Maria Mitchell Aquarium

Maria Mitchell Aquarium & Sea Shop is a small, locally focused aquarium on Nantucket Harbor that uses living exhibits to introduce visitors to the island's marine environment. Rather than presenting a broad international collection, the aquarium concentrates on species found around Nantucket and in surrounding waters. Its exhibits change regularly as local marine life is collected throughout the season, giving the experience a distinctly seasonal and place-based character.

The aquarium's touch tank features crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, and other shoreline animals, while a larger outdoor tank houses animals such as young sharks, horseshoe crabs, and flounder. The aquarium room contains more than 50 animals at a time, including jellyfish, lobsters, tropical fish, shrimp, and local species, along with a live microscope exhibit highlighting small marine organisms. Educational programs include feeding demonstrations, marine storytimes, and hands-on marine science activities. Maria Mitchell Aquarium suits travelers interested in Nantucket's coastal ecology who prefer an intimate aquarium experience centered on local species and interactive learning.