Cape life: it's more than a beach

By Richard P. Carpenter, Globe Staff

IF YOU GO . . . Both the Thornton W. Burgess nature center and museum are open Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. April through December. January through March, the museum is closed; the nature center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The museum is at 4 Water St. (Route 130) in Sandwich Village; the nature center is on Discovery Hill Road, off Route 6A in East Sandwich. Admissions are by donation. For more information, call (508) 888-6870. The ZooQuarium (formerly Aqua Circus) is on Route 28 in West Yarmouth. The ZooQuarium is open mid-February through Thanksgiving. From June 25 through Labor Day, hours are 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m., with sea lion shows given five times daily. The rest of the year, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with four shows daily. Admission is $7.50 for those 10 and older, $4.50 for children 2 through 9 and free for those under 2. For more information, call (508) 775-8883. The National Marine Fisheries Aquariumin Woods Hole is open daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. mid June through mid September, and the rest of the year 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (508) 548-7684. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History on Route 6A in Brewster is open all year from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children 6-14 and free for youngsters under 6. For more information, call (800) 479-3867. Bassett Wild Animal Farm, on Tubman Road off routes 124 and 6, is open daily from mid May through mid September from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $5.75 for adults, $3.75 for children 2-11. For more information, call (508) 896-3224.

WEST YARMOUTH -- As I walked into the ZooQuarium, I overheard someone asking, ''Did you get a big wet kiss?!'' and wondered just what kind of a place this was anyway.

But it turned out that a woman was merely asking her granddaughter about the soggy smooch she had just received from a sea lion named Willow, who is just one of many nonhuman creatures you can meet on Cape Cod.

You might see them, of course, at nature's own vast attractions, such as Monomoy Island and the Cape Cod National Seashore. But those seeking more defined areas in which to view animals and fish will find a variety of places on the Cape, especially in summer. Some of these attractions are free and some aren't, but at the very least all offer a place to head when the youngsters start yelling, ''We wanna see fishies! We wanna see animals!'' One caveat, though: Don't expect the San Diego Zoo or the New England Aquarium. The Cape's attractions are far more modest, but nonetheless can be enjoyable.

One of the area's nicest nature spots requests only a donation. The Thornton W. Burgess Society in Sandwich takes you back to a time when youngsters read about Grandfather Frog instead of gazing at the Budweiser Frogs on television.

Burgess, a prolific author of children's stories, was born in Sandwich in 1874. He loved to roam the woods there, collecting plants and observing the animals that scampered by. They in turn inspired the stream of stories he was to write -- more than 170 books and -- incredibly -- 15,000 newspaper columns about Peter Rabbit, Jimmy Skunk, Reddy Fox and good old Grandfather Frog.

Every year, more than 100,000 people visit the society's two facilities, the Green Briar Nature Center and the Thornton W. Burgess Museum. The nature center in East Sandwich has 56 acres of trails, where visitors can look for the kinds of animals that Burgess wrote about. (They will definitely see Peter Rabbit: He's in a cage on the center's grounds.) Visitors can also inspect dozens of varieties of trees and shrubs on the grounds. Inside the center's headquarters are drawings, a nature library and a display room that includes mounted butterflies and live fish, frogs and turtles.

Two miles away in Sandwich Village, in a house built in 1756, the museum keeps the author's memory alive. On exhibit are the largest known collection of Burgess writings, original illustrations for his books and a natural history display, including a bird quiz (a bell rings when you press the right multiple-choice button) and a recording that tells you about Jimmy Skunk's excursion into Farmer Brown's chicken coop. Just outside, geese, ducks and swans swim on Shawme Pond. In July and August, Burgess stories are told afternoons on the museum lawn. A live animal is usually a guest at story time.

Animals, birds and fish all reside at the ZooQuarium in West Yarmouth, home of Willow the amorous California sea lion. She's the star of a 15-minute show during which, in addition to kissing young volunteers, she swims, dives, takes a splashy walk along the edge of her pool, roars like a lion and leaps high to touch a yellow ball while cameras click. Also introduced is Rufus the ''retired'' Atlantic harbor seal, who at age 23 does pretty much what he wants. He does serve, though, to illustrate the differences between seals and sea lions. Among them: Seals have little flippers; sea lions have long ones. Seals have tiny holes for ears; sea lions have flaps.

The ZooQuarium bills itself as ''the wildest place on the Cape,'' although denizens of some of the area's lounges might disagree. In any event, learning is emphasized: A guide might introduce youngsters to such creatures as a kestrel and a chinchilla, talk about them and let the children pat them. Outdoors in the relatively wide open zoo area are llamas, a red fox, a bobcat, parrots, Jacob sheep, pygmy goats and other farm and wild animals. Inside, a small aquarium area introduces visitors to fish from the area and from far away. These range from spider crabs (who can stand on their claws) to black sea bass.

There are other places to view fish, as you might expect of a cape that has cod in its name. The National Marine Fisheries Aquarium in the Woods Hole section of Falmouth charges no admission and has 16 display tanks, including some where youngsters are encouraged to handle crabs, lobster, starfish and shells. There, too, is a behind-the-scenes area with microscopes for the youngsters to peer through. You'll know you're on the right street when you see the sprawling buildings of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and places with names like Fishmonger's Cafe and the Food Buoy.

And there are animals and fish elsewhere. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster offers fresh and salt water aquariums, nature trails, videos, a bird room and other exhibits. Few visit Bassett Wild Animal Farm, also in Brewster, without a kid or two in tow. Along with animals for looking at and petting, there are hay and pony rides.

So enjoy the Cape. Enjoy its beaches and waters. Enjoy its arts, crafts, T-shirts, schlock and night life. But also enjoy its fish and animals. And give Willow a kiss for me.

Published 05/05/96 in the Boston Suday Globe's Travel Section