What is Aquarium Aglow?

Aquarium Aglow is our annual holiday celebration that features tens of thousands of lights throughout the entire Aquarium! You’ll see your favorite exhibits glowing in festive light for the holidays, plus fun photo stations and other large installations — like giant Nutrackers, a massive Kraken and huge pine cones. Guests can enjoy walking through the Aquarium while listening to holiday music, snacking on a refreshment and even waving to Scuba Claus as he dives in the Great Ocean Tank!

Areas for Headphones

• Entrance: As you walk up the ramp, you’ll pass a 30-foot-tall tree made of lights that sits atop our Harbor Overlook, which guests walk through to access the front entrance. This tree performs digital light shows to the beat of holiday music, amplified on speakers. This will likely be the loudest section of your Aquarium Aglow experience. 

• Touch Tank and Kids Coast: The Touch Tank and Kids Coast are both common locations to find excited guests, as well as hear lots of laughter and chatter. With the addition of interactive games and a photo op, there is potential for these areas to be noisy and/or crowded at times.

Areas for Strobe Reduction Glasses

• Entrance, Mountain Forest: While no strobe lights are used at Aquarium Aglow, some installations feature flickering or cascading lights, which may be overstimulating for some. We recommend bringing strobe reduction glasses with you and wearing them in these two areas if you have a concern about lights with motion.

Areas for a Quieter Recharge

• Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™: Head to the far end of the first floor to find the quietest space to recharge during Aquarium Aglow. To mimic the most natural light cycle for our sea turtle patients in the Sea Turtle Care Center™, curtains in this exhibit are lowered at 8 p.m. every evening, and no holiday light installations are located here. If you wish to sit, there are seating areas in the Recovery Theater and in the adjacent Respond gallery (behind the escalator). 

• Second Floor Observation Decks: While you’ll still hear the music playing from the Harbor Overlook on our second floor observation decks, the volume will be lower, and these areas tend to be less crowded. Take some time to feel the cool breeze of the waterfront and enjoy the sounds of the holidays in the distance. Pro tip: The observation deck adjacent to the Touch Tank features a green light tunnel, so we recommend heading to the observation deck adjacent to Kids Coast for less light stimulation! 

Areas for Extra Stimulation

• Photo Ops: Check the Aquarium Aglow map to see where different photo ops are located. Surround yourself with color as you pose for a fun photo inside a giant tree of lights, or press buttons to make different creatures illuminate on a wall of bubbles! 

• Mountain Forest: Through the outdoor portion of Mountain Forest, you’ll feel the weather conditions outside, so it may be cool and the floors may be damp. Look up to see cascading lights that mimic snowfall, or touch the rock walls around you to feel some of the natural features found in this type of habitat! 

• Kids Coast: Kids Coast features interactive kinetic learning stations, as well as a play area for our littlest guests. During Aquarium Aglow, giant “retro” toys are added to this area — challenge your group to a friendly competition or build a beautiful glowing image together! 

What To Wear

Guests walk to the Aquarium entrance from where they park, and there are a few exhibits open to the outside environment. Although the Aquarium generally stays at a relative “comfortable” temperature, layers are a good idea if you’re sensitive to temperature changes. The Mountain Forest, Saltmarsh Aviary and The Shallows may have damp flooring from humidity, rain, water features or gentle splashes from animals. Shoes with tread can help you feel confident while moving about the exhibits. Don’t forget a rain jacket if the forecast calls for precipitation!  

What To Bring

We recommend those with sensitivity to sound bring headphones or earplugs to wear whenever necessary. Those with sensitivity to lights may want to bring strobe reduction glasses as well. We also suggest bringing a refillable water bottle to stay cool and hydrated, plus a small fidget tool to use when stimulation is needed. If you or a member of your group communicates without spoken language, remember to bring any tools or devices that can help staff interact with you! 

KultureCity Sensory Bags

We were the first organization in the state to be certified as sensory inclusive by KultureCity, a leading nonprofit recognized for being at the forefront of the expansion of sensory accessibility. As part of this certification, our staff have received training to better serve guests with sensory sensitivities. We offer sensory bags that are available for checkout with a photo ID at Admissions or the Info Desk. These bags include fidget tools, noise-reducing headphones, specialized strobe reduction glasses, visual communication cards and more. 

We hope this guide gives you confidence to prepare for and enjoy a fun visit to Aquarium Aglow! If you are uncomfortable or need help during your visit, find an Aquarium staff member! They will be wearing a navy blue shirt and a nametag, and they can assist you in finding a quiet spot or checking out a sensory bag to make your visit more comfortable. 

Please note: This blog details specifics on the Aquarium Aglow experience only. If you would like to read our sensory friendly tips for a visit to the Aquarium, which provides more information on exhibits and the daytime guest experience, click here.

Published November 18, 2024