Ocean Hall - Ocean Hall Stories

Life at the Poles

You probably know that the Earth’s poles are cold, cold, cold. But did you know that there are hundreds of organisms especially adapted to living in these extremes? Or that human communities, even those far away, affect temperatures and critters at both poles?

Life Underfoot at the Beach

Soft sand, gentle waves, seaweed, and scattered shells. The beach brings to mind a relaxing place to sit with family and friends, sinking your feet into the warm sand. You may not realize it, but those tiny grains of sand are important. They support a diverse world of microscopic critters and are a big part of what makes a beach, a beach.

Living Coral Reef Ecosystem

In the Ocean Hall, you'll see fabulous fossils, amazing preserved specimens, and models. But one corner of the hall will be teeming with life - the living coral reef ecosystem! The organisms in this aquarium, grown and collected in a sustainable manner, will give you a taste of the diversity found on wild reefs. You’ll also learn why coral reefs are important and how they are threatened by overharvesting for the aquarium trade, rising temperatures, run-off and other pollution.

Ocean Today Kiosk

Ocean scientists are continually making new discoveries about the ocean. To keep up with this pace, there are some areas of the exhibit that will be updated as new discoveries are made. None will be more frequently updated than the Ocean Today Kiosk.

Salmon Shape a Way of Life

You may think of salmon as a good choice for dinner, or enjoy it smoked and sliced on a bagel. But that salmon on your plate has a long and illustrious history – and an uncertain future. Salmon fisheries have drastically declined due to deteriorating habitat, over-harvesting, and dams that prevent the fish from reaching their breeding grounds. As stocks crash and fisheries are closed, Native American communities that depend on salmon for sustenance and cultural traditions are working with governments to save this resource.

The Variety of Life in the Ocean

The ocean is home to every major form of life: from the tiny to the titanic and from the familiar to the undiscovered. When you enter the Ocean Hall, you'll be met by an awe-inspiring marine biodiversity display. At the center of it all is Phoenix, a life-size model of a North Atlantic right whale, a fascinating species that humans hunted nearly to extinction. Modern threats like ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement continue to endanger this slow-moving coastal whale.

The Vertical Ocean

Imagine yourself out in the middle of the ocean at noon with the flat water reflecting sunlight in a thousand directions. That sparkle hides tremendous secrets just beneath its surface. The Open Ocean Gallery will take visitors into the depths. Come explore the ocean's vertical zones – the surface zone, the twilight zone, and the deep ocean.