Mystic Aquarium Seeks To Inspire Learning Aboard The Nautilus (With Video)

Visitors who step inside the ’s Nautilus Live Theater this August will leave Mystic behind and travel to a deep-sea research ship in the Black Sea.

There they may witness the discovery of an ancient shipwreck, learn about marine life or perhaps develop their own passion for sea research.

“We’re trying to get kids to take those tough courses; to inspire them, that’s what we hope coming to this theater will do,” Dr. Robert Ballard said.

The Aquarium’s newest exhibit features a live feed to Ballard’s and his team’s work aboard the E/V Nautilus in the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

According to the Aquarium, Ballard and his team of scientists, engineers, educators and students are conducting sea-floor imaging to search for ancient sites and shipwrecks, exploring underwater volcanic fields, surveying marine life and studying the chemistry of rocks and sediment.

“We’re creating moments of discovery,” Ballard said, adding that the team is discovering a new shipwreck about every eleven hours.

Each day visitors to the Aquarium will have the chance to participate in those discoveries by attending one of six daily shows at the 50-seat Nautilus Live Theater. At the theater, visitors can interact with those aboard Nautilus, learn about deep-sea research, including Ballard’s previous expeditions and keep track of the ship’s progress.

The 64-meter ship, according to the Aquarium, is equipped with a high-bandwidth satellite system that through telepresence technology and ship-to-shore technology will let visitors experience what those aboard the ship are seeing and hearing.

“I enjoy sharing my experiences at sea, and now, with this technology, I don’t have to wait to come home and tell people about it,” Ballard said. “They can come aboard the ship and be there at the moment of discovery. Rather than read about our findings, they can say, ‘I was there.’”

Visitors will also learn about protecting ancient cultural sites. Ballard who has participated in 130 expeditions in 52 years said the team will not excavate their findings and won’t broadcast the exact locations of their discoveries, but will alert local authorities so the sites can be preserved. The team has discovered fishing trawlers in the area sometimes damage the shipwrecks.

The aquarium hopes to reach thousands of people both through the Nautilus Live Theater and online at www.nautiluslive.org, Facebook and Twitter which will have live video feeds aboard the Nautilus.

“This is the future of aquariums,” said Dr. Stephen Coan, president and CEO of the Sea Research Foundation, which operates the Mystic Aquarium. “No other institution in the world has access to this type of vessel let alone the ability to link into it.”

The live programs at the theater will run from July 28, 2011 to mid-November, with daily show times at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. There is no additional charge to attend one of the shows. Visit www.mysticaquairum.org for more information or www.nautiluslive.org for more information on the expedition.