The new Mountain Forest Gallery, a glass-enclosed aviary, contains free-flying bluebirds, cardinals, thrushes, and Eastern towhees. The area depicts a mountain ravine at a cascade, and the plants are exactly what you would expect to see in a mountain forest. Animals roam throughout the exhibit, including fish, salamander, snakes, and river otters.

The Piedmont Shoals exhibit provides a below-water view of a rushing stream flowing over a rocky outcrop. In this fast-flowing environment, the fish have small, streamlined bodies adapted for fast swimming in fast-moving water.

Nearly two-thirds of South Carolina lies in the caostal plain. The Coastal Plain Gallery includes the Brownwater Swamp Exhibit, Swamp Snakes Exhibit, and the Blackwater Swamp Exhibit. In addition to the fish and snakes visitors can view in the Coastal Plain Gallery are the presence of several species of turtles.

The Coastal Exhibit also contains turtles, as well as birds, fish, and snakes that reside along the coast. Visitors can also see the Seahorse Exhibit. A backdrop of coral and a sand-filled bottom are used to highlight these colorful creatures.

The last of the five watersheds represented is the Great Ocean Exhibit. This gallery extends through two stories of the South Carolina Aquarium.The Great Ocean Exhibit contains 30,000 gallons of water, and it contains hundreds of animals and plants. The exhibit offers many different views, such as Sandy Seafloor, Deep Ocean, and Rocky Reef.

I would especially recommend this attraction to any family visiting Charleston since there are several hands-on activities throughout the aquarium, as well as the interesting animals. Of course, all nature lovers will delight in experiencing the different habitats and getting close-up views of the often elusive fauna.

What makes this aquarium most special is its location right on the harbor. With all that there is to see inside, I was constantly drawn to the outside and the amazing closeness to the activities in the harbor: tug boats and huge cargo ships, pleasure boats, Fort Sumter, and playful dolphins which broke the surface of the water. There are balconies and areas around the aquarium where visitors drink in the fresh air and the sights. We couldn't believe how close we were to the tug boats as they connected to a loaded container ship that needed safe passage through the channels. There is an interactive touch tank inside where visitors can touch horseshoe crabs and sea urchins. This aquarium is a treasure.

Look up the S.C. Aquarium at www.scaquarium.org for information about hours, prices, new arrivals, and special activities that are changing throughout the year. There is also a link there to many other aquariums, and I have discovered that seeing one does not make me say, "Been there, done that." I would love to see more for myself. Cost is a factor, however. The Charleston Aquarium is $14 for adults, $7 (4-12), and free (under 3). I think it is worth the money. There is an IMAX theater beside the aquarium and apparently a Fort Sumter museum under construction. There is a park and there are other sights of interest in the historic district closeby.

There is a very nice parking garage across the street from the aquarium. It charges by the hour and provides a convenient place to safely park your car out of the sun. There is no parking along the street by the aquarium complex.