Love is in the water at the New England Aquarium. And it's not just because it's Valentine's Day. In fact, there are happy couples throughout the exhibits! There's Isaac and Ursula, the parents of fur seal pups Flaherty and Kit. There are the protective sergeant majors and many other species of fish in the Giant Ocean Tank. And there are smitten penguins all over their exhibit.

Since we'll take any excuse to share some sappy moments, may we present a few happy couples: the garden eels and clownfish.



And since red and pink are the banner colors of this saccharine holiday, check out some of the unusual Valentine-colored animals throughout the Aquarium.

Pink anemones native to the Pacific in the Northern waters gallery

Redish bigeye in the Giant Ocean Tank

Pinkish anemones native to our local waters

Spanish flag, native to the Caribbean, found in the Aquarium's Yawkey Coral Reef Center

Sea peaches found in local waters

Giant Pacific octopus

Shiny perch

Don't let this summer pass you by without seeing our newly renovated Giant Ocean Tank (or GOT as we like to call it), just one part of the New Aquarium Experience. This Labor Day Weekend, come press your nose against the windows to take in the explosion of colors, movement and fascinating species: fish of all colors and sizes, sea turtles, eels, rays and sharks!

The reef | Photo: Webb Chappell

Spiral around the familiar tank with plenty of nooks to nestle into, but enjoy the larger-than-ever windows with crystal clear views of the brand-new, intricate, colorful coral reef—home to thousands of marine animals, including stingrays, sea turtles, sharks, eels and tropical fishes.

Top of the Giant Ocean Tank | Photo: Webb Chappell

The domed ceiling above the Giant Ocean Tank illuminates the reef and animals below in sparkling detail, and with a clear glass railing around the tank, everyone gets a look at the massive, textural coral structure while sea turtles come up for air and barracuda patrol the reef.

New Exhibits
At the top of the tank you'll also find even more exhibits to explore in the Yawkey Coral Reef Center, including the frogfish, sea fans and garden eels. These tanks showcase reef biodiversity and gives visitors a closer look at a hidden world filled with unique coral reef animals, like frogfish, flying gunard and garden eels.

Frogfish | Photo: Webb Chappell

Garden eels | Visitor picture via Tumblr

The Blue Planet Action Center (BPAC) highlights three aspects of Aquarium expertise: the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on corals, threats facing the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and efforts to protect seafood resources through sustainable fishing practices.

Interactive screens in the BPAC highlight marine species and what the Aquarium is doing to help them. Photo: Webb Chappell

The Aquarium is open until 7 pm on Friday and Saturday, 6 pm on Labor Day. Here's a quick link to help plan your visit!

Watch the Whales
But the excitement doesn't end there! If you really want to squeeze every drop out of summer, consider a New England Aquarium Whale Watch to see where the really big marine mammals are feeding and splashing just a few miles from Boston Harbor. Our partners at Boston Harbor Cruises offer high-speed catamaran cruises with three outside decks for optimal viewing of whales, dolphins, sea birds and other marine life. Combo tickets are available! See pictures of recent sightings on the Whale Watch Log.


Soak up what's left of summer. A visit to the New England Aquarium and a trip on a New England Aquarium Whale Watch will definitely give your family something to talk about during the long winter nights ahead. And don't forget about the excitement happening on Saturday evening at 9 pm—fireworks over Boston Harbor! Make it a Labor Day Weekend you won't soon forget.