Located at Grand Strand shopping/dining/entertainment hot spot Broadway at the Beach, Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach has long been a prime destination for family-friendly, ocean-oriented fun — luring visitors with activities such as up-close shark encounters, hands-on stingray experiences, Glass Bottom Boat rides, live dive and mermaid shows, and other aquatic adventures highlighting the creatures of the deep. Now, after opening a new exhibit focused on Pearl Harbor, the aquarium is also shining a light on one of the most infamous events in seafaring history.
Blending educational and interactive elements with a message of conservation, the aquarium’s new Pearl Harbor gallery opened in early 2018. Exhibit highlights include:
A mixed-media timeline of the events that led up to the history-shaping December 7, 1941, attack on U.S. Naval forces that killed more than 2,400 Americans
A walk-through replica of the USS Arizona’s forward magazine that allows visitors to get a sense of what it was like to be aboard the damaged battleship as it was taking on water
An interactive map that presents a step-by-step account of how the attack by Japanese air forces occurred
A “walking theater” featuring memorabilia from the attack and the era, as well as a life-size replica of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Interspersed throughout the exhibit are living examples of Hawaii’s aquatic inhabitants, as well as a few invasive species that now live in the waters surrounding the U.S. island state after being brought over via Japanese ships that participated in the attack. As visitors walk through the gallery, they’ll hear an audio soundtrack playing clips such as the Andrews Sisters’ popular hit of the era, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” as well as the sounds of water gushing into the USS Arizona after the ship sustained a large hole in its hull.
“We like to keep things fresh and new, and we change these exhibits out every so often,” Ripley's Aquarium General Manager Pablo Chavez said in an interview with the Myrtle Beach Sun News in the lead-up to the new exhibit’s opening. “The biggest part for us is bringing that educational factor to our guests, and mixing in the conservation piece, as well. With Pearl Harbor, the history piece is so important, it’s valuable for all ages — and we’ve mixed a little bit of fun in there, too.”
To see images from the exhibit and to learn more about the other offerings at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, visit the attraction’s website.
After taking in all the family-friendly experiences available at Broadway at the Beach, guests at Long Bay Resort can head back to their comfortable accommodations and luxurious oceanfront amenities for some rest and relaxation — and gear up for another day of adventure on the Grand Strand. Book your Myrtle Beach getaway today!