In appreciation

Monterey Bay Aquarium has been closed for two weeks now – an experience unprecedented in our 35-year history. Because the health of our guests, our staff and our volunteers has always been our top priority, we closed our doors a week before the State of California ordered all 40 million residents to stay home, to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

I’m so grateful for our incredible Aquarium team – starting with our animal care staff and the other dedicated professionals who continue to come to work each day and make sure all of the wildlife in our living collection receives the care you expect us to provide.

I’m also humbled by the many messages you’ve shared about the ways our webcams, social media posts and online learning resources are helping you find a place of calm during a stressful time, and a way to continue the education of children who can’t get back to class – perhaps for the rest of the school year. Our educators are working to expand our online offerings in the days to come.

Ours is a small, blue ocean planet. We are all interconnected and dependent on one another. We can make our world better for one another, and all living things – and we thrive when we do. If that wasn't obvious before, it certainly is now.

I chose this recent image of Makana the Laysan albatross visiting Rosa the southern sea otter during our closure because it made me smile. Both of these beautiful animals and their kin are the focus of years of heroic conservation efforts by our team and scores of dedicated NGO and government conservation professionals. The future of these wild species is more secure, thanks to all of us.

There are many more stories of positive momentum for nature underway across our living planet. Thank you for all you do to help us play our part to inspire conservation of Earth’s living ocean.

Makana, Rosa and I look forward to welcoming you back again – very soon.