May 23rd
The many tanks at the marine laboratory that mimic the particular habitats for the different kinds of aquatic life provide harm-free habitats, free from the hosts of environmental factors that can interfere with research and study. Students at the lab also have the opportunity to learn how to run and maintain the tanks and equipment.
The aquarium works often with the Toledo Zoo, and the Zoo has often provided BGSU with marine creatures. The aquarium also has an eel given to it by the Ripley’s: Believe It or Not Museum in North Carolina.
The aquarium has received funding by a number of organizations including the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, The National Science Foundation, the National Undersea Research Science Foundation, and the National Conservancy, along with many private corporations.
The University Aquarium is open to the public to come in and view the tanks or talk to students and staff about the aquatic life. The aquarium is open during normal work hours on weekdays, and on weekends when arranged in advance. Over 1,000 people have visited the Marine Lab in the last year, including many school groups who come in for a tour and to play with the organisms in the touch tank.
The aquarium also offers the opportunity to those interested in aquatic life to get involved volunteering by maintaining a tank in the lab.