Ocean Institute facts for kids
The Ocean Institute is a cool place in Dana Point, California, where you can learn all about the ocean. It started in 1977 as the Orange County Marine Institute. Today, it teaches students from kindergarten through high school (K-12) and their teachers about ocean science and maritime history.
Each year, over 100,000 students and 8,000 teachers visit the institute. They come from Orange County and nearby areas. They get to learn hands-on in labs right by the ocean.
The Ocean Institute is open to everyone! You can visit on weekdays from 10 AM to 4 PM. On weekends, it's open from 10 AM to 3 PM. When you visit, you can see amazing marine animals and exhibits about the ocean. Did you know that Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, was inspired by his time teaching here?
The institute has a 70-foot research boat called the R/V Sea Explorer. Students use this boat for programs. Visitors can also take trips on it to see marine wildlife. This includes exciting whale watching tours on weekends! The institute also works with Lazy-W Ranch, a camp in the Cleveland National Forest. There, students learn about nature and California's past. The Ocean Institute even has a "Ocean in Motion" van, which is a mobile laboratory. It brings ocean lessons to schools. They also offer online learning through video calls.
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Explore the Learning Centers
The Ocean Institute has many special places where you can learn. Each center focuses on different topics and age groups.
Cool Marine Life Labs
- Ecology Learning Center: This center is for younger kids (grades K–3). It has tanks with marine animals and special tables with video-microscopes. You can also find a digital imaging lab and a fun children's theater here.
- Packard At-Sea Learning Center: This center is for students in grades 4–6. It's home to many marine creatures, including jellyfish at different stages of their lives.
- Surfscience Learning Center: Here, you can find cool exhibits like an oceanography test tank and a wave tank. There's also a shark and ray pool! Students who stay overnight can sleep upstairs on the sleeping deck. This deck also has a weather station that helps predict coastal weather.
- Maddie James Seaside Learning Center: This center has a special lab for studying biological diversity. It helps new animals get used to their surroundings. It also has a "citizen science" lab where you can help study new species that might not belong in the area.
Outdoor Adventures
- Marine Life Refuge: This is an eight-acre area of beach and tidepools. It's just north of the main building. You can take walking tours here to explore the amazing creatures living in the tidepools.
History and Research Spots
- Maritime Center: This is where you can learn all about maritime history. You'll discover stories of sailors and ships from the past.
- Samueli Lecture Hall and Conference Center: This is the main meeting place at the institute. It's used for educational talks and special events.
- Student and Teacher Services Building: This is the main office building. It has a big, open lobby that welcomes visitors. You can also find exhibits on the first floor.
- Center for Cooperation in Research and Education: This center helps bring ocean research into the programs offered at the Ocean Institute.
Gift Shop and More
- Laurena G. Chambers Gallery and Gift Store: After your visit, you can check out this store. It offers educational materials and gifts with ocean and maritime themes.
Amazing Tall Ships: Pilgrim and Spirit of Dana Point
The Ocean Institute is home to two impressive tall ships. One is the Pilgrim, a 130-foot vessel. The other is the Spirit of Dana Point, a 118-foot topsail schooner. The Pilgrim was a copy of the ship that Richard Henry Dana Jr. sailed into Dana Point in the 1830s. Sadly, the replica of the Pilgrim was taken apart in April 2020 after it sank.
The tall ship programs let you experience what it was like to be a sailor in the 1830s. The Pilgrim and Spirit of Dana Point are the stars of the institute's biggest yearly event. This is the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival, held every September. Many tall ships from up and down the coast come for this festival. It's a fun event with pirates, singing, exciting cannon battles, and a chance to sail on a tall ship!
How the Ocean Institute is Supported
The Ocean Institute has a yearly budget of about $6 million. It has 100 full-time and part-time staff members. Hundreds of volunteers also help out. The institute works with important partners like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the National Science Foundation, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Many groups and people support the Ocean Institute. These include the Swenson Family Foundation and the Henry Samueli Foundation. Wendy Marshall is the president and CEO of the institute. The institute gets money from school visits, grants from the state and city, and gifts from people who care about the ocean. The watershed education program is supported by MyOcean and the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association.
The biggest way the institute raises money each year is through its Laguna Beach Million Dollar Home Raffle. This raffle started in 2005.
