Central Coast Aquarium brought Tidepools on Tour from its Avila Beach home to the Santa Maria Public Library for its second visit this summer. The aquarium's mobile tanks were filled with creatures that inhabit the tide pools and beach areas along the Central Coast that visitors could handle and marvel at up-close in the Altrusa Theater of the Children’s Services section of the library.
Families had an opportunity to touch live crabs, sea stars, sea snails and other marine life during the Tidepools on Tour exhibit hosted by Central Coast Aquarium at the Santa Maria Public Library Saturday.
Lilliana Tobin and Luke Jensen check out live sea urchins Saturday afternoon at the Santa Maria Public Library during the Central Coast Aquarium's Tidepools on Tour exhibit.
A young visitor gives a marine critter a poke during the Central Coast Aquarium's Tidepools on Tour program Saturday afternoon at the Santa Maria Public Library.
A live hermit crab was many of the sea creatures available to touch at Central Coat Aquarium's Tidepools on Tour exhibit Saturday afternoon at the Santa Maria Public Library.
A Central Coast Aquarium docent holds out a live sea star for children to touch Saturday afternoon during the Tidepools on Tour visit to the Santa Maria Public Library.
Children touch a live sea star held by a Central Coast Aquarium docent during the Tidepools on Tour program Saturday afternoon in the Santa Maria Public Library.
A sea anemone, its tentacles withdrawn for protection, was among the various sea creatures available for children and adults to touch during Central Coast Aquarium's Tidepools on Tour program Saturday afternoon at the Santa Maria Public Library.
Children take turns touching a live sea star Saturday afternoon during Central Coast Aquarium's Tidepools on Tour presentation at the Santa Maria Public Library.
Families view examples of marine life in the Tidepools on Tour exhibit the Central Coast Aquarium brought to the Santa Maria Public Library on Saturday afternoon.
Luke Jensen gets a close-up look at a spiny sea urchin Saturday afternoon when the Central Coast Aquarium brought its Tidepools on Tour program to the Santa Maria Public Library for two hours.