What Happened at the Baltimore Aquarium

I must tell you all what happened to us, particularly Jim, when we toured the Baltimore Aquarium. First, we discovered that several school classes from Baltimore public/private? schools were visiting the aquarium on a school trip. I spoke to one teacher and learned that one group was 125 kindergarten students who were accompanied by 25 assorted teachers and mothers. Second, it was fun to watch the adults trying to keep up with all these active and curious little bodies. And it really was a hoot to watch four or five kindergartners try to maneuver thru a rotating door or turnstile. But then it became a sad tale when we went to see the 3-D movie that was about not only fish but African safari animals as well as animals from the poles. The movie was a series of short movies. But all were in 3-D and we had to wear 3-D glasses to watch them.

Now here is the sad part. This theater had "effects" like they do in Disneyworld when you watch the It's Not Easy Being a Bug movie at the Animal Kingdom. Water squirts you, things poke you in the back, the seat shakes, the lightening flashes in the theater, and little creatures run across your feet as you watch these short movies. Well, this was a great movie for adults to watch. We loved it! The problem was that for one little kindergarten boy this movie was just downright frightening! He was sitting next to Jim and started crying softly. Then the next thing I know Jim is holding him and trying to comfort him but to no avail. I kept looking at the teachers and adult chaperons and wondering when they were going to rescue this frightened child. Soon this poor little boy is sobbing out loud and Jim is doing his darnest to comfort him but to no avail---even when the happy and pretty water bubbles emerged from the ceiling of the theater. I thought about taking him out but was afraid that someone would mistake me for a child kidnapper with the boy sobbing so I just sat tight and hoped one of the adults would turn around and notice what was happening. Well, wouldn't you know it, just one minute before this 20 minute movie was over; one of the adult chaperons notices Jim and the sobbing boy and removes the boy from the theater to the lobby. When we left the theater this frightened child had finally stopped crying but still had very wet cheeks from all the tears that he had shed. The message I want to get across is this: this movie is not suitable for little kids and the aquarium staff should do a better job of screening the movie goers by age.