Pleasant Living Magazine

Marine Science Day, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s annual open house, will take place on Saturday, May 21st from 10 am to 3 pm on the VIMS bayfront campus in Gloucester Point.

The event will offer several new hands-on activities in addition to favorites from years past. Now in its ninth year, the popular event is offered free of charge and proceeds rain or shine. The goal of Marine Science Day is to give the public a behind-the-scenes look at how VIMS research in Chesapeake Bay and around the world helps protect and restore marine ecosystems.

Visitors will be able to tour working laboratories and display booths to learn how VIMS scientists help manage blue crabs, restore oysters, survey fish populations, unravel biodiversity, monitor water quality, find and remove "ghost" crab pots, and reduce the accidental capture of diamondback terrapins. Other activities will introduce VIMS’ international work in Antarctica. One highlight is the Parade of Marine Life, in which children and adults from around Tidewater walk through campus wearing handmade creature costumes including jellyfish, sharks, dolphins, and blue crabs. 

The younger set will have the chance to learn with fun, seahorse-based crafts and other activities in the Children's Pavilion. Kids and parents will also have the chance to collect and observe organisms from the York River, and to tour the Institute’s Teaching Marsh, and Oyster Hatchery.

In addition to these daylong activities, Marine Science Day offers a series of events that begin at specific times. These include a pair of 10-minute mini-lectures, seafood cooking demonstrations, and more. Details on these and all the other activities are available in the Marine Science Day program, which is available ahead of time at http://www.vims.edu/public/msd/index.php

VIMS, one of the largest marine centers in the U.S., provides research, education, and advisory service to help protect and restore Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters. The Institute offers Master’s and Ph.D. degrees through its School of Marine Science, part of the College of William and Mary.

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