A New Aquarium Is Coming to Newport to Educate & Inspire

A new aquarium is coming to Downtown Newport, and it will offer a hands-on learning experience of local sea creatures and the challenges we face when it comes to protecting Narragansett Bay.

Dive beneath the waves of the bay and experience Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium starting March 28^th.

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What Is Save the Bay?

Save the Bay is a 100% member-supported nonprofit organization that aims to protect and improve Narragansett Bay. With a focus on advocacy, habitat restoration and adaptation, and education, the opening of Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium will allow even more people to learn about the importance of the Bay and what we can do to keep it flourishing.

“We want people to understand why our bay is unique and important, and at our aquarium, we’re the showpiece for the education department at Save the Bay,” said Adam Kovarsky, the lead aquarist at Save the Bay.

“The More You Learn, The More You Care”

“A lot of times, the people coming through our doors might not have had the opportunity to know what a salt marsh is or pick up a spider crab or a lobster, and at our aquarium, we have the opportunity for people to learn about the animals, learn about the habitats, and learn why Narragansett Bay is such a precious resource here,” said Bridget Kubis Prescott, the Director of Education.

READ MORE: 10 Cool Things to Do in Newport for Under $20

What to Expect at Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium

Around 16 years ago, Save the Bay took over a small aquarium at Easton’s Beach in Newport, and for around 10 years, the team has been actively searching for a bigger facility that would allow them to conduct research and provide a memorable and educational experience for visitors.

Coming up on March 28^th, their new location at the Gateway Center in downtown Newport will be a new and exciting chapter.

The aquarium is 7,000 square feet and every square inch is custom-designed to accommodate the marine life. There will also be a community room to host school groups and special events.

“We see so many opportunities at the new location to engage more people in different ways,” said Jonathan Stone, the former Executive Director.

Getting to the aquarium will be a breeze for anyone utilizing public transit, with the bus station right next door, and for anyone coming to town by ferry, they can walk right off the ferry and take a five-minute walk to the aquarium.

Opening Day for Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium is March 28^th, with daily summer hours beginning May 2^nd.