The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Announces Aquarium Relocation to 32 Washington Street

Tess McCarthy • Feb 22, 2024

NANTUCKET, MA — 

 

The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it has entered into a five-year lease agreement with Rick Kotalac and the Nantucket Anglers Club for the property located at 32 Washington Street. The MMA will use the waterfront property to relocate its 28 Washington Street Aquarium, enhance its unique educational programming, and expand the MMA’s retail store, which will include basic marine supplies.  

 

For more than forty years, the MMA Aquarium has inspired explorers of all ages to learn about Nantucket Sound’s natural ecosystems. It will continue its living exhibits, marine science programming, and environmental education in its new temporary location at 32 Washington Street. “We are grateful to have found this transitional home through Rick Kotalac and the Anglers Club. It is critical to have secured this location for our Aquarium, as we continue to develop plans for the expansion of our property located across the street at 33 Washington Street.” says Joanna Roche, Executive Director. The MMA will open its expanded retail store in May, with the MMA Aquarium opening on June 10, 2024, along with the MMA’s other sites. 

 

In November 2023, the MMA announced the permanent closure of the 28 Washington Street Aquarium and its future planning efforts to reimagine the 33 Washington Street property. The MMA will be taking down the existing buildings, preserving the front building, part of the old Nantucket Railroad to be utilized in the MMA’s new aquarium and science center at 33 Washington Street, and returning the site at 28 Washington Street to the Nantucket Islands Land Bank. The MMA entered into a land swap with the Land Bank in 2012 and has been leasing the property since then. The MMA will formally begin its related capital campaign in the summer of 2024 to fund the design and construction of the new center. The 33 Washington Street property will be a leader in coastal resiliency adaptation, and the most visible, public-facing center for discovery and science focused on STEAM education on Nantucket. 

 

The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. 

 

### 

 

 


For Immediate Release

February 21, 2024

Contact: Tess McCarthy

tmccarthy@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

Keep Calm and Bird On: May 2024

08 May, 2024
“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.” -Edith Andrews

Shards

By Jascin N. Leonardo FInger • 06 May, 2024
I have written of my love for sea glass and pottery shards in the past and the recent replacement of the sewer and water lines on Vestal Street created a small shard collection over the last month. Since the work required the asphalt to be completely removed (all twelve inches of it!) and the road to be dug up multiple times as they worked to remove pipe, relay new pipe, hook up the water meters, and install drainage and manhole covers, this resulted in the earth in the street being tossed about quite a bit. And, with that, came the shards! Some of these likely came from the sewer line (yes, yuck) but others came from being simply in the dirt of the road – which was not paved until 1946/1948. Pieces were likely tossed out at times, made to act as filler in holes, or simply tossed. So I found all sorts of pieces I will keep here at the Mitchell House. They included: a lovely piece with a red floral, many pieces of plates, glass, the top of a late nineteenth or early twentieth century (medicine) bottle, glass shards, a flattened spoon, a brass knob (found by a neighbor) some nails, a spike, pieces of a larger container or two based on the size and curve and coloring of the shards, and possibly a Wampanoag stone tool. One person’s trash is another one’s treasures! JNLF

Is That A Wrap?

22 Apr, 2024
Yes. Well, almost. After about a month of working – and some living (staff and or neighbors) – on Vestal Street with all the sewer and water replacement work, the paving happened today (April 17, 2024). This is the first “layer” – a three-inch binder coat. In the fall, once time has passed, they will return for the final one inch of the finish layer. Some of the other things along Vestal Street will also be repaired and updated between now and the final coat – and a bit after that. But we are very happy, after all these years to have a modern system of piping – and all new drainage we never had before! While the curator in me loved the old clay pipes, they were riddled with roots from the trees, holes, and in some places, collapsed, and the twelve inches of asphalt had to go. Vestal Street was only paved in about 1946/1948 – and has not been paved in maybe twenty years so that is a lot of asphalt in about fifty years! And with climate change and the increase in how much rain we get in these heavy rain events, all that water rushed down Vestal Street with nowhere to go – except our cellars. I am sure the neighbors are happy too! A thank you to the Town of Nantucket’s Sewer Department, especially David Gray (who may regret giving me his cellphone number forever), N&M Excavating and Utilities (Dean, we appreciate you being so nice when we had too many questions), Victor-Brandon Corp for paving, and numerous others. We are looking forward to great flushing, powerful hose lines, and rainwater being whisked away via the new, never-before-had storm drains! JNLF And to all the N&M workers who wondered why I was constantly looking down as I walked along Vestal Street, you should see the trove of porcelain shards, glass, old nails, a bottle neck, 19 th century spoon, and even possibly a Wampanoag stone tool I found!
Show More
Share by: