Smith's Parish
Located in Flatts Village, which is perched on the edge of a narrow inlet, the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo is the premier natural attraction in Bermuda.
More than just a pretty tourist attraction that's been recently improved, renovated and expanded, BAMZ has won international recognition for species preservation and environmental issues. The Aquarium is a great place to id some fish you've seen while snorkeling or diving off the shores of Bermuda, as it has over 200 species in its several tanks, including coral species. The star of the Aquarium is the North Rock tank, a 145,000-gallon behemoth ecosystem which actually holds a section of coral reef and a giant Nassau Grouper which is rare in the waters off Bermuda, having been commercially fished to almost a non-existant state. As you gaze through the clear walls of the North Rock tank, you'll notice that you're standing underneath an equally clear arcrylic ceiling...it's not too hard to imagine that you too are underwater with the fish, the sharks, and barracuda that swim along the tank's amazing living reef.
If you can tear yourself away from the grand attraction of the North Rock tank, make your way over to the Local Tails Exhibit where you can see actual Galapagos tortoises, octopuses, alligators and a touch pool that children of any age will appreciate. (The Bermuda Zoo, by the way, was the first place on earth to sucessfully breed teh Galapagos tortoises in captivity.) And speaking of children, if you are travelling with some, make sure to visit the Discovery Room where there are tons of activities lined up to entertain and teach them about the natural beauty of Bermuda and the ocean around it. The Zoo features Islands of the Caribbean, a walk-through section of the zoo where you can get up close to sloths and golden lion tamarins while scarlet ibis fly overhead in an environment that's virtually cage-free. In other areas of the zoo look other exotic creatures such as tree kangaroos, wallabies, and flamingos.
And if you can handle so much in one day, there's the entire Natural History Museum section to wander about. It's been renovated, with fascinating exhibits covering subjects like humpback whale migrations past Bermuda, Bermuda's volcanic origins, and a deep-sea dive area that details the historic 1930's dive of William Beebe, who dove half a mile down to explore the ocean's depths.
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