adorn his chest, neck and head, with brilliant yellow and sapphire blue feathers found on his wings. The area around his eyes is a stark white. Charlie, the blue and gold macaw, is also about 21 years old. True to the name of his species, Charlie sports vivid yellow plumage on his chest, and blue feathers on his wings. There’s a touch of green on the top of his head, and the area around his eyes is white adorned with black stripes. Billy and Charlie’s boldly colored feathers are striking, but not unusual for macaws, the largest members of the parrot family native to Central and South American rain forests as well as other habitats. Another physical feature distinct to macaws is a large, curved beak—an
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incredibly powerful appendage ideal for cracking and crushing seeds and nuts. Billy and Charlie’s favorite foods include dried banana chips, walnuts, almonds and pecans. Macaws are social, and Billy and Charlie are no exception. Even though they are different species, they have bonded, which means that they’ve formed a close relationship with each other. Macaws form pair bonds in their natural habitats; even when a bonded pair flies in a large flock, they stick together, flying so close together that their wings almost touch. The next time you visit the Aquarium, don’t miss your chance to see Billy and Charlie up close! They can be found perched on a tree in front of the waterfall in Upland Tropical Rain Forest, to the left before you exit the exhibit, from late morning to early afternoon. LEARN MORE
Visit aqua.org/blog to stay updated on new Aquarium residents. BELOW Billy (right) tends to Charlie’s plumage on their perch in Upland Tropical Rain Forest. PHOTO BY THERESA KEIL
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RESTORING AM BY KRISTIN ZISSEL The Florida Reef lies six miles seaward of Key West in the warm waters of the western tropical Atlantic Ocean. It extends west to the Dry Tortugas and northeast toward Key Biscayne before climbing further north along the coast of southeastern Florida to Martin County. It spans 358 miles from end to end and is almost four miles wide at its most dense. Its base is made up of slow-growth stony corals dating back 5,000 to 7,000 years. It is one of the largest tropical reef systems in the world; only Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef near Belize are larger. Home to at least 1,400 species of corals, invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans, fishes and marine mammals, its rich biodiversity supports
the health of millions of plants and animals that live within, on and around it—and the $7 billion diving, fishing and tourism-based economy of the Florida Keys. The Reef also protects the region around it, acting as a buffer against powerful storm surges for adjacent islands and beaches. Its health is so crucial to life in its region that it is illegal to remove corals from the reef or harm it in any way. So, how did National Aquarium aquarists in Baltimore come to be in possession of 98 specimens of precious Florida corals? According to National Aquarium Assistant Curator Brian Nelson, who also serves as chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group,
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we are simply doing what we can to preserve North America’s most important reef habitat in keeping with our mission to conserve the world’s aquatic treasures. Back in 2014, researchers from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary noticed a sudden decline in the health of some species of stony corals that make up the structural base of the Florida Reef tract. Beginning near Virginia Key in Miami-Dade County, reef colonies began to develop irregular patches of exposed white coral skeleton, devoid of the colorful, live tissue typically associated with healthy reefs. Within weeks of detection, corals exhibiting tissue loss would perish completely. Regulators quickly
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E R I C A’ S R E E F found themselves monitoring a pervasive infection creeping through the waters of south Florida as evidence of additional damage spread both upstream and downstream along the reef. The culprit is a pervasive outbreak of what’s currently known as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which is transmitted by contact or water flow from one coral to the next. Its origin is still somewhat mysterious, but it is exacerbated by rising water temperatures and ocean acidification associated with climate change, as well as harmful nutrient runoff from human-driven activity on land. To date, 60% of corals within the range of the SCTLD outbreak are infected; all corals infected so far have died.
By 2017, more than half of the Florida Reef displayed damage substantial enough to alarm even a casual observer, with sections of bleached white reef skeleton visible amidst increasingly sparse colonies of unaffected corals. Faced with an expanding zone of infection and a ticking clock, researchers and regulators wisely expanded their focus beyond investigating the SCTLD outbreak in order to create a plan for future reef recovery.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary began to contact peers and research partners—including universities, marine laboratories and AZA-accredited institutions like the National Aquarium— looking for assistance with housing, monitoring, protecting and, eventually, propagating healthy corals. Their hope is to not only protect healthy samples of corals impacted by SCTLD, but to someday be able to use these samples and their potential offspring to repopulate the reef.
Teams of divers began rescuing healthy coral specimens from waters beyond the disease front as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the
OPPOSITE Healthy coral specimens were delivered to the Aquarium mounted to individual terracotta tiles.
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BELOW A boulder brain coral receives one of its two daily feedings in the ACRC. P H OTO G R A P H S BY M A R K M O O DY
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“When we heard about this rescue effort, we knew that we wanted to help,” Brian recalls, “but, like our peers, we had to figure out what was feasible for our facilities and staff.” Brian’s expertise in invertebrate Husbandry (or care) was an asset, as is the fact that National Aquarium aquarists already care for live coral on exhibit in Pacific Coral Reef. When tank space was made available in the new Animal Care and Rescue Center (ACRC), Brian was given the green light to accept some of the rescued Florida corals. Dozens of other institutions also responded. Some—like the National Aquarium—had available tank space and experts able to assist in structuring and guiding the project; others were able to contribute funds necessary to finance the work. As of October 2019, the Aquarium is one of more than 30 sites across the U.S. holding more than 1,500 healthy coral samples. While still the property of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service, the corals on loan to the Aquarium will spend at least three years in our ACRC as our treasured guests. For the Aquarium’s dedicated aquarists, this rescue effort has presented the opportunity for a crash course in improved coral husbandry. Under Brian’s guidance, the team is adapting to a daily schedule of coral care. Corals are not plants; they are aquatic invertebrate animals related to anemones and jellyfish. In order to thrive, they require clean, warm circulating water, regular feeding and reliable exposure to light. That means each of the 98 corals currently in our care receives individual attention each day. Every coral is fed twice daily, receiving a steady diet of algae and microscopic animals known as zooplankton via turkey baster. Our team also looks for the appearance
of new polyp-stage coral, measures colony growth and keeps a close eye on the presence and quantity of naturally occurring reef residents, including algae, crustaceans and other tiny plant and animal life, ensuring all relationships remain in balance—while also keeping an eye out for any health concerns that might arise. Assuming the ACRC corals retain their health and vitality, project aquarists will eventually work to encourage coral reproduction several years from now—a tricky proposition considering some species of coral naturally spawn only once a year. While the method of reproduction varies from species to species, all corals require two specimens of the same species to reproduce. Regardless of species, successful replication will eventually be critical to the success of the SCTLD rescue project since substantial quantities of coral will be necessary to replace the thousands lost to SCTLD and save the Florida Reef. Meanwhile, scientists in Florida continue to monitor water quality, looking for a specific event or trigger for this particularly lethal outbreak of SCTLD, and are investigating why some corals—like the alreadyendangered elkhorn and staghorn corals that form much of the reef’s mass—do not appear to be impacted by SCTLD. Learning what renders some corals immune to the disease could be a key to saving the reef from future disease events. “For us, a successful outcome would be maintaining the biosecurity of these corals so that we can send them back to Florida where they can play a role in restoring the reef,” says Brian. “We have to do whatever we can; we cannot someday look back and see that we had the opportunity to help save the reef and did nothing.”
THE NAME GAME Taxonomy is the branch of science concerned with identifying and classifying different organisms. With so many species of coral—and a multitude of variables in color, shape and structure between similar species—coral taxonomy can be especially tricky. Like most animals, corals have both complex, scientific Latin names and common names largely based upon their appearance. Check out this list of the scientific and common names for corals currently being monitored in the ACRC and see what you can guess about their size, shape or color from their descriptive common names. Then, visit the ACRC to see for yourself… members save 20% on tours! Colpophyllia natans Boulder brain coral Diploria labrynthiformis Grooved brain coral
Eusmilia fastigiata Smooth flower coral Madracis auretenra Yellow finger coral Meandrina meandrites Maze coral Montastraea cavernosa Great star coral Mussa angulosa Spiny flower coral
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Orbicella faveolata Mountainous star coral Pseudodiploria clivosa Knobby brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa Symmetrical brain coral OPPOSITE Diverse shapes and structures, seen here in smooth flower coral (top) and great star coral (bottom), are some of the factors that make habitat-creating corals the perfect home for a staggering variety of aquatic life. P H OTO G R A P H S BY M A R K M O O DY
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Coral Search-and-Find Activities for the young—and young at heart! In this issue’s feature story on our efforts to preserve the health of coral species affected by a bacteria impacting our ocean near Florida (page 8), we learned about coral reef habitats and how many different kinds of animals depend on them for shelter, food and survival. From tiny, microscopic organisms to crustaceans, other invertebrates and fishes of all shapes and sizes, coral reefs are important to thousands of aquatic species.
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Oscar the Skink Have you met Oscar yet? He’s a prehensile-tailed skink that started participating in Animal Encounters this summer. Skinks are small- to mediumsized lizards primarily found in the tropical forests of the Solomon Islands, north of Australia. According to Animal Programs Manager Liz Evans, “they’re social in that they live in small family groups, give live birth and provide parental care—which is unusual for reptiles.” Bonus points if you know what “prehensile” means without breaking out the dictionary. Hint: Monkeys have prehensile tails, too. PHOTOGR APH BY MARK MOODY
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And they’re off! Forty-seven baby terrapins left the Aquarium in September to join classrooms in 13 Maryland counties, from Anne Arundel to Washington. Students will observe and study the turtles throughout the year, collecting growth data, observing behaviors, learning animal care techniques and researching the natural history of the species. At the end of the school year, they’ll release the terrapins back into their natural habitat. SAW F I S H N E E D O U R H E LP
Shark Alley is home to two male largetooth sawfish, and sawfish are among the most endangered elasmobranchs in the world. That’s why every October 17 we take part in International Sawfish Day, a global effort to educate people about the threats these animals face and how we can help protect them. National Aquarium Fishes Research Specialist Alan Henningsen is one of the founders of International Sawfish Day. AU S S I E A D D ITI O N S
The pythons in Australia: Wild Extremes recently got some colorful compadres. Sixty threadfin rainbowfish and 25 empire gudgeons were added to the exhibit in September, joining the 130 Western rainbowfish introduced this past spring.
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As of early November, the baby puffin known as Macaroni is fully fledged and out and about in Sea Cliffs. The 16th puffin to hatch at the Aquarium since 2006, Macaroni joins siblings Ravioli and Gnocchi. P H OTO G R A P H BY DAV I D CO F F E Y
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Gifts that Give Back! Support the National Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures by giving the perfect holiday gift. • Membership is the gift they’ll open again and again with a year of free admission. • Members enjoy 20% off admission tickets, which are good for a year and can be sent to you or your recipient. • A donation can be made in memory or in honor of someone who loves our ocean and the life it holds. Visit aqua.org/members or call 410-659-4230 to purchase or donate.
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