ATLANTIC CITY—If Camden’s Adventure Aquarium is the big daddy of oceanic attractions, with 8,000 animals in two million gallons of water, the Atlantic City Aquarium is just a guppy bowl.

But don’t overlook this little jewel of the sea. Despite its small size, and a modest collection of species (jellyfish, seahorses and a giant sea turtle among others), the Atlantic City Aquarium, on the waterfront at Gardner’s Basin, is a fun, easy way to while away a few hours with the kids. It’s nearby, it’s open daily, and it’s affordable: just $7 for adults, $4 for kids 4-12. Parking is free.

Built in 1999, the aquarium—or Ocean Life Center—includes a 750-gallon touch tank with starfish and horseshoe crabs, eight tanks with other fish from around the world, and nautical memorabilia including vintage diving suits and a two-man submarine. 

Outside, there’s a relic of local history that will amuse baby boomers—the old Steel Pier diving bell. In years gone by, thrill seekers rode in the submersible contraption to the ocean floor.

I went with two ten-year-olds, my nephew, Michael Bell, and his neighbor, Michael Stellantono, both of Northfield. I thought they would act too cool for the room; there are no special effects, no mighty beasts or flashy exhibits. But they had a ball.

So did two-year-old Richard Bagala of Brigantine. Mom Christina said she considered taking her toddler to the aquarium in Camden, then decided the Atlantic City Aquarium would serve as a nice, low-key, affordable alternative.

“We thought we would do this, then go out to eat and be home by afternoon,” she said. Richard was captivated for two full hours by the stingrays, the scary-looking moray eel, the loggerhead turtle (named Groman), and the octopus (which emerged as if on cue to take the screw cap off a glass jar). 

“Kids love it in here,” says cashier Patty Borkowski. “It’s small enough so they can have a good time, but it’s not overwhelming.”

One fun feature we missed is Diving Diana. Each Saturday morning at 11, she takes a dip in the largest tank to feed the inhabitants. It’s a popular attraction we’ll go back to see.
   
All proceeds—including those from the nice gift shop inside—fund the aquarium’s education programs. Administrative services coordinator Nancy Krumaker says hundreds of school kids come through each week, but the aquarium has yet to be discovered by the majority of South Jerseyans. 
   
“This is the best kept secret” in Atlantic City, says Krumaker. 
   
Of course, summertime is much livelier on the waterfront, with cruises, kayak rentals, regular arts and crafts concessions, and restaurants and booths offering lots of dining choices. But winter is wonderful too: quiet and relaxing. You’ll love the Atlantic City Aquarium!

   Atlantic City Aquarium
   800 N. New Hampshire Ave.
   Atlantic City
   348-2880

Thrills and chills
at Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

It’s hard to sum up the Boardwalk “odditorium” known as Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, drawn from the collections and travel photos of a 20th century California cartoonist named Robert Ripley. 
   
From the remains of a two-headed calf, to a prehistoric insect trapped in amber, to the supposed skeleton of the Jersey Devil, to giant hairballs found in some creature’s gut, Ripley was interested in everything, and amassed an incredible range of weird and funny artifacts. 
   
Included in the museum are scores of illustrations and recreations of curious people and things (like the world’s tallest man, a rooster who smoked cigarettes, a headless hen, and a Chinese woman with bound, stunted feet). 
   
You’ll also see the world’s largest ball of barbed wire, and a giant model ship made from tens of thousands of match sticks. One section is devoted to astoundingly precise, exhaustively detailed miniature rooms. This maze-like exhibit is filled with enough gee-whiz features to entertain for hours.  
   
But some of the content—like a tableau of bloody impalements, and a 1935 Iron Maiden torture device—is a bit scary, and probably not for the little ones. My 10-year-old companions were fascinated, however. Like a lot of kids, they enjoy thrills and chills. 
   
My daughter, too, who loves horror films, Halloween and everything creepy, would adore this place, and I’ll be sure to go back with her. Admission is $8.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids 5-12.

   Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
   1441 New York Ave. and the Boardwalk
   Atlantic City
   347-2001

For lots more attractions for kids in and around Atlantic City—from Lucy the Elephant to the Absecon Lighthouse and more—go to www.what-where.info/usnj_atl_city_kids.

Marjorie Preston can be reached at marjorie.preston@catamaranmedia.com, or you can comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext. 246.