Sea Monsters Revealed, an exhibition of the world’s largest plastinated sea creatures, has made its world premiere debut at the Museum of Science & Industry and is now open.

Like the human anatomy exhibits that now circle the globe, Sea Monsters Revealeduses the revolutionary polymer preservation technique commonly known as plastination to bring real sea animals onto dry land for an up-close and personal look at the most mysterious creatures the deep sea has to offer. Visitors will not only see the outside, but also the inside of the most elusive aquatic life ever discovered, including a 6-foot-wide manta ray, a 15-foot-long mako shark, a giant squid, and an 18-foot-long, 3,000 pound whale shark. All specimens in the exhibition are authentic, stunning examples of the mysteries that lie beyond our shores and have been carefully recovered in accordance with the highest animal protection standards.

While, these impressive sea creatures truly are the stars of the show, they are set in a multi-sensory environment unlike any other traveling exhibition. The exhibition’s theatrical and scenic elements take visitors back in time to an 18th century oceanographer’s study to learn about the ocean via an interactive map table. Moving forward, visitors will then enter a specially-built submersible, where they will descend to the depths to explore the sea floor and meet renowned ocean explorers such as Fabian Cousteau and Sylvia Earle. They will then have the opportunity to walk on the ocean floor among the giants of the deep. At the end of the exhibition, visitors will be able to engage with live sea creatures in a touch pool – a first for a traveling exhibition.