CAMDEN - Adventure Aquarium will debut its most ambitious exhibit in over a decade. Kaleidoscope Cove opens June 28, transforming a 2,000-square-foot space with dazzling light, color, marine biodiversity and immersive technology.
Kaleidoscope Cove will feature more than 100 aquatic species, including 10 to 12 new species never before seen at Adventure Aquarium. Unlike traditional exhibits organized by geography or habitat, Kaleidoscope Cove brings together rare and unusual species united by a shared visual language of vibrant color, movement and bioluminescence.
“Kaleidoscope Cove is our most ambitious renovation in over ten years, marking an exciting milestone for Adventure Aquarium,” Executive Director Jennifer Porter said. “Every aspect of this new space is designed with our guests in mind, from its immersive, color-drenched atmosphere to interactive elements that inspire curiosity and connection with the ocean.”
Adventure AquariumThe new exhibit is uniquely built around Adventure Aquarium’s expansive waterfront windows, harnessing natural sunlight and custom lighting to create a living indoor kaleidoscope. As light changes throughout the day, so too will the exhibit, ensuring no two visits are exactly the same. Kaleidoscope Cove blends dynamic animal displays with multi-sensory design and interactive features, offering a transformative experience for guests of all ages. Featured species include flashlight fish, flamboyant cuttlefish, poison dart frogs, purple-striped jellyfish, and colorful favorites like clownfish and hippo tangs.
“We challenged ourselves to think beyond the traditional aquarium experience,” said Mallory Hall, creative director at Herschend Creative Studios. “Instead of focusing solely on habitat, we explored how elements like color and light could shape a new kind of exhibit - one that invites wonder, interaction and learning through play."
In addition to its striking marine collection, Kaleidoscope Cove will include:
• A glowing jellyfish exhibit, pulsing with custom lighting, will mesmerize guests and showcase the natural beauty and motion of these ethereal creatures.
• Hands-on touch experience at Sea Star Shores will invite guests to connect with marine life through guided, interactive encounters that will be both educational and engaging.
• The “Draw Alive” mural will allow guests to sketch their own sea creatures, which will then animate and swim across a digital ocean in real time.
• A giant interactive light wall will let guests create and design with colorful light pins, encouraging creativity through a playful, nostalgic medium.
• Imagination Sand Station, a digital sand table, will respond to touch and movement, revealing topography, light effects, and shifting patterns that mirror oceanic landscapes.
• Every tank will be framed with programmable lighting that will shift with the exhibit’s atmosphere, enhancing the color and character of each aquatic environment.
• A tailored soundscape will guide the guest journey, with calming tones in reflective areas and upbeat rhythms in zones designed for play and exploration.
• Modular furniture will provide adaptable spaces for relaxation and reflection, allowing guests to pause, connect, and fully absorb the immersive underwater experience.
Kaleidoscope Cove is designed to be flexible, with digital animal identification displays and reconfigurable groupings that allow the exhibit to evolve over time. Exhibits are organized by color, such as “yellow species” or “blue species," rather than geography or environment, encouraging guests to explore marine life through a new lens.
Throughout the exhibit, guests will discover educational content that explores the science behind phenomena such as bioluminescence, the functional role of color in the ocean, and the impact of light deprivation on marine environments.
“This is a space where guests of all ages can connect, explore, and leave with a new perspective,” Hall said. “We want to meet people where they are, using creativity and interactivity to deepen their connection with the ocean.”
For first look exclusives and to be the first to hear of what’s new, guests are encouraged to become Adventure Aquarium members, with options available at AdventureAquarium.com.
Membership includes year-round admission, plus entry to seasonal events and festivals such as Mermaids, Fintastic Pumpkin Glow and Christmas Underwater.
