Maritime Aquarium Grants To Go Toward New Exhibits, Experiences

NORWALK, CT — Grants of $355,200 and $25,000 from Connecticut Humanities will go toward creating new exhibits, educational programming and other experiences at the Maritime Aquarium that introduce a more diverse audience to Long Island Sound, according to the facility.

In a news release, aquarium spokesperson Dave Sigworth said Connecticut Humanities announced $16 million in CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grants in late December that will go to 624 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in the state, including $355,200 for the aquarium.

Separately, the aquarium will use a Connecticut Humanities Planning Grant of $25,000 toward creating a new interactive display that explains the importance of the state's salt marshes, Sigworth said.

Maritime Aquarium CEO Jason Patlis thanked Connecticut Humanities as they begin to implement these grants, which he noted will allow the aquarium to expand opportunities for interacting with its current audience and engage with more communities.

"We also are grateful for the staunch support of Gov. Lamont, State Sen. Majority Leader Bob Duff of Norwalk and the Connecticut General Assembly in making the operating support funds available and recognizing the vital role, and current struggles during the pandemic, of Connecticut's arts and cultural organizations," Patlis said in a news release.

Patlis said the $355,200 operating support grant will help the aquarium tell the story of Long Island Sound's conservation and natural history through new educational programs, both in-person and online, and new interactive exhibits, with the special intent of reaching and inspiring a more diverse, inclusive audience.

Additionally, as the financial effects of the pandemic linger, the funds will support the aquarium's operations and help retain staffing levels needed to continue to provide superior daily care to the more than 7,000 resident animals.

"All of these initiatives will extend our reach across Connecticut, diversify our revenue streams, and help to secure our financial future," Patlis said.

"We are thrilled to welcome the Maritime Aquarium into our humanities family," Jason Mancini, executive director of Connecticut Humanities, said in a news release. "Their work to connect the natural world with the human experience helps illuminate our relationship with the environment, to each other, and to some of the most pressing issues of our time. Providing greater access to diverse audiences is at the core of our operating support grant and I am confident that the Maritime Aquarium will deliver its best to our residents and visitors. We congratulate them on their awards."

Duff said his support of the aquarium dates back to its first day almost 34 years ago.

"I was there in 1988 when Gov. O'Neil opened the Maritime Aquarium and I have been in love with it ever since," Duff said in a news release. "People come from all over Connecticut and the region to visit the aquarium and it really helps put Norwalk on the map. In addition, the Maritime Aquarium serves as an excellent steward of Long Island Sound and educates countless young people about the importance of protecting our environment. It is my pleasure to support the Maritime Aquarium so future generations can enjoy our wonderful local treasure."

Separate from the operating support grant, Sigworth said the aquarium will use the $25,000 Connecticut Humanities planning grant toward creating a new interactive display called "Marshing Through Time" in its Long Island Sound watershed gallery.

"This grant will allow the Maritime Aquarium to bring to life the history of Long Island Sound's marshlands," Patlis said in a news release, "how they have changed over time and how they have shaped the very culture and economy of Connecticut and the region through the centuries."

Through multimedia storytelling and digital depictions of historical artifacts, "Marshing Through Time" will give aquarium guests an understanding of the link between the natural world and culture and history, while also challenging them to consider what steps people can take to restore marshlands to a healthy ecosystem, Patlis said.

Further information can be found at www.maritimeaquarium.org.