Tentacles: Octopuses, Squids, and Cuttlefishes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium! #Tentacles

Disclosure: I was invited out to the preview of Tentacles at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  All opinions are my own.   And I truly loved this exhibit. 

Something truly beautiful opened up at the Monterey Bay Aquarium this past weekend with their “Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes”exhibit and I was very grateful to receive a preview beforehand.

This exhibit attempts to do something never done before by bringing together some of the most beautiful and amazing creatures together in one place.   As you walk through the exhibit you’ll see over 2 dozen species from different varietals of Octopuses to Cuttlefishes to one of the world’s smallest squids.

The exhibit also showcases a little bit of history including pieces of artworks, tattoos, and model replicas.  So, when coming to the Aquarium, stopping inside the Tentacles exhibit is now a complete must see.

A few highlights of the exhibit include:

The Octopus Varietals, and if you’re patient enough you may just catch them in movement:

The Red Octopus

The Flapjack Octopus:

The Flapjack Octopuses are actual very unique creatures found at the bottom of the Monterey Bay Peninsula.  The Aquarium along with many years of research from their sister organization, “The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute,” have put this on display for the public to see for the very first time.

Live Interactive Display:

A favorite for many visiting the exhibit was the live interactive display where anyone visiting  could sit down and turn themselves into a tentacle creature.  At the end you even had the option to email the video to yourself.  A fun way to get involved with the exhibit.

Keep a Watch out for Feeding Times:

Keep a close eye on the schedule and you may just happen to catch an unique one of a kind feeding during the Tentacles exhibit.  I was fortunate and caught two including a live feeding of the Squids, and also a live feeding of one of the Octopuses.

This octopus was hiding all day, but was soon lured out by food:

And many more surprises in store during your next visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Exhibit Opens: April 12th, 2014

Where: Monterey Bay Aquarium: 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA

Admission: $39.95 adult; $34.95 senior (over 65) and student (13–17 or with college ID); $24.95 child (3–12) (2014 rates). Children under 3 are admitted free. Group rates are available with advance booking for parties of 20 or more

Information/ General information is available at www.montereybayaquarium.org or (831)
648-4800.

Advance tickets are available online or by calling (866) 963-9645.
tickets There is no service charge to print tickets at home or to pick them up on arrival. There is a small fee to receive tickets by mail. Local hotels also sell two-day tickets (at one-day prices) to their guests.

Hours: 9:30am to 6pm

 After visiting Tentacles be sure to stop by these other exhibits:

The Jellyfish Experience

The Sea Otters

Discover the Wonders of the Ocean

And Many Feeding Experiences throughout the day!

2014 marks the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 30th Anniversary.  Come celebrate with them.