Press Kit

Glen, NH – April, 2021 – Living Shores, the first aquarium facility in the state of New Hampshire featuring interactive, educational experiences for all ages, will reopen to the public on Saturday, May 8, concluding a 15-month closure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjacent to Story Land, Living Shores Aquarium eagerly anticipates welcoming visitors back on weekends 10 am – 5 pm throughout May and June before expanding its schedule during July and August. Pasta Mia Restaurant will reopen as well to serve crowd favorites all season long with outdoor dining and takeout available.

Living Shores Aquarium first opened in November 2019 after years of construction and renovations were made to the former Heritage New Hampshire building on Route 16. Once open, guests spent the winter months amongst the warm climate of tropical fish, stingrays, lorikeets and the ever-popular Asian Small-Clawed Otters that steal the spotlight. A strong start collided with a challenging setback when the COVID-19 pandemic caused Living Shores Aquarium to shut its doors in March 2020 as a precautionary measure to protect team members, animals and guests.

Living Shores Aquarium may have closed to the public, but life continued to thrive inside the 32,000 square foot building next door to Story Land. Throughout 2020 and 2021, the dedicated animal care team kept up with the busy lives of the facility’s residents by providing constant care and offering enrichment to the approximately 1,000 animals who call Living Shores home.

“Safety has been our number one priority throughout this pandemic,” says David Houghton, Living Shores Aquarium Curator. “We feel we can now safely reopen to the public with limited capacity, advancements in cleaning methods and as vaccinations continue across the state and country.” Health and Safety protocols will be in place, similar to neighboring Story Land; team members and all guests ages 2 and up will be required to wear a facial covering at all times while inside the facility, remain socially distanced from other travel parties, and wash and sanitize their hands frequently.

Currently, Living Shores Aquarium is actively hiring floor staff, retail, food & beverage and admissions team members. Interested parties are encouraged to go online and apply at LivingShores.com/employment. A limited number of tickets will go on sale soon and online reservations made in advance will be required to control capacity. To check the operating schedule, review Health and Safety information and buy tickets, visit LivingShores.com.

About Living Shores Aquarium and Palace Entertainment:

Living Shores, located right next door to Story Land, is New Hampshire’s only aquarium. Featuring interactive tide pools, stunning exhibits and immersive activities, Living Shores Aquarium is an indoor educational experience for all ages. See otters, touch sting rays, interact with tropical birds and so much more. Living Shores Aquarium is owned and operated by Palace Entertainment, one of the leading leisure park operators in the United States. Palace Entertainment owns and operates eight water parks, six theme parks, two animal parks, and five family entertainment centers across 10 different states and two countries. Palace Entertainment parks offer a wide range of family friendly rides, shows, miniature golf courses, and arcade games. For more information, please visit storylandnh.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.