Sitka Sound Science Center facts for kids
The Sage Memorial Building is home to the Sitka Sound Science Center.
|
|
| Location | Sitka, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57°2′59″N 135°19′25″W / 57.04972°N 135.32361°W |
| Major exhibits | Molly Ahlgren Aquarium |
The Sitka Sound Science Center is a special place in Sitka, Alaska, where people can learn about and protect the amazing ocean life of Alaska. It's a non-profit organization focused on science research and education for all ages.
The center is located in the historic Sage Building, which used to be part of Sheldon Jackson College. Inside, you'll find a salmon hatchery, an aquarium, classrooms, and research labs. It's a busy place where science comes to life!
Contents
What is the Sitka Sound Science Center?
The Sitka Sound Science Center, or SSSC for short, was created in 2007. It took over the science labs of Sheldon Jackson College after the college closed. Today, it's a key location for scientists who visit Alaska to study the environment.
The center is a member of important science groups like the Organization for Biological Field Stations and the National Association for Marine Laboratories. This means it's a trusted place for important research.
Helping Scientists Learn
As a biological field station, the SSSC provides labs and equipment for visiting scientists. They study important local topics like:
- Why landslides happen
- The effects of ocean acidification (changes in the ocean's chemistry)
- The lives of salmon
- The creatures that live in the intertidal zone (the area between high and low tide)
The center also helps scientists get better at sharing their discoveries with everyone. Through a special program, scientists can visit Sitka for a month to work on their research and learn how to connect with local communities.
A Home for Salmon
One of the coolest parts of the SSSC is the Sheldon Jackson Salmon Hatchery. It was the very first hatchery of its kind in Alaska, built by college students back in 1972. A hatchery is a place where fish eggs are cared for until they hatch and the young fish can be released into the wild.
The SSSC uses the hatchery to raise salmon and teach people about them. It is allowed to raise millions of pink and chum salmon, and hundreds of thousands of coho salmon each year. In 2019, the hatchery was damaged, but the center worked hard to repair it and continue its important work.
The Molly Ahlgren Aquarium
The center's aquarium is named after Molly Ahlgren, a much-loved marine ecologist and professor at Sheldon Jackson College. She helped get the funding for the aquarium before she passed away in 2004. The aquarium opened in 2005.
Inside, you can see many of the amazing species that live in the waters of Sitka Sound. The aquarium has touch tanks where you can gently feel some of the sea creatures. It's a popular spot, attracting thousands of visitors every year who want to get a closer look at Alaska's underwater world.
Gallery
-
A look inside the science center.
-
A Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) peeking out.
-
A colorful Painted Anemone.
-
A close-up of a Tube Worm.
-
Visitors can get hands-on at the touch tanks.
See also
- List of science centers
