The South Carolina Aquarium
Have you ever seen a comb jelly up close and personal? Been shocked by an electric eel? Petted a sea urchin?
If you answered no to at least one of these, then you must visit the South Carolina Aquarium. You don’t know what you’re missing.
Friday afternoon, my friend Chris and I visited the aquarium—a first for both of us. We were there to see the Great Ocean Tank, but I held the map and made a beeline for the Touch Tank. This marine petting zoo’s shallow waters are filled sea anemones, starfish, and whelk snails to name a few. I was a bit skittish at first, but after some coaxing by the exhibit guide, I reached in and picked up a purple urchin, looked at it, and set it back. I chose to admire the other critters from afar, although I did touch a hermit crab’s shell.
The Touch Tank exhibit guides aren’t just there to make sure you don’t run off with a snail; they are full of knowledge. Our guide taught us more than we’d ever wanted to know horseshoe crabs. For example, they have nine eyes, predate the flowering plant, and aren’t a true crab, but more akin to the spider and scorpion. Who knew?
The Secrets of the Amazon exhibit (which is temporary) is designed to look and feel like you’re walking into a researcher’s tent deep in the Amazon. The exhibit displays a piranha, poison tree frogs, and an electric eel. And it’s interactive—push a button and it begins lightening and thundering, simulating a rainstorm in the jungle. Next to the cage that houses an anaconda is a hole for you to insert your hand, and for those brave souls who try, you can feel what it’s like when this snake gets hold of you. I declined, but Chris did, and, as he was shaking out his hand, he compared it to having his blood pressure taken.
My apologies, but I can’t comment on the Mountain Forest (why stop when the two otters are napping?), the Piedmont, the Coastal Plain, and the Saltmarsh exhibits because Chris literally drug me through them to get to the Great Ocean Tank.
Once I saw it, I knew why.
The Great Ocean Tank spans the two levels. The 385,000-gallon tank is filled with hammerhead and sand tiger sharks, an array of fish, and moray eels. But the show stopper, in this author’s humble opinion, is Caretta, the resident 200-pound loggerhead sea turtle. We stood there for almost an hour, watching the activity. The comb jelly, which have their own tank, are absolutely mesmerizing, as is the seahorse tank.
Located in Charleston’s historic harbor, the first and second levels both have outside access, allowing visitors the opportunity to sit and enjoy the view of the harbor. The aquarium houses over 10,000 animals and plants, with over 60 exhibits that focus on the five major regions of the Appalachian Watershed. It offers education programs and is available to rent out for special events.
Hours of operation:
Fall/Winter Hours
Aug 16-Mar 31, 9am-5pm, Mon-Sat
12pm-5pm, Sunday,
Last ticket sold 4pm
Summer Hours
Apr 1-Aug 15, 9am-6pm, Mon-Sat
12pm-6pm, Sunday,
Last ticket sold 5pm
Ticket Prices:
Adults (12-61) $16.00
Seniors (62+) $14.00
Youth (6-11) $8.00
Child (2-5) $8.00
Toddler (0-1) FREE
Phone: 1-800-722-6455
Website: www.scaquarium.org
