California State Parks announces the opening of the first public exhibit to be held in the beachfront Crystal Cove State Park Historic District exhibit cottage. The exhibit, Giant Kelp and the Coastal Ecosystem, is free to the public and is sponsored by the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily.

The exhibit will run through Labor Day and tells the story of giant kelp, one of the world’s fastest growing plants, and its importance to our daily lives. “Giant kelp is the cornerstone of our fragile coastal ecosystem and is relied upon by over 800 marine life species” said Nancy Caruso, the exhibit creator and marine biologist for the Aquarium of the Pacific. “The exhibit is a tribute to volunteers who, over the past six years, have helped our Pacific Ocean recover from kelp bed losses. These are every day people who have made a huge difference for the environment. The result is a thriving and growing kelp forest in our near shore areas between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach,” she added.

The exhibit cottage, which is located just steps from the sand, is a restored 1950’s vintage structure that served as a hamburger stand in the early days. The cottage was restored during the first phase of restoration of the Historic District and supports the educational and interpretive program component approved in the Preservation and Public Use Plan. The exhibit cottage is now available for use by any organization or group that is interested in sponsoring educational programming related to Crystal Cove State Park. “The idea is for park visitors to have the opportunity to learn something new and to reach out to the local community for storytelling” said State Park Interpreter Winter Bonnin. “Some exhibit ideas include the marine environment, coastal geology, cultural and natural history, water quality, natural processes, and flora and fauna” she added.

Parking is available in the Crystal Cove State park, Los Trancos parking area, and costs $10 per day. For additional information, please contact the park office at (949) 494-3539.

The Aquarium of the Pacific, a not-for-profit institution, is dedicated to instilling a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. It is the fourth largest aquarium in the nation and is visited by 1.4 million people annually. The Aquarium houses over 550 different species and features a variety of both on- and off-site programs to engage the public in ocean conservation and environmental education. These programs include the Aquarium on Wheels outreach programs for low-income inner city school students and cleanups efforts to help local wildlife. The Aquarium of the Pacific is one of the top aquariums in the nation and is ranked as one of the top two Los Angeles cultural attractions. The latest Zagat U.S. Family Travel Guide rated the Aquarium of the Pacific as #2 Los Angeles area Family Destination. The Aquarium is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and is located at 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach, Calif. For more information, the public may visit aquariumofpacific.org or call 562-590-3100.