Long Island Aquarium Celebrates 25 Years of Fun

Riverhead’s Long Island Aquarium is celebrating a big birthday this June — 25 years of making waves.

Marking a quarter-century of marine education and conservation, the aquarium, located at 431 East Main Street, is inviting visitors to share in its celebration with 25 Weeks of Fun — a series of events and activities that showcases its past and future. Starting the first week of April and running for 25 weeks through September, the aquarium will celebrate this milestone birthday with special offers, events and giveaways with $25 admission days per person on the 25th day of each month.

Early Beginnings

Joseph Yaiullo, curator and co-founder of the Long Island Aquarium, said he met the late Jimmy Bissett when he was working at the New York Aquarium three decades ago. Bissett, who died in 2011, and Yaiullo began chatting and decided that Long Island needed an aquarium that would showcase all the fantastic marine life that surrounds the peninsula.

The friendship turned to a partnership with Yaiullo’s marine biology background and Bissett’s business background. The common denominator was their love for the environment. In early 1992, he and Bissett put together a proposal for Port Jefferson Village, but Brookhaven Town eventually said no. After that denial, the duo took meetings and scouted locations for years all over Long Island until they finally found the perfect space on the East End in 1999. A little under a year later, and with the addition of Joseph Petrocelli of Ronkonkoma-based Petrocelli Construction as co-founder and construction lead, Atlantis Marine World was born in June 2000. The project cost $15 million.

“It was a super ambitious schedule,” Yaiullo laughed. “But we never gave up.”

Bissett’s connection to the Holtsville Ecology Center and Yaiullo’s networking skills with other aquariums up and down the East Coast led the group to slowly gather a collection of critters, seals from Orlando’s SeaWorld, and other rescued marine animals.

The aquarium started with sea lions, sharks, piranhas, an octopus and corals. Many were rescues looking for a new forever home, while others were collected by commercial fishermen, like the sand tiger sharks.

“We had quite the entourage upon opening day,” he said, adding that more than 5,000 people attended the opening gala.

Twenty-five years later, Yaiullo said that the aquarium has since tripled in size with new additions coming through their doors every year.

“Since we opened, the space has gotten bigger, the critters have gotten bigger, and if people haven’t been here to revisit, there is so much more to see and do,” he said.

Over the years, the aquarium started to slowly bring in new things to see. The penguins came to the scene in 2005. (The first were all named after “Seinfeld” characters, and the next generation were named after characters from “The Office.”) And in 2013, the butterfly exhibit opened.

But one thing that has stayed consistent throughout the years was the education component the aquarium has dedicated itself to.

Sea-ing the Future

“The aquarium is a great family thing to do. It’s engaging on every level from toddlers to grandparents,” Yaiullo said. “Plus, it’s vital to learn about our local environment, which we focus on. Everything within our walls; we are the ambassadors for a much bigger picture.”

And on top of its educational resources for people young and old, the aquarium also is a home to events and more.

Bryan DeLuca, the executive director, said that throughout the aquarium’s 25 years, many additions have been made for all different needs and occasions. The marina became part of the organization with the addition of its banquet hall and hotel. Weddings became a popular event with at least one nuptial and celebration happening every weekend.

“We pride ourselves on being a highly interactive experience for people,” he said. “The challenge is engaging people to come back and creating some level of newness.”

But that hasn’t been a problem. At the aquarium there truly is something for everyone. When visiting, you aren’t just staring at a fish tank. There are plenty of unique opportunities like snorkeling with the fish, diving with sharks, take a boat tour, catch crabs or sit in with the penguins at the penguin encounter.

Candyce Papra, senior curator of mammals, birds and reptiles, said that the aquarium is a unique place stemming from its exhibits to its lost city of Atlantis theme that weaves throughout the space.

“We try to make sure there are things for people of all ages, but we want to make sure the younger generation is being educated about conservation and saving our environment and the species that we share this planet with,” she said.

Oh, Babies!

Papra said that there has been between 500 and 600 species and thousands of different animals in a least 48 aquatic habitats.

She said that she has seen it all — fish, sharks, Japanese snow monkeys, and even emus in spring 2001. Those are just to name a few.

However, on February 6, the aquarium announced exciting news that their family grew by four. Their female North American river otter, Flo, became a mommy to four adorable pups. Stark, the proud papa, will be introduced to them when the time is appropriate, Papra said, as female otters can be quite protective.

Papra added that the aquarium had an original otter couple that sadly passed away. That pair had two litters, so Flo’s babies are Papra’s third experience with otter pups, and Papra couldn’t be happier.

To celebrate this exciting news, the aquarium announced a campaign to help name the babies, two males and two females. The pups are set to be named in honor of their paternal grandparents and the first two residents of Otter Falls, Peanut Butter and Jelly. To honor Jelly, the females will be named after fruits; the four choices available are Cherry, Fig, Kiwi and Peach. To honor Peanut Butter, the males will be named after types of nuts; the four choices available are Cashew, Pecan, Pistachio and Walnut. The winning names were set to be announced on Mother’s Day, May 11.

Other Celebrations

Swag Bags: Commemorative bags containing a coupon sheet and other fun items will be distributed to the first 25 families/groups who visit on the 25th of each month from April through September. Tickets will be $25 on the 25th of each month.

Interactive Experiences: Rides on the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat and Snorkel Adventure sessions will be discounted to $25, all summer long.

Weekly Giveaways: Guests will have opportunities to win big throughout the celebration. Follow the aquarium’s social media channels for updates on exclusive giveaways both in person and on their social platforms.

“Then & Now” Photo Submissions: Guests are invited to dive into nostalgia by recreating friend and family photos originally taken at the Aquarium. Submit your favorite “Then & Now” photos for a chance to win admission tickets and to be featured on the aquarium’s social media pages.

Special Vendor Days: Visit during one of the Vendor Tabling Days for exclusive giveaways and special offers from Aquarium partners.

Historic Construction Displays: Stroll through the aquarium and explore exclusive photo displays that document the construction of its world-class habitats. Witness how the Long Island Aquarium has transformed over the years into a cornerstone of the local community.

Call for Artists: The aquarium has put out a call for artists to submit aquatic-themed works for a judged art show with cash prizes, to take place during its Member Birthday Party. Artists can get all the information and submit their works at longislandaquarium.com/art.

Member Birthday Party: On June 25, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Aquarium members will be invited to the aquarium’s birthday party with fun activities and amazing prizes including one grand-prize — a 25-Year Couple Membership.