Courtesy of Oregon Live
Are you marine-curious? A fan of art? Looking for things to do in the city? Look no further than Portland’s only — and the world’s FIRST — Cartoon Aquarium! Located in Downtown Portland, the Portland Aquarium is a visually-immersive storytelling experience featuring six aquatic ecosystems, all brought to life through the original designs of Pennsylvanian artist Mike Bennett and his team.
Bennett, a former preschool teacher, is now a popular studio cartoon artist known for mixing education with art. He first exhibited his work here in Portland just five years ago. In true Portland spirit, Bennett began by using recycled materials such as “reclaimed wood and house paint to bring … characters to life,” mentioned the personal bio of his website. He started by depicting iconic animated characters before shifting to the more passionate production of his own character designs.
In 2020, Bennett introduced his neighborhood to his creations, arranging them in his front yard for his first exhibit. The community quickly became enthralled with his creativity. Following this success, Bennett launched upwards of five additional exhibits in the Portland area— all featuring imaginative illustrations and a childlike thrill. Some of the character designs from those early lawn displays even make an appearance in the Aquarium today.
“I really want this adventure to start the second you step foot on (this) sidewalk,” Bennett said in the exhibit’s unveiling video. When reflecting in the video on his inspiration for constructing these experiences, he recalls fantastical amusement parks and similar interactive attractions he visited as a child. Educating and engaging young learners in the community has been a goal of the Portland Aquarium since its opening in June of this year.
Bennett’s 3D Aquarium features “20-foot long cartoonish versions of whales, bubblegum pink blobfish paintings [and] more than 100 hand-crafted species,” according to the Portland Tribune.
To ensure the exhibit’s scientific accuracy in its representations, Bennett collaborated with marine biologists. He also worked with the nonprofit Elakha Alliance, joining their mission to reintroduce sea otters to the Oregon coast.
Since the aquarium is classified as an art museum, the establishment participates in Portland’s Arts for All program and offers a student discount. This deal takes their regular admission price from $14 to $5, making it an accessible place to visit for an educational art experience or unique photo-op.
The Portland Aquarium sits on the corner of a fairly-idle intersection, a 15-minute walk from the PSU stop on the Lewis & Clark shuttle. I went with a friend this week, and we really enjoyed our visit. Inside, the space felt immediately inviting: to the right of the checkout counter is a gift shop, and a closed curtain to the left hinted at what was to come. We were warmly welcomed and given the rundown of our visit.
“Become a deep sea voyager! Use your field observer guide to locate the different species of animals inside,” the person behind the counter announced.
Along with this introduction, we were given a small booklet and a pencil, which served as our “field guide.”
Beyond the velvet curtain, we were transported headfirst to the ocean floor. A mural of a submarine covered the walls, displaying industrial equipment, pipes, portholes and metal which was painted from floor to ceiling. We received a “dispatch message” from the “Mission Coordinator, Doctor Wade Bennett,” sharing important information and commencing the journey. The exhibit unfolded as a series of rooms and hallways, and we spent about 15 or 20 minutes total in the whole exhibit (we only partially completed the activity).
Each area is separated by tall black velvet curtains — likely to keep sound or light from leaking between spaces — and features more murals covering every inch of each wall, with some even spilling onto the floor. Proceeding through the exhibit felt like walking through an immersive deep-sea theater set (it even had that prop room smell — like wood, paint and production equipment).
Many of the animals were presented at varying levels of depth; extending from the wall were coral and clams, crabs placed intentionally near our feet, and wooden fish close enough to touch. Most creatures featured a backlighting technique, distinguishing them from each other as well as contributing to the undeniably elaborate environment. Even the coral shelves littered above our heads enhanced the perception of being underwater.
All the while, aquatic atmospheric music filtered through innocuous speakers in every corner (these works were composed by a Grammy-winning Oregon musician André Allen Anjos), with mystical water reflections projected on the floor and ceiling. The sheer amount of unique characters closely competes with the dazzling variety found in a real aquarium. From coral reefs to kelp forests, the deep ocean to the bay, each room combines these design techniques with genuine marine research in a fun and one-of-a-kind way.
Inside the field guide exist smaller depictions of the larger-than-life sea creatures, along with key didactic details for each. It is clear when reading through that diversity and accuracy were something Bennett found essential in the production of this exhibit. However, the most playful element of this exhibit is by far the expressions the animals are illustrated with. Some are bent in awkward shapes with expressive eyes and jagged teeth, each face telling an exaggerated story. Once we completed our walkthrough, waiting on the counter was a basket of free stickers featuring designs by Bennett, which was a pleasant surprise for kids and adults alike.
The museum is open every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and frequently holds events that make it easy to become involved with the community. In its first few months, it has hosted exciting events like scavenger hunts, date nights and even a shark dissection. If you like what you see, Bennett has another artsy experience available year-round that’s worth checking out in Portland. “Wonderwood” is a restaurant and mini golf course, featuring Bennett’s medieval-themed art. The Portland Aquarium is well-worth the visit, especially if you are interested in learning ways you can get connected with your local marine science and/or art communities.
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