A trip to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney brings visitors up close to about 3,500 creatures native to local waters.
There’s the giant Pacific octopus, Pacific salmon, jellyfish, brightly coloured sea stars, and soft-bodied nudibranchs, similar to underwater slugs, and more.
Last year, about 72,000 visitors walked through the centre and of those, 6,000 purchased memberships, said Paula Romagosa, deputy director and chief aquarist for the facility.
Visitors walk into a pretend submarine, complete with sound effects, and then enter a display area filled with tanks and large aquariums illustrating the ecosystem in the Salish Sea. This sea refers to the waters encompassing Juan de Fuca Strait, the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound.
Touch tanks for youngsters, interpreters eager to provide information, a marine-mammal artifact exhibit and Coast Salish art are all part of the experience. The centre is run by a nonprofit organization and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in spring and summer at 9811 Seaport Place.
On the web: salishseacentre.org
