Get ready to be blown out of the water, Ral: The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is making waves with the opening of its newest special exhibition, “Blue Whales.”
This larger-than-life attraction dives deep into the biology, behavior, and downright jaw-dropping science behind the largest animals to ever live on Earth. Yes, even bigger than the biggest dinosaurs.
These gentle giants can reach up to 110 feet long, weigh up to 400,000 pounds, and have hearts the size of a small car (be still, my beating Honda).
Their voices? Powerful enough to travel 1,000 miles underwater, which is nearly the distance from Raleigh to Austin, Texas, and let’s not forget the appetite — a staggering 16 tons of krill per day.
Whale-sized activity lineup
Get ready to touch, play, and learn with displays and interactive stations that include:
- The world’s only scale model of a blue whale heart on exhibit
- A blue whale skeleton
- “License to Krill,” a fast-paced game of survival at sea
- Photo ops inside a life-sized blue whale jaw
- Tracing whales’ incredible evolution from four-legged land dwellers to ocean giants (did you know whales started on land? We didn’t)
- Surround-sound whale calls — comparing the calls of belugas, humpbacks, and blue whales
- Touching real baleen
Bonus: The Blue Whales Special Lecture Series launches on Thursday, July 10. This four-part program will be led by renowned whale researchers (including local scientists from Duke University) sharing mind-blowing discoveries and conservation efforts.
To whaley get into the ocean fun, the exhibit also features a limited-time special store with handmade gifts from local artisans, t-shirts, stuffed animals, models, and other cute, whale-themed merch.
Tickets and lecture times below.
