The Monterey Bay Aquarium reeled in the top aquarium rating and the No. 3 family attraction in the country, according to the first-ever Zagat Survey U.S. Family Travel Guide released Tuesday.
Zagat Survey, in conjunction with Time Inc.’s Parenting magazine, surveyed more than 11,000 avid travelers to rate family-oriented attractions, hotels and restaurants across the United States. Using the survey’s 30-point scale, the Monterey Bay Aquarium received an overall rating of 27, which is considered "extraordinary to perfection" in Zagat Survey terms.
Among U.S. aquariums, the Monterey Bay Aquarium ranked ahead of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, the Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati, the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld in Orlando.
Among the overall 10 top-rated attractions, the aquarium rated just behind the Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World Resort) and SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove, both in Florida.
New this year at the aquarium is "Sharks: Myth and Mystery," an exhibition about sharks and rays of the world and how they’re honored in cultures around the globe. Starting June 18, the aquarium will debut a series of intimate and interactive programs called Aquarium Adventures, including a modified SCUBA experience for children, behind-the-scenes tours and expeditions on a research sailboat in Monterey Bay.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/May/27/local/stories/12local.htm