Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Three Day Social Media "Pirates of the Caribbean" Giveaway!

Hold on to your tricorn hats, mateys! We have a raft of ticket giveaways for the newest film at the Aquarium’s Simons IMAX Theatre, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides An IMAX 3D Experience.


It all starts today at 3 p.m. on all our social media sites — Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. Watch out for contest posts at these times:
3 p.m. Tuesday
12 p.m. Wednesday
9 a.m. Thursday



It pays to follow our social network feeds because today starts three days of ticket giveaways for Jack Sparrow’s latest adventure! And here's why you’ll want to:



If today's not your lucky day, try again tomorrow and Thursday. Get ready for three days of ticket giveaways for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides at the Simons IMAX Theatre. Good luck!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" now playing!

On New England's largest screen, you'll be captivated by larger-than-life swordfights, zany action sequences, and adrenaline-fueled pursuits. Adventure and over-the-top antics dominate Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides An IMAX 3D Experience, now digitally re-mastered in IMAX 3D.




Travel along with flamboyant seafarer Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as enigmatic siren Angelica (Penélope Cruz) lures him onto Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of legendary pirate Blackbeard. Forced to seek the fabled Fountain of Youth, Sparrow embarks on his wildest journey to date. He must use all his wiles to deal with the barbarous Blackbeard and his crew of zombies, Angelica, the ravishing pirate with whom he shares a dubious past, and the beautiful, enchanting mermaids whose masterful cunning leads even the most accomplished sailors to their doom.

The Pirates set sail on Friday, June 24, get your tickets today! You won't delay after getting a taste of the action that awaits you on New England's largest screen:



Now just imagine Jack Sparrow in 3D! Make your way over to the Aquarium’s Simons IMAX Theatre to start your adventure on the high seas.

Note: Member passes are not accepted at this special presentation.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Celebrating the Bruins' Stanley Cup victory

Congratulations Bruins!
The New England Aquarium congratulates the Boston Bruins on their phenomenal Stanley Cup victory. How are we celebrating? The Aquarium has featured defenseman Andrew Ference in this live blue profile and the Giant Ocean Tank divers are finding creative ways share their Bruins pride with visitors.



Special Bruins Offer
On Friday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. the Aquarium invited Bruins fans to come celebrate the Bruins' championship with a visit to the The Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank! During that time, tickets were buy-one-get-one free for visitors wearing black and gold.

Valid on 6/17/11 between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. only. This offer is good for one general admission to the New England Aquarium with the purchase of one full-priced adult admission. One coupon per group. Discount offers may not be combined with other offers. This coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Not valid on IMAX Theatre or Whale Watch tickets. No cash value and not valid on tickets purchased online.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Endangered sea turtle gets CT scan for pneumonia

Saturn, a rescued, juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, underwent a CT scan on Wednesday June 8 in Woburn to see if his persistent case of pneumonia was successfully treated after nearly a six-month battle with the illness at the New England Aquarium. The Boston Globe covered the scan in this video and this blog post.

Saturn is prepared for the CT scan by New England Aquarium veterinary staff as members of the press look on.

Saturn weighs 13 pounds and is estimated to be between 2 and 5 years old. He was admitted to the Aquarium last December after being stranded at the Sea Street Beach in Dennis due to hypothermia (read more about how sea turtles are rescued here). He also has had a recurring case of pneumonia ever since. If Wednesday’s CT scan determines that his case has been successfully treated, Saturn should be released back into the wild off the coast of Massachusetts in July or August (view photos of a recent release here).

Veterinarians at the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn have assisted the Aquarium in the care of Saturn and numerous other animals including a grey seal with scoliosis, a fur seal with congestive heart failure, two penguins for cataract surgeries, and loggerhead sea turtles and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles with pneumonia and orthopedic problems.

With 30,000 animals of more than 750 different species living at the Aquarium, it is challenging to meet all of their medical and diagnostic needs alone. The Aquarium has a sophisticated veterinary operation and excellent medical facilities, but when it needs the services of specialists and the most high tech of diagnostic tools, it has been fortunate to be able to turn to the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital.

“There would be no way to even get these tests done without their help,” said Dr. Charlie Innis, director of Animal Health at the Aquarium. “We don’t have the kind of specialized equipment and staff at the Aquarium that are found in modern veterinary referral hospitals. And, we don’t have the expertise to read the tests so they really help out a lot.”

For the past eight years, the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital has donated the services of their veterinarians and technicians in Woburn as well at their other location, the Bulger Animal Hospital in North Andover, donating close to $10,000 in free care just this past year, Innis said.

Participating veterinarians are: Drs. Jennifer O. Brisson, Gena M. Silver, Mark T. Troxel, Tonya C. Bromblee, and Ruth M. Marrion, and they have expertise in ophthalmology, radiology, neurology and surgery. They can also run MRI and EMG tests.

About Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital is a 24-hour emergency/critical care and specialty hospital dedicated to providing referring veterinarians and their clients with timely access to the most advanced specialists and emergency services available today. Its board-certified veterinary specialists and licensed practitioners provide a complete range of care in behavior, cardiology, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, emergency/critical care, internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and surgery. Mass Vet is equipped with state-of-the art surgical facilities and technologically advanced diagnostic capabilities, including on-site MRI, CT scan, fluoroscopy, digital radiography, ultrasonography, endoscopy, electrodiagnostics and in-house laboratory.

Friday, June 10, 2011

New Groupon Deal: $20 of food for $10 at The Reef!

The New England Aquarium has teamed up with Groupon to offer Boston's deal-seekers $10 off of $20 of food at the Aquarium's outdoor restaurant, The Reef. Come touch the sharks and rays at the new touch tank exhibit, and then grab a bite to eat for the whole family right on the Aquarium's plaza. The deal will be up this weekend only, so go grab your groupon now!

Keep up on offers like this by bookmarking this blog and connecting with the Aquarium on facebook, twitter and tumblr.


Thursday, June 2, 2011

World Oceans Day Social Media Contest!

This is your chance to share your love of the oceans and win a family fourpack of tickets to the New England Aquarium and the Simons IMAX Theatre! To enter watch the Aquarium's facebook page and twitter feed for a World Oceans Day question at 12 p.m. this Friday, June 3. Reply or comment with your answer and we'll choose our favorite responses to win the tickets.


How does it work?
Check out this facebook thread from a recent shark-themed ticket giveaway to get an idea of how it works.


World Oceans Day is coming!
By entering this contest, you're helping spread the word about how important it is to protect the oceans. You and your family are also invited to the Aquarium's annual World Oceans Day celebration this Sunday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be more prizes and giveaways at the event, plus a host of free family activities, including kayak demonstrations, sustainable seafood tastings and more!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

World Oceans Day Giveaways and Prizes at the Aquarium on Sunday, June 5



Ocean lovers from all over New England are invited to come celebrate World Oceans Day at the Aquarium this Sunday, June 5  with free family activities on the Aquarium's Harborwalk. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Not only will there be sustainable seafood tastings, kayak demonstrations and ROV submarines ... there will also be giveaways and chances to win these amazing prizes!



Grand Prize: 
Penguin Painting
How would you like to hang up a work of art created entirely by the webbed feet of the Aquarium's penguins? This rare prize will be handed out to a lucky visitor who gets their penguin bookmark punched at each table station at the Aquarium's World Oceans Day event. By entering the drawing, you'll experience all the great activities and you'll have a chance to decorate your home with the penguins' fancy footwork.



Runners Up Prizes: 
Keep our Ocean Clean T-Shirts
If you're a fan of the oceans and Dr. Seuss, this is the perfect prize for you. Runners up in the drawing of completed penguin bookmarks will get these T-shirts featuring Dr. Seuss's iconic fish characters.







Free Giveaways
(While supplies last)
Everyone who comes to celebrate World Oceans Day will receive a penguin bookmark showcasing an Aquarium penguin's unique personality. You'll also receive a live blue button to help spread the word that we can all make every day choices to protect the blue planet. These giveaways are available while supplies last, so make sure you arrive close to when the event starts at 11 a.m.





Social Media Ticket Contest
Share your thoughts about World Oceans Day on facebook and twitter this Friday, June 3, at noon for a chance to win tickets to the Aquarium and Simons IMAX Theatre. Get the details here.

Learn more about the Aquarium's World Oceans Day event here. We'll see you on Sunday!