The Smithsonian Celebrates World Oceans Day

The National Museum of Natural History will celebrate World Oceans Day, June 8, with a wide variety of themed activities for the entire family. The museum is partnering with Coastal America to offer opportunities like asking ocean experts, watching a film about an orphaned otter’s journey, participating in a mural-making art project with “Sherman’s Lagoon” cartoon artist, Jim Toomey, and more. Visitors will learn how the ocean is a part of their daily life, and an important resource to study, preserve and protect for future generations of life on Earth.

All Events Are Free and Open to the Public

• Meet the Ocean Experts (1–5 p.m.; Sant Ocean Hall): Marine scientists from federal agencies will be on hand to answer visitors’ questions about the world’s oceans. They will be joined by costumed characters, including a sea otter and a shark.
• Sylvia Earle and Galapagos Islands Webcast (3:30–4 p.m.; Baird Auditorium and live: Oceans Day webcast): Earle is joined by a team of scientists broadcasting live from the Galapagos Islands to share with the audience what is currently happening to coral reefs according to their subaquatic research near Darwin Island.
• Youth Ocean Leaders Panel Discussion (4–5 p.m.; Baird Auditorium): Earle will be joined in person by five “youth ocean leaders” from Florida, California, Virginia, New York and Qatar to participate in an interactive discussion with the audience about their experiences with the ocean.

For more information visit: http://ocean.si.edu/world-ocean-day-2012.

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