It costs $32.00 to experience different fish species up close at the Boston Aquarium, alongside $40.00 for parking. It’s even more at Mystic Aquarium ($37.00) for general admission and a slog from the parking lot.
At the Block Island Maritime Institute (BIMI), nestled in New Harbor directly on the Great Salt Pond, you park right out front and walk in for free (donations encouraged!), and arguably get a more personal experience up-close with a plethora of sea creatures particular to these waters. All the while being educated by a team of knowledgeable marine experts. No headsets here with a monotone computer talking to you. Instead theyactually go out of their way to answer your questions in a hands-on learning environment in one of the most pleasant and engaging staff encounters you’ll find.
Here you’ll even encounter rare species like barrelfish, which, like so many Block Island visitors, are here only for the summer. Normally found in up to 1,200 feet of deep water along the Continental Shelf canyons near the Carolinas, this summer a family is relaxing after Hurricane Elsa spun them up from the depths and they were adopted by the staff at BIMI. They are now
