In recent years, you have probably noticed the adorable animal cartoons adorning neighborhoods. On our family walks, we typically see at least one or two houses displaying these playful creatures. Ranging from raccoons to turtles to axolotls, these interactive art displays provide a unique and playful charm to the areas they occupy. These fun illustrations are from the hand of the artist, Mike Bennett. In addition to creating these cut-outs, he has hosted several events based on his art. One of these events was his Dinolandia exhibit in 2022. This immersive experience spanned two levels of a downtown Portland building and was a total blast. Plus, I ran into a member of the band The Shins while there, which brought back some core millennial memories. In 2023, Bennett hid fifty artworks as part of a Zelda-themed scavenger hunt for people to find. The following year, in 2024, he formed the Creature Crawl at the Oregon Zoo. Based in Portland, Bennett has created works that extend beyond individual pieces, producing immersive and mind-blowing experiences. Bennett’s artistic style aligns perfectly with Portland’s quirky culture.
Mike Bennett’s newest art installation, the Portland Aquarium, is now open to visitors. Unlike all other aquariums, this exhibit contains no live animals, no water, and no tanks. Just a purely cartoonish representation of a traditional aquarium that you would encounter in another dimension. This is arguably Bennett’s best work yet and is something the entire family will love.
Located at 603 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205, this exhibit features over 100 vibrant, larger-than-life illustrations for guests to view. The Portland Aquarium is open 7 days a week, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, Sunday through Thursday, and from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday. General Admission tickets are $14. For children 12 and under, the cost is $10, and children two years old and under are admitted free of charge. Each admission comes with your own 24-page Explorer Compendium, which highlights every species of animal represented in the exhibit. This should definitely be added to your list of exciting summer activities.
Not only is the Portland Aquarium an entertaining and artistic experience, but it is also an educational one. Visitors will learn about marine life during their time at the exhibit as well as through their field guide, which was created in part by marine biologists. To add to this, the Portland Aquarium teamed up with Elakha Alliance (EA), a local nonprofit whose mission is to reintroduce sea otters to the Oregon Coast. The Portland Aquarium’s collaboration led to more accurate depictions of these ocean animals, while still maintaining their whimsical cuteness. Bennett also collaborated with Big Fish Lab to assist with character design and installations. It is clear when viewing this exhibit in person that all the great care and attention to detail that went into its creation are evident. Mike Bennett stated that he has every intention of keeping the Portland Aquarium open as a permanent installation. This can then make for an ideal future activity if you are hosting any friends or family from out of town. People travelling to this city always want to do the Portland things, and this is undoubtedly one of them.
Another super cool aspect of Mike Bennett’s Portland Aquarium is that, starting in July, it will be reservable for private events and birthday parties. Looking for your next corporate get-together, or to throw your kid the most fabulous birthday party of all time? This should be near the top of your list. The uniqueness of this location will have everyone talking about it for years to come. The Portland Aquarium is also fully ADA accessible. In fact, it was designed with people in mind who use wheelchairs, strollers, and other devices. This space is truly meant for people of all ages and abilities.
Not only is this an entertaining venue, but it also imparts imagination to all its visitors. Unlike aquariums that have live animals to gaze at, Bennett’s ocean is filled with artistic representations of friendly animals. The playful storytelling provided here is both engaging and heartwarming. And for parents with young children wondering if there are any scary parts, have no fear; it is lighthearted throughout.
Portland has long been a city of bohemians—a place filled with writers, artists, and dreamers. In addition to the museums and fancy galleries, there is raw talent coming from artists whose work will never leave their living rooms. The music scene is also of the best quality you can find. I can’t tell you the number of concerts I’ve seen by unknown bands that were so good, they rival what you hear on Spotify. The arts are ingrained in this city, and you can feel it wherever you turn. This is one of the reasons why Mike Bennett’s art is so influential. Out of all of the excellent artists in this city, he seems to have risen to the top and continues to shine. His most recent immersive experience, the Portland Aquarium, is more than just looking at cut-outs of cute animals; it’s a vortex to a temporary world of adorable-ness (that’s a word, right?). It is child-friendly art like this that allows kids’ imagination to soar, and maybe even inspire a future artist.
Alex is a devoted husband and father born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He is a professional artist, author, and advisor for both Yale and Harvard University’s arts departments. His books, ‘Selling Leonardo: The Art World’s Greatest Scandal’ and ‘Holy Ghost: Decoding Leonardo da Vinci’s Final Painting’ are available wherever books are sold.