The sphere, created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and given by Umass Dartmouth, is one of only forty-one in the world, and the only one you’ll find in New England. The centerpiece of the Explorium is an enormous blue cubical that holds the Science on a Sphere® exhibit. As everyone knows, crafting and exciting stories can make even the crankiest child squeal with delight! The Discovery Bay, a warm, soft lit room adjacent to the Explorer’s Zone, offers story-telling daily between 12pm and 2pm. Little octopuses, made from old toilet tissue rolls, sat next to bird feathers dipped in oil to demonstrate its devastating effects on wildlife. Tables were set up with puzzles, games, arts and craft projects, and other pollution-related experiments encouraging tactile interaction. She explained that the activity themes change regularly I happened to be visiting the Explorium midway through pollution week. We spoke briefly about the educational programs and activities the Explorium offers to everyone, from children to adults. I then met Sarah, a volunteer in charge of the Explorer’s Zone area. I stepped inside eagerly anticipating my winter adventure, and was immediately greeted by a friendly pair of volunteers who provided me with informative brochures and promised to field whatever questions I may have had as I wandered about. The marble walls and natural lighting that once made for an inviting financial establishment now quietly compliment a vivid array of marine life. ![]() The interior has been transformed to accommodate several living aquarium exhibits, while somehow allowing its original aesthetic beauty to shine through. The facility is housed in an elegant building on the corner of Purchase and Union streets, formerly home to The New Bedford Institution for Savings. New Bedford’s Ocean Explorium, a nonprofit organization established in 2008, is located by the seaport in historic downtown. Just recently I had the pleasure of introducing myself to one such gem. There is something exciting about spending an afternoon uncovering the hidden gems your city has to offer. And what better place to have an adventure than our very downtown? The Discovery Bay room at the Explorium. Winter is about trying new things, perfecting old hobbies, and creating adventures. I get so caught up in the negativity of winter that sometimes I forget it isn’t just about plummeting temperatures, icy roads, and long hours of television. The challenge for someone in charge of promoting the Oceanarium will be not only to convince politicians and bureaucrats that the project deserves funding it will be to continually re-convince area residents that this grand scheme will actually work.With winter in full force, I often find myself searching for ways to alleviate my seasonal blues. Local support for the Oceanarium project fluctuates, buoyed by each new announcement or soured by each new delay. The city as a whole still has an inferiority complex, which prevents many people from believing that a project of the size and scope of the Oceanarium will ever succeed. The city still has a serious image problem, especially outside the area. ![]() While many things have changed in her hometown, some have not. ![]() Living in Maryland for the past 12 years, she hadn't realized how much she missed living close to the ocean. Lopes growing up, is now something she appreciates in her home city. ![]() The city's beautiful and historic architecture, which went largely unnoticed by Ms. Lopes said she has noticed that the new New Bedford has placed an emphasis on arts and culture, with the UMass Dartmouth Star Store, the New Bedford Art Museum and the Zeiterion Theater. "Coming here, I was coming home, but I feel like I'm coming to a new city that I need to explore and become a part of." "If you told me then that I would be back in New Bedford, I would have said you were crazy," she said. Lopes has returned to is different to her than the city she left 13 years ago. Lopes, formed the Cape Verdean Recognition Committee in 1971 with the purpose of having Cape Verdeans listed on the Massachusetts Census Form. Her family is well-known in New Bedford's Cape Verdean community. In 1988, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she handled public relations for such groups as the National Safe Kids Campaign and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Lopes went on to earn an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, and then received a Master of Arts degree from Brown University in English.Īfter two years as a playwright, she switched careers to public relations, working for a small firm in, then an advertising agency in Providence. After graduating from New Bedford High School, Ms. Education has always been stressed in her family, for her and her three siblings.
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