Jaunted

At a total cost of $49 million, the Sant's 23,000 square feet are stocked with squid, whales and a 1,500-gallon tank featuring an Indo-Pacific reef with live specimens. Visitors will get to take it all in quite personally with the Sant's "Human Connections" stories which allow you to "become" a fisherman, scientist or, gulp, lawmaker to see how your decisions actually affect the ocean environment around you.

If you're more the sit-back-and-watch type, take in the "Science on a Sphere" room-sized, 360-degree global display system where images and narration will explain ocean systems and their processes.

Created in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Sant's also home to some picture-perfect gems like seven-foot prehistoric shark jaws and giant squid suspended in a fluid-filled tank.

The best perk in today's economy? Admission is totally free--you already paid when you sent in your federal taxes!--and no tickets are required. We might just be first in line at 10 am on Saturday!

Related Stories:
· National Museum of Natural History [Official Site]
· Museums coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Smithsonian Institution]