You don't exactly 'sleep with the fishes' at ECHO. For those who may remember how the phrase is used in The Godfather movie, that's a decidedly good thing. But you do feel like you're swimming with them. Especially when all that separates you from a four foot long lake sturgeon is a thin pane of glass.
ECHO is the aquarium/museum of Lake Champlain. It's located on the waterfront in Burlington, Vermont and it makes for a great escape on a cold winter's day. Gwenne and I recently braved a squall north of Fair Haven and drifting snow on Rt. 22 to pay a visit. The drive's special treat was a view of Camels Hump emerging from clouds to the east. It brought back fond?! memories of winter climbs when it felt like the winds raking the summit cone were going to fly me non-stop to New Hampshire. My favorite mountain and one I plan to return to soon.
ECHO sits at little more than 100 feet above sea level so you're not likely to be blown into the next state from here. Still there was a cold breeze coming off the frozen lake when we arrived. That made being in the building all the more welcoming. Once past the front desk you're immersed in a world of bubbling water and birdsong. Fish glide and turtles, frogs, snakes and salamanders bask as if it were summer. A March visit leaves you amped for the warm months to come, for the joy of sliding your canoe into waters teaming with life.
The museum is built on several levels with the bottom being appropriately dedicated to the underwater world. Here you'll find mock shipwrecks, exhibits on zebra mussels and other invasives and tanks full of fish. The upper levels hold more aquariums plus Native American artifacts and displays on lake history and natural phenomenon. Walls of glass (and an outdoor deck in warm weather) allow you to look out on the lake and its backdrop of rugged Adirondack peaks.
ECHO is family friendly with kids bubbly energy adding to the vibe. There's a whole room dedicated to the little ones with tree houses, boats and a place to play 'store'. Indeed, all ages are encouraged to interact and explore thru out the museum. Nothing staid and dusty here. It's the next generation that will someday care for the lake and to do that they need to understand and care about it. That's what ECHO is here for.
One corner of the building is occupied by the Lake Champlain Basin Program with resources for everyone from school groups and their teachers to historians and researchers. Their library of lake related subjects is impressive and Laura Hollowell, the friendly staffperson, has a wealth of knowledge on all facets of the watershed.
There is a theatre screening several programs, a museum shop and a room that hosts rotating exhibits, with dinosaurs being the current occupants. What's missing? Not much but I didn't see a really good explanation of the basin's geologic formation and it would be nice if the museum shop carried a selection of books about the lake...its ecology, history and recreational opportunities. And while certainly not meant to be an art museum, a few well placed paintings and photos could add to the overall experience.
Lake Champlain didn't make the cut as the sixth Great Lake but that doesn't mean it's not a great lake. For me it's just the right size...big enough for a lifetime of exploring but not so big to be overwhelming. You might find ECHO the perfect portal to the big lake's many treasures.
* Lake Champlain's watershed encompasses the northern reaches of Washington County. Halfway Brook is part of that watershed, flowing across the Towns of Kingsbury and Fort Ann at the south end of the basin (remember that Champlain empties north into the St. Lawrence). Recently the Glens Falls Chapman Museum hosted a talk on the history of Halfway Brook. Here's a link to a Youtube video of that talk for anyone interested.
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