Please note: April 18–26 is school vacation week. To guarantee entry at a specific time, please purchase tickets online in advance of your visit.
PRESS RELEASE
Aquarium to celebrate Massachusetts Right Whale Day on April 24 with special programming
Public invited to learn about research and conservation efforts
BOSTON, MASS. (April 2026) – The New England Aquarium will be marking the fourth annual Massachusetts Right Whale Day on April 24, an opportunity to educate and inspire the public about the importance of this critically endangered species.
Right Whale Day, signed into law in 2023, honors the state’s official marine mammal—the North Atlantic right whale, which frequents the waters off Massachusetts every winter and spring. This year’s celebration at the New England Aquarium will focus on the power of community in right whale conservation. Scientists from the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life will take part in educational programming throughout the day on Aquarium property. There will also be a speaking program with state leaders at 10:00 a.m.
Activities on the Aquarium’s front plaza and Harbor Terrace Tent are free of charge and open to the public. Plans for the day include:
Learn about right whale conservation
- The public is invited in the Harbor Terrace Tent from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to learn about organizations that are advancing right whale conservation efforts, with information on right whale research, on-demand fishing gear, and the Massachusetts Environmental Trust Right Whale license plate program. Attendees can also enjoy a performance from Liquid Spine, an eco-dance company that reveals environmental needs and stories of our water systems, through movement, community, and international exchange.
Meet a scientist and see a life-size right whale on display
- Calvin, a 42-foot-long inflatable right whale, will be on full display on Central Wharf Plaza (weather permitting) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visitors can meet scientists and learn about North Atlantic right whale research conducted through the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center.
Right whale day commemoration
- Members of the media and public are invited to attend a speaking event from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Harbor Terrace Tent. The program will feature remarks from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the New England Aquarium, and more on the importance of protecting North Atlantic right whales.
Special pop-up experience: On-demand caught lobster
- Visitors can stop by the Aquarium’s Dockside Beer Garden from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to learn about on-demand fishing gear, an environmentally responsible method that protects right whales from accidental entanglements. It’s part of a pop-up experience happening during April school vacation week in Massachusetts, from April 18 to 26. The Harbor View Café inside the Aquarium will have lobster mac and cheese on the menu. Dockside Beer Garden on the Aquarium’s front plaza opens for the season on April 18 and will have lobster rolls available for sale through April 26, weather permitting.
Programming inside the Aquarium
- For guests inside the Aquarium (admission ticket required), there will be themed educational opportunities for all ages throughout the day, including hands-on activities in the Exploration Station, an interactive learning space. Educators and scientists will also give talks at the top of the Giant Ocean Tank at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
MEDIA CONTACT: Pam Bechtold Snyder—psnyder@neaq.org