Overnight Schedule

Evening Program
6:45-7:00: Arrival at Harborside Learning Lab
7:00-7:30: Welcome/Intro
7:30-8:15: Squid dissection or Tidepool program
8:20-9:05: Program switch
9:05-9:45: Snack
9:45-10:30: Pillowcase painting
10:30-11:00: Exploration of Jellies exhibit
11:00: Lights out

Morning Program
6:30: Wake up and pack up
7:00: Continental breakfast
7:45: Exclusive Aquarium exploration
9:00: Departure

Arrival

Your overnight event starts at 7 p.m. in the Harborside Learning Lab, located on the ground floor of the Harbor Garage, facing Boston Harbor.

You will be given a parking pass allowing you free parking for 24 hours following your entry to the Harbor Garage. After 24 hours, you will be charged the normal non-member rate. Additional passes can be purchased from the Overnight staff for $20 each, payable in cash. (This is the cost to us.)

Please do not arrive earlier than 6:45 p.m. Overnight staff have limited time to set up the evening's activities and will not be able to accomodate early arrivals.

Welcome/Intro

Depending on the size of the group, two to four Aquarium educators will be with you through the entire Overnight experience. These educators also stay overnight, in a separate, nearby area, in case you need to find them.

Squid Dissection and Tidepool Program

Each program runs for approximately one hour, and then the groups switch. Please note that due to safety and animal needs, you will not be able to visit the entire Main Building during the evening portion of your event. You will be outside when you are walking back and forth between the Harborside Learning Lab and the Amazing Jellies exhibit, so please dress appropriately.

Evening Snack

Our snack consists of Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers, chocolate chip cookies, orange slices and apple juice or orange juice. (The cookies are not made in a nut-free kitchen, so if your child has allergies, you are welcome to pack a special snack.) Please do not bring additional snacks.

Pillowcase Painting

Jellies Exhibit Exploration

Lights out

Because this is a special treat for your group, we encourage normally early bed-timers to take a nap before attending (our staff do too!). We are unable to accomodate individuals who require an earlier bedtime, as we use the entire space until lights out.

All participants sleep in the West Wing, a two–level exhibit space that currently houses our Amazing Jellies exhibit. The West Wing is used because the Main Building is not carpeted, and there are open bodies of water that could present safety issues at night.

The West Wing is a climate-controlled, carpeted space, and it tends to be cooler than the rest of the building.

For safety reasons, some lights must be left on at all times, even during sleeping hours. If you or your group anticipate this being an issue, we suggest you bring light-blocking sleep masks.

Wake Up and Pack Up

Please store your gear in your cars in the Harbor Garage. We do not have large storage areas on site. You may return to your car as often as you like throughout the day.

Please note that there are bathrooms and sinks for you to use, but no showers.

Continental Breakfast

The breakfast consists of Cheerios (nut free), Frosted Flakes, bagels (not made in a nut free kitchen), orange slices, and apple juice or orange juice. Coffee and tea are available for chaperones.

Exclusive Aquarium Exploration

You will have the Aquarium all to yourselves until the regular visitors arrive. Due to safety considerations, as well as other planned events, we are not able to access the rest of the building in the evening.