Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium received the award for Excellence in Education from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on Wednesday morning.

It's the fourth time the aquarium has won that honor in the last five years.

The aquarium currently has two classrooms equipped with cameras and broadcasting equipment for web-based programming. It allows for students and families to take online field trips to the aquarium.

Education Director Tom Naiman says the distance learning program began as a way to cope with the pandemic, but it's given the aquarium more reach than ever.

"Six months later, we've served about 20,000 people in total between the school groups and the programs for the public in 42 states around the country, five Canadian provinces and five foreign countries," he says.

School lessons start at $95 per classroom. The Maritime's family activities are free of charge online.