Penguins Are Here!Beijing Aquarium Launches the "Extraordinary Tribe Carnival Season"

Extraordinary Tribe Carnival Season: A New Trend in Summer Travel

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Hu Weiyong, General Manager of Beijing Aquarium, explained the meaning of the "Extraordinary Tribe." Mr. Hu introduced that the new friends welcomed by Beijing Aquarium this time—the African black-footed penguins—are a group of warm-weather penguins living on the southwestern coast of Africa. Beijing Aquarium spent a whole year carefully preparing the "Extraordinary Tribe" just to welcome these African warm-weather penguins into the Beijing Aquarium family. As one of the earliest aquariums in China, Beijing Aquarium has always been committed to providing a rich variety of educational and cultural leisure spaces for family outings. This summer, Beijing Aquarium will also use this event to offer an extraordinary visiting experience to all guests.

The African black-footed penguin, also known as the African penguin, is the latest species introduced by Beijing Aquarium. Unlike the penguins we usually associate with Antarctica, the African black-footed penguin stands 68–70 cm tall and is an endangered species living on the southwestern coast of Africa, with fewer than 100,000 left worldwide. By introducing this species, Beijing Aquarium aims to showcase a richer variety of marine life to visitors while also raising awareness about endangered marine creatures.

As an aquarium that receives over 2 million visitors annually, Beijing Aquarium has always upheld the mission of "entertaining the public, educating students, and preserving ecology." It strives to draw attention to marine life through a rich display of species, deepen people’s understanding and knowledge of the ocean through diverse educational activities, and hopes to actively rescue marine life through years of experience and technological research, promoting the culture of maritime heritage and marine environmental protection. The launch of the summer special event "Extraordinary Tribe Carnival Season" will further enrich the educational experience and deepen environmental and social initiatives.

Innovative African-Themed Play Experiences

Beijing Aquarium has always adhered to the business philosophy of family bonding, joy, knowledge, and wisdom. Throughout the summer, combining the African characteristics of the African black-footed penguins, Beijing Aquarium has launched a special event themed around the "Extraordinary Tribe Carnival Season." Every weekend during the carnival season, visitors can enjoy authentic African-style song and dance performances at the aquarium, instantly transporting them to the mysterious and distant African coast. Children can also learn to play and perform with African instructors on-site, transforming into "African natives" and dancing joyfully with the African penguins. With the rich atmosphere of African culture and the adorable charm of the African penguins, Beijing Aquarium will offer visitors an unprecedented carnival experience this summer.

"Chief Challenge" Deepens Science Education

The "Chief Challenge" competition held in the afternoon of the opening ceremony is a brand-new attempt at "new-style science education" by Beijing Aquarium. The "Chief Challenge" is a unique science education activity recently created by Beijing Aquarium, featuring monthly and annual competitions. Each month, three "Little Chiefs" are selected through ocean knowledge quizzes and ocean conservation declarations, and at the end of the year, one ultimate "Extraordinary Chief" is chosen from among the 36 "Little Chiefs." The selected "Little Chiefs" will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the aquarium, spend the night at the aquarium, serve as young science lecturers, and spread ocean knowledge. Beijing Aquarium has been working hard to expand the audience for science education, ensuring that both teachers, students, and families benefit from their visit. In the future, the "Chief Challenge" competition will also recruit and select participants from various social groups, striving to extend the influence of the ocean to more diverse social strata.

Supporting Ocean Dreams and Deepening Social Initiatives

At the opening ceremony, Beijing Aquarium also brought left-behind students from impoverished mountainous areas in Guyuan County to the venue, fulfilling their dream of seeing the ocean. At the same time, Beijing Aquarium quietly invited the parents of these children, who work in Beijing, to join them at the aquarium, offering them a chance to spend a quiet night together at the venue. They say, "An ocean-like heart can heal everything," and Beijing Aquarium is using its modest efforts to provide a warm, cozy, and heartfelt haven for more families.

Staying True to Its Mission and Moving Forward, Beijing Aquarium is about to celebrate its 20th birthday. As an aquarium that has accompanied a generation as they grew up, Beijing Aquarium has continuously innovated and upgraded through exploration and experimentation. As the hot summer arrives, it is hoped that more families can have an "extraordinary" visiting experience at Beijing Aquarium.