Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center

The Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center will begin the “Ocean Explorers Expansion Project,” a two-phase initiative addressing the center’s strategic priorities. The first component involves the revitalization of Sea Pocket Lab, an outdoor aquarium/classroom that showcases the diverse marine habitats of the local shoreline through four touch tanks. The project will replace a severely degraded tank, improve the functionality of the aquarium for both animals and visitors, and develop new exhibits designed to interpret the role of the tidal creek in maintaining healthy estuaries. Developing and implementing a comprehensive marine science program for all 270 fifth-grade students in the Gloucester Public School system is the second component of the project. These programs will encourage children, their families, and visitors to make their own discoveries, form hypotheses, and ultimately develop a sense of how their own behavior impacts sea life, as well as what they can do to help ensure the sustainability of marine habitats.