“Sea Lions: Life by a Whisker” documentary film premieres in Aquarium’s newly-renovated Simons Theatre

WHAT: With the premiere of the new documentary film, “Sea Lions: Life by A Whisker,” media is invited to a special press screening and tour of the New England Aquarium’s newly-renovated Simons Theatre.  The lushly-photographed documentary details the challenges encountered by a population of endangered Australian sea lions and ties into the Aquarium’s “Protecting the Blue Planet” campaign spotlighting seals and sea lions in the coming months.

In the past few decades, populations of endangered marine mammals such as California sea lions and Atlantic harbor seals have rebounded due to conservation efforts, and the New England Aquarium studies whiskers, fur, tears, and even feces to understand the species. The film addresses how California’s experience with restoring the sea lion population is influencing Australia’s efforts.

Media is also invited to tour the upgraded Simons Theatre which has 378 plush high-backed seats, an advanced laser cinema projector to bring even more razor-sharp images to the giant 80-foot-wide, 43-foot-high projection screen – the largest in New England – and a 1,600-square-foot stage. As part of the Aquarium’s sustainability initiative, renovations also include new carpeting made of 100 percent recycled yarn from discarded fishing nets, and the new projection system will reduce electricity usage by 40 percent.

WHEN AND WHERE: On Tues. Feb. 18 at 9 a.m., media is welcome to tour the Simons Theatre, Central Wharf in Boston. The media is also welcome to see the 10am showing of “Oceans: Our Blue Planet” to experience the new screen and projector system, and “Sea Lions: Life by a Whisker” will screen at 11 a.m.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Pamela Bechtold Snyder, 617-973-5213; psnyder@neaq.org
Diana Brown McCloy, 978-697-9414; Diana@teakmedia.com