Living Shores: New Interactive Aquarium Opens Next to Story Land

There are four tidal pools for kids to explore. Photos courtesy of Living Shores Aquarium
There are four tidal pools for kids to explore. Photos courtesy of Living Shores Aquarium
11/7/19 - By Caitlin Dowling

Attention, ocean and animal lovers: New Hampshire now has its own aquarium! Boasting 32,000 square feet of tide pools and hands-on exhibits, newly opened Living Shores differentiates itself from other aquariums by offering more opportunities to interact with sea life. Plus, it's next door to Story Land amusement park, so you can plan a trip to Living Shores as a standalone winter escape or a counterpart to an amusement park visit in the warmer months. 

For days when you want to marvel at underwater worlds but can't make it all the way to New Hampshire, The New England Aquarium is one of our favorite attractions closer to home.

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Children can touch gentle hermit crabs, sharks, and stingrays.

Living Shore Aquarium Highlights

While Living Shores is located next to Story Land and run by the same parent company, this aquarium is an experience in itself with its own admission ticket and gate. And unlike Story Land, Living Shores stays open year-round, as th exhibits are indoors.

Once inside, get ready to get your hands wet—literally—as Living Shores is all about seeing and touching! There are four tidal pool areas for kids to explore. At these pools, you can see and touch everything from hermit crabs to stingrays to even sharks!

Along with touch tank interactions, budding marine biologists can enjoy exhibits featuring freshwater fish found in New Hampshire's lakes and rivers, super-playful Asian Small-Clawed Otters, and "Nemo" clownfish—to name just a few. 

And while the focus is on the water, you're going to want to spend some of your time during your visit looking up, too. This aquarium also features a tropical rainforest aviary you can walk through. Watch tropical lorikeets soar above from branch to branch while on the lookout for tortoises and other reptiles meandering along below. In keeping with the aquarium's hands-on theme, visitors can feed even the birds in the aviary.  

in addition to the live animal exhibits, the aquarium will soon be opening two discovery stations for even more interactive fun. In the Augmented Reality Sandbox kids can dig out oceans and create mountains and beaches, and then watch to see what creatures come to life in the habitats they made. At Draw Alive, your little ones can design and color their own underwater creatures, scan them, then watch as they come alive in a giant wall-sized underwater environment. 


There are discovery stations along with the touch tanks at Living Shores.

Know Before You Go...

  • The aquarium is designed for kids ages 2 to 12 but all ages are welcome.
  • Living Shores is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm. 
  • Tickets are $19.99 per person. Kids ages 2 and under are free. 
  • Tickets can be purchased online for a specific date and entry time, but once inside you may stay as long as you like.
  • Strollers are not recommended, so plan ahead.
  • No outside food is allowed. Pasta Mia, their in-house restaurant, offers quick service Italian dishes.

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