More than 42,000 Central Coast residents attend Monterey Bay Aquarium during free week

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) Between Dec. 7 and 15, the Monterey Bay Aquarium offered free admission to residents of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, and more than 42,000 residents showed up.

Overall, 66,187 people visited the aquarium during that time, and 42,677 were specifically there for the Community Open House. That number does not include children under the age of three.

According to the media relations manager for the aquarium, Emerson Brown, about 65% of those visiting the aquarium during the week were there for the Community Open House.

An average of about 1.8 million people visit the aquarium every year, according to its website.