TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Amphibians of TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil explore Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s new Watershed Exhibit and meet marine life during a press conference on Tuesday, January 14, 2014. Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and Cirque du Soleil announced a community education partnership that will allow free admission to the Aquarium on Saturday, January 18, and free admission every Friday in February. Cirque du Soleil will also sponsor five field trip education programs to the Aquarium.

To celebrate and kick off the partnership, characters of TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil, all-new big-top production opening on January 17, 2014 at the Santa Monica Pier for a limited engagement, visited the Aquarium’s new Watershed Exhibit and met marine life.

Visitors become better stewards of the ocean by seeing and interacting with the animals that live in the Santa Monica Bay first-hand.  Students who benefit from the classes funded through Cirque du Soleil come from low-income, disadvantaged neighborhoods –most live only miles from the ocean will have their first experience with the beach environment and marine life.