New Penguin Exhibit Coming to Long Beach Aquarium

The brand new June Keys Penguin Exhibit will open to the public at the Aquarium of the Pacific on Thursday, providing visitors the chance to get up close and personal the bird famous for its swimming prowess and stylish tuxedo coats.

The aquarium also hopes to educate the public on what is perhaps a lesser known fact about penguins--more than 75 percent of the species are endangered or threatened, according to a statement from the aquarium. 

Featuring interactive displays, short films, children's programs, speakers and crawl-in spaces that bring the visitor into the bird's habitat, the exhibit is designed to inform and inspire children and adults alike.  

Penguins have never before been housed at the aquarium, making the new permanent exhibit the first of its kind. One its sponsors, American Honda, is appropriately providing a clean energy source in the first public demonstration in the U.S. of Honda's "thin film" CIGS solar panels, according to a statement from the aquarium. 

Among the Magellanic Penguins featured, whose natural habitat ranges from South America up to California's southern waters and coasts, are some rescues who were found north of native home near Rio, Braziland.

Possible climate change refugees or victims of overfishing by humans, they may have strayed from their habitats in search of increasingly sparse food.  

Widespread awareness of dilemmas already facing penguins was inspired by the 2005 documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, March of the Penguins. Almost a decade later, environmental changes continue to threaten their survival.

The new guests at the aquarium will now help to educate visitors on what they can do to change the tides for the future of the much-beloved bird who has been swimming the chilly waters and waddling the Earth for 50 million years. 

Tickets are priced at $24.95 for adults, $13.95 for children ages 3-11 and $21.95 for seniors ages 62 and up. Admission is free for children under 3, and for aquarium members who are also invited for previews on Monday and Tuesday; reservations are required. 

Entrance to certain portions of the exhibit is available at an additional cost, such as the Penguin Animal Encounter or guest speaker engagements.

Located at 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific is a nonprofit dedicated to ocean coservation. For more information, click here or call 562-590-3100.