On a recent visit to Georgia Aquarium, I was expecting a modest exhibit of imaginary or mythical creatures. Instead, Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies is a remarkably brilliant and substantial exhibition of mysterious, ferocious, and fascinating sea animals...and a few cases of mistaken identity.
You'll get to see nearly 20 full-body sea creatures and more than 150 individual organs and smaller sea creatures...that's a substantial exhibit!
The exhibition leads with a masterfully appointed room that displays artifacts of 18th Century scientific study of aquatic animals, highlighting the creation of taxonomy—the classification system of grouping different and similar organisms all the way down to species. Occasionally, animals are re-classified because modern science has given us a greater understanding of certain animals—those cases of mistaken identity I mentioned.
The exhibition also bring a great deal of fun. It shares the fact that scientist can and do indeed have a sense of humor. Traditionally, the scientist who discovers a new genus or species gets to name it. A biologist at Duke University named an entire genus of fern 'Gaga germanotta'. It was named after Lady Gaga!
I don't recall ever seeing an Ocean Sunfish, the heaviest bony fish in the world, which can weigh up to 5,070 pounds! I think if I'd seen one that I would remember.
With a relatively slender body, the Ocean Sunfish can reach 14 feet tall by 10 feet long. It hardly 'looks' like it can even swim, but from what I've read, it does so clumsily. Harmless to humans, they're quite curious and will approach divers, which has to be a little unnerving. A fish twice as tall as I am, coming toward me not-in-a-straight-line...I'm sure my adrenaline would surge!
Its large eyes remind me of the Star Wars humanoid-fish character Admiral Gial Ackbar. The Ocean Sunfish may not be a "Rebel", but it's certainly a fascinating creature.
There are a number of fun creatures. The better-known aquatic animals, such as the Blow Fish, are also on display—which takes my mind immediately to Hootie and the Blowfish. You'll recognize other well-known creatures and some of them will seem like they're from another planet!
More and more—as a lifelong fan of science fiction and of science—I'm thinking that cinema creature creators look to botany and the animal kingdom for inspiration. No matter how bizarre an alien or monster looks in movies, I'd venture to stay that you can find a similar looking species somewhere on Earth. Seriously!
Did you know that you can get a college degree in Museum Exhibition Design? I only learned this in recent years, and it totally makes sense. I've seen some wonderfully remarkable exhibitions and this one falls into that category.
It's not only remarkable, the corridors and display rooms are drenched in color and some in black light (above)...great fun! Note that the dramatic lighting make some of the creatures look a color that they're not in their natural habitats (see the pink octopus further below).
And yes, there were a few shudder-inducing artifacts, particularly these shark's teeth (above). If you're of the Jaws generation, you know what I mean.
That aside, the exhibition is wonderfully educational. And shark teeth aren't exactly something we've not seen before. But this time, instead of a rack in a beachfront novelty shop, they're displayed tastefully, elegantly, and with purpose. Oh...and the shark teeth are in a case, out-of-reach of curious fingers.
Also in the exhibition—and the subject of much of the exhibition's marketing material—is a 15-foot long Mako Shark. There's not one on display in any of the Aquarium galleries, so this was a unique experience, as are many experiences at Georgia Aquarium.
The squid and octopus on display are amazing...and there are a lot of them! I've long found both to be fascinating, especially octopuses. Later in the day we got to see the octopus on display in the Aquarium's Cold Water Quest gallery and it was quite active...we got to see its chameleon properties in the act!
This bad boy (above) is a Grouper! They're one of the larger fish you'll see in the Ocean Voyager exhibit in the Aquarium. And just for the record, all the creatures in Sea Monsters "were carefully recovered in accordance with the highest animal protection standards."
There are many aspects of this exhibit that remind me of, also fascinating, Bodies: The Exhibition, which I saw when it was in DC, and it's on display at Atlantic Station.
I'm sure you've been wondering if the animals in this exhibition are real. They indeed are real. According to the Aquarium's website, this exhibition uses "the revolutionary polymer preservation technique commonly known as plastination to bring real sea animals onto dry land for an up-close look at these mysterious and compelling sea creatures."
When we were at the end of the exhibition, we got to chatting with one of the staff and it turned out that she and Barry share lots of interest, specifically marine biology. Next thing we knew, we were behind-the-scenes to see some world-class and rather amazing operations, including the animal operating room. Fortunately, it's quite rare that the Aquarium's animals require surgery, and seldom do they become sick. But when and if it happens, they're at the ready to respond.
There's a LOT more to explore and learn, but one thing that fascinated me was the number of times water tests are conducted on a weekly basis—that being 5,000-7,000 times! The number is so high partly because so many of the water habitats are independent, which greatly reduces or totally mitigate any animal health issues that might occur.
The whole reason we were at Georgia Aquarium was to Swim with the Whale Sharks, one of their animal interaction programs. It'd been planned for more than four months, so it was pretty cool that Sea Monsters included a specimen of a Whale Shark, which we would be swimming with momentarily.
Now, head over to Georgia Aquarium and get your tickets. I don't know how long the exhibition will be there—it opened last September—but Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies is included in your 'Total Ticket' purchase.
Have fun!
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
You'll get to see nearly 20 full-body sea creatures and more than 150 individual organs and smaller sea creatures...that's a substantial exhibit!
The exhibition leads with a masterfully appointed room that displays artifacts of 18th Century scientific study of aquatic animals, highlighting the creation of taxonomy—the classification system of grouping different and similar organisms all the way down to species. Occasionally, animals are re-classified because modern science has given us a greater understanding of certain animals—those cases of mistaken identity I mentioned.
The exhibition also bring a great deal of fun. It shares the fact that scientist can and do indeed have a sense of humor. Traditionally, the scientist who discovers a new genus or species gets to name it. A biologist at Duke University named an entire genus of fern 'Gaga germanotta'. It was named after Lady Gaga!
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
I don't recall ever seeing an Ocean Sunfish, the heaviest bony fish in the world, which can weigh up to 5,070 pounds! I think if I'd seen one that I would remember.
With a relatively slender body, the Ocean Sunfish can reach 14 feet tall by 10 feet long. It hardly 'looks' like it can even swim, but from what I've read, it does so clumsily. Harmless to humans, they're quite curious and will approach divers, which has to be a little unnerving. A fish twice as tall as I am, coming toward me not-in-a-straight-line...I'm sure my adrenaline would surge!
Its large eyes remind me of the Star Wars humanoid-fish character Admiral Gial Ackbar. The Ocean Sunfish may not be a "Rebel", but it's certainly a fascinating creature.
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
There are a number of fun creatures. The better-known aquatic animals, such as the Blow Fish, are also on display—which takes my mind immediately to Hootie and the Blowfish. You'll recognize other well-known creatures and some of them will seem like they're from another planet!
More and more—as a lifelong fan of science fiction and of science—I'm thinking that cinema creature creators look to botany and the animal kingdom for inspiration. No matter how bizarre an alien or monster looks in movies, I'd venture to stay that you can find a similar looking species somewhere on Earth. Seriously!
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
Did you know that you can get a college degree in Museum Exhibition Design? I only learned this in recent years, and it totally makes sense. I've seen some wonderfully remarkable exhibitions and this one falls into that category.
It's not only remarkable, the corridors and display rooms are drenched in color and some in black light (above)...great fun! Note that the dramatic lighting make some of the creatures look a color that they're not in their natural habitats (see the pink octopus further below).
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
And yes, there were a few shudder-inducing artifacts, particularly these shark's teeth (above). If you're of the Jaws generation, you know what I mean.
That aside, the exhibition is wonderfully educational. And shark teeth aren't exactly something we've not seen before. But this time, instead of a rack in a beachfront novelty shop, they're displayed tastefully, elegantly, and with purpose. Oh...and the shark teeth are in a case, out-of-reach of curious fingers.
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
Also in the exhibition—and the subject of much of the exhibition's marketing material—is a 15-foot long Mako Shark. There's not one on display in any of the Aquarium galleries, so this was a unique experience, as are many experiences at Georgia Aquarium.
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
The squid and octopus on display are amazing...and there are a lot of them! I've long found both to be fascinating, especially octopuses. Later in the day we got to see the octopus on display in the Aquarium's Cold Water Quest gallery and it was quite active...we got to see its chameleon properties in the act!
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
This bad boy (above) is a Grouper! They're one of the larger fish you'll see in the Ocean Voyager exhibit in the Aquarium. And just for the record, all the creatures in Sea Monsters "were carefully recovered in accordance with the highest animal protection standards."
There are many aspects of this exhibit that remind me of, also fascinating, Bodies: The Exhibition, which I saw when it was in DC, and it's on display at Atlantic Station.
I'm sure you've been wondering if the animals in this exhibition are real. They indeed are real. According to the Aquarium's website, this exhibition uses "the revolutionary polymer preservation technique commonly known as plastination to bring real sea animals onto dry land for an up-close look at these mysterious and compelling sea creatures."
 |
| Georgia Aquarium |
When we were at the end of the exhibition, we got to chatting with one of the staff and it turned out that she and Barry share lots of interest, specifically marine biology. Next thing we knew, we were behind-the-scenes to see some world-class and rather amazing operations, including the animal operating room. Fortunately, it's quite rare that the Aquarium's animals require surgery, and seldom do they become sick. But when and if it happens, they're at the ready to respond.
There's a LOT more to explore and learn, but one thing that fascinated me was the number of times water tests are conducted on a weekly basis—that being 5,000-7,000 times! The number is so high partly because so many of the water habitats are independent, which greatly reduces or totally mitigate any animal health issues that might occur.
 |
| Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium |
The whole reason we were at Georgia Aquarium was to Swim with the Whale Sharks, one of their animal interaction programs. It'd been planned for more than four months, so it was pretty cool that Sea Monsters included a specimen of a Whale Shark, which we would be swimming with momentarily.
Now, head over to Georgia Aquarium and get your tickets. I don't know how long the exhibition will be there—it opened last September—but Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies is included in your 'Total Ticket' purchase.
Have fun!
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