SHARKS: Fact & Fantasy is no longer on display at the Miami Museum of Science. Please visit the main Museum Menu for our current exhibits.

Miami, FL ­ They're wet. They're hungry. And, too often, they're misunderstood. Sharks - fascinating and awe-inspiring - have been the subject of great popularity and great misunderstanding for centuries.

Surround yourself by these intimidating animals in SHARKS! Fact & Fantasy, the largest most comprehensive interactive exhibition about sharks ever mounted, at the Miami Museum of Science, February 10 through September 9, 2001.

Museum guests dive into the world of sharks by exploring a simulated underwater environment, where sounds evoke an ocean realm and sunlight filters through dark water. Suspended throughout the environment are more than 25 life-sized models of sharks and rays, ranging from the tiny 18-inch catshark to the enormous great white, a shark that can be nearly 20 feet!

Visitors can also check out the real thing! Get up close and examine unique bamboo sharks, beautiful leopard sharks, swell sharks, horn sharks, rays, and many more! These tanks allow visitors to come face-to-face with these mysterious creatures of the deep. Some baby sharks grow inside leathery cases called "mermaid's purses." Visitors will be able to see inside "the purse" to witness the development of these live babies, and then, can check in later on the Shark-Cam to watch their progress.

The exhibition also examines shark evolution, anatomy and behavior using fact-filled displays and interactive exhibits, that answer often-asked questions. A five-foot high set of jaws with rows of five-inch long teeth, evidence of a shark longer than a Greyhound bus, reminds Museum guests of the sharks' 415-million-year history on this watery planet. Fossil sharks and rays from never before seen private collections augment the exhibition.

No shark exhibit would be complete without a look at shark attacks. The exhibit explores various methods of protection against shark attacks including a display of dive suits, shark cages, "bang sticks," screens, netting and bubble curtains. We'll also examine recent attacks in the South Florida area.

Visitors will also enjoy and partake in our out-of-the-ordinary science demonstrations. A man-eating shark is put on trial (complete with costume and cage!) in "My Cousin Finnie"; contestants spin the "Feeding Frenzy" Wheel of Jeopardy, and compete for prizes; and in "Mako-Mania," video clips and slides dispel the many myths surrounding sharks. The SHARKS! Fact & Fantasy exhibit was created by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.

The Great White Shark photograph at the top of this page was shot by Doug Perrine and made available to the Miami Museum of Science courtesy of Seapics.com