Rare ‘cotton candy’ lobster among star attractions at reopened Maine aquarium

The Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor is now open after four years of closure. With an $850,000 grant from the state to install new exhibits, it is redesigned to highlight the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, the working waterfront and research being done on the gulf and climate change.

The aquarium had 630 visitors when it officially reopened on Wednesday, said Dottie Yunger, the director of the education division for the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

But people returning to the aquarium after its long closure may be surprised by some of the things that are in store. Here are a few of the new experiences that await them:

See 3 rare lobsters

The aquarium has three lobsters that are colors other than the classic red: a blue one, a yellow one and an ultra-rare “cotton candy” one. Only one in 100 million lobsters boast that pearl-like blue hue. The atypical lobsters come from Maine fishermen who caught them, decided they were too pretty to eat, and donated them to the aquarium.

Pet a moon jellyfish

No, these jellies don’t sting. Even if they did, their stings are so weak that a human wouldn’t be able to feel it. The aquarium had a special oval tank built for the jellies so they don’t get stuck in any corners. Watch the golf-ball-sized blobs float around. Or get more hands-on and gently poke one on the head at the direction of an aquarium staff member. They’re soft and squishy — and true to their name, it’s like poking an underwater glob of Jell-O.

Moon jellies live in the Gulf of Maine, and research shows that as the waters continue to warm, they’re congregating in different areas, Yunger said. If the jellyfish do in fact prefer warm water, it means humans may be interacting with them more in Maine.

Practice catching and handling lobsters

A replica of the stern of a lobster boat sits in the corner of the new aquarium, sporting the name “LAWBSTAH.” There’s an old-fashioned wooden trap, some fake lobsters and rubber bands for visitors to play with. Hop on the boat, pull the trap up with a pulley and notch their plastic tails.

Yunger said including the working waterfront into the aquarium is a way to showcase the interaction between the Gulf of Maine and its people. Showing how lobstermen do their jobs each day is an important part of the aquarium’s mission.

Touch critters in the tide pool

The fan-favorite touch tank is back, but in the style of a Maine tide pool. The pool has a wave mechanism to demonstrate what they’re like in the wild. Visitors can pet horseshoe crabs, starfish and snails, and take a look at anemones and urchins. Just remember to wash your hands (without soap) before touching them.

Explore the state’s marine research

Yunger said the community wanted access to Maine DMR’s research, so the aquarium is giving it. Visitors can view lobsters through a microscope in their young stages from eggs to larvae, read about research on a number of Maine marine animals through an interactive screen and learn about the Gulf of Maine temperature changes and their effects on the environment.

The gulf is warming at a rate 99 percent faster than the global ocean, and the aquarium site has been monitoring water temperatures in Boothbay Harbor since 1905. Visitors to the aquarium can turn a dial to see how different temperatures affect the lives of marine species in the Gulf of Maine, and what happens if the waters get too warm.

Admission to the Maine State Aquarium will be free while it completes renovations. Once they’re done, it will be $10 for adults, $7.50 for children 3-12, seniors and people in the military, and free for children 2 and under.