For this o-fish-al update, we introduce you to the new name for our educational facilities at the Dept. of Marine Resources’ Boothbay Lab – the Gulf of Maine Discovery Center.

Many are familiar with one of these facilities, the Maine State Aquarium. Did you also know we have an adjacent facility that is a hands-on science classroom and theater? The Learning Lab is a space in which visitors can go more in depth on a variety of DMR related topics and research. For example, this summer our shark exhibit will showcase the sharks of the Gulf of Maine, as well as the research our scientists are doing to understand and track them. The exhibit will include a shark tank where visitors can observe the unique adaptations and behaviors that make sharks so unique.

The Gulf of Maine Discovery Center, with its two facilities, is where ocean discovery starts for many DMR visitors. It is where Maine residents, summer visitors, school groups, and educators discover what makes the Gulf of Maine such a unique place. The Center is a window into the work DMR does to understand, conserve, and manage Maine’s marine resources.

With this new name we have a new logo that you will see online, on social media, and on new merchandise at the Aquarium this summer. Be sure to follow us on social media as we highlight our exhibits, programs, and DMR staff. You will still find us as the Maine State Aquarium on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.