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Kids In Costume Get Free Admission To Maritime Aquarium During AquaScarium

NORWALK, Conn. – Kids in Halloween costumes can get free admission to the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk on the final two weekends in October when the popular family attraction transforms into the AquaScarium.

Carved pumpkins will help to transform The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

Carved pumpkins will help to transform The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

Photo Credit: Maritime Aquarium
A Koran angelfish encounters a Halloween decoration in the “Coral Reef” exhibit as The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk transforms into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

A Koran angelfish encounters a Halloween decoration in the “Coral Reef” exhibit as The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk transforms into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

Photo Credit: Maritime Aquarium
Poison dart frogs inspect a jack-o’- lantern in the “Frogs!” exhibit of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, which transforms into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

Poison dart frogs inspect a jack-o’- lantern in the “Frogs!” exhibit of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, which transforms into the AquaScarium Oct. 21-22 & 28-29.

Photo Credit: Maritime Aquarium

Children age 3 to 12 who come to the AquaScarium in costume on Oct. 21, 22, 28 and 29 will get free admission (a $15.95 value) with each paying adult. Adult admission is $22.95. The offer requires one paying adult for each free costumed child.

“Here’s the chance for free apparition, er, admission for your little ghouls and goblins,” said Dave Sigworth, the aquarium’s spooksperson. “It would be a grave mistake to not bring them. Of corpse.”

Each of the four weekend days, kids can stop by seven special activity stations to earn stamps on AquaScarium Cards. Challenges include a witch-hat ring-toss game, a skeleton puzzle and more. Fully stamped cards can be exchanged for a free popcorn in the aquarium’s IMAX Theater.

Other highlights of AquaScarium include:

Face-painters will enhance Halloween alter egos between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., turning guests into wild creatures, superheroes, princesses and more. There’s a $5 fee.

A dragon will be loose … but not too loose … at a free “Meet the Dragon” station, where aquarium educators will invite guests to touch or hold a live bearded dragon. Times are 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., 12:30 to 1:30 and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The normal Toy-Boat Workshop will become a Pirate Toy-Boat Workshop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s a $5 fee to build a boat.

The AquaScarium itself will be ghoulishly decorated for Halloween, with jack-o’- lanterns, seasonal accessories and staff dressed in costume.

Sigworth added that the event is an AquaScarium in name only, with no frightening aspects for young children.

“AquaScarium gives kids the chance to try out and show off their costumes in a monstrously fun place, while saving mummy and dead-y some money at the same time,” said Sigworth, the aquarium’s publi-crypt … er, publicist.

What might seem to be the scariest part of AquaScarium will occur at 12:15 and 2:15 p.m. each weekend day, when divers enter the “Ocean Beyond the Sound” exhibit to mingle with the aquarium’s large sand tiger and lemon sharks. However, as one of the divers will explain to guests from inside the exhibit, humans are far more dangerous to sharks.

Maritime Aquarium admission includes an IMAX movie. Film choices during AquaScarium include “Amazon Adventure” and “Dream Big,” the co-winners of the Giant Screen Cinema Association’s 2017 Achievement Awards’ top prize of “Best Film, Short Subject.”

For more details about AquaScarium, exhibits and IMAX movies, go to www.maritimeaquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700.

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