Ocean education programs

Inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards through hands-on learning and inclusive education.

Overview

For more than 40 years, education has been at the heart of the Aquarium’s mission. Our programs connect students, educators, and families with the ocean through hands-on learning, professional development, and community partnerships.

We work to make ocean education accessible to everyone—especially communities historically underrepresented in marine science. By building curiosity, confidence, and connection to the ocean, we help learners become informed problem-solvers and advocates for a healthy, thriving future.

Young children leaning over a touch exhibit, reaching into the water to touch a sea star and other marine life

Program highlights

2.7 million students

participated in free Aquarium field trips since 1984

52,000+ learners

reached annually through education program

96%

of educators report increased value in teaching about the environment

How we work

Two young children waving at a scuba diver through the glass of a large Aquarium exhibit filled with fish

Field trips and immersive experiences

Students explore ocean ecosystems firsthand through guided experiences at the Aquarium and in local habitats.

Educator development

Teachers participate in institutes, workshops, and professional learning programs that support ecosystem-based science education.

Monterey Bay Aquarium staff member and volunteers gathered around a tray of marine specimens, examining them closely together

Teen programs

Leadership programs like Teen Conservation Leaders help young people build conservation knowledge, career skills, and community connections.

Close-up of a child's wet hand holding a small piece of red sea creature, cradled in an adult's open palm

Early childhood and community partnerships

Collaborations with programs like Head Start support young learners and caregivers in building early connections to nature through culturally relevant, bilingual experiences.

A group of elementary students sit on the floor, leaning in to collaborate on a digital lesson displayed on a tablet held by one of the young students

Learning beyond the classroom

Online courses and science activities extend learning to families, caregivers, and classrooms everywhere.

Four smiling teens posing together at a table displaying a Future Leaders Scholarship Award certificate in front of a Monterey Bay Aquarium backdrop

Scholarship funds

Scholarship programs like the George P. Shultz Future Leaders Scholarship Fund support students from nearby communities in pursuing education and careers in science and conservation.

Students participating in discovery labs inspecting animals close up

Why it matters

The ocean is changing—and so are the lives of the people who depend on it. Many young people feel disconnected from nature and uncertain about their ability to make a difference, while educators are being asked to do more with fewer resources.

Our education programs exist to meet this moment: strengthening young people’s connection to the ocean, to their communities, and to their own power to create change.

Through hands-on learning and supportive environments, participants build:

A sense of belonging in science and nature
Empathy for people, wildlife, and ecosystems
Science and environmental literacy
Confidence to take action
Improved well-being through connection to the ocean

Students kayaking on Elkhorn Slough in two kayaks, paddling across calm water.

Overhead view of a student group sitting on the floor in front of a large multi-panel kelp forest Aquarium exhibit, with an educator leading a lesson

Young child leaning in to closely observe a sea urchin in a touch exhibit, with a chaperone guiding the interaction from behind

Smiling young child reaching into an Aquarium touch exhibit with an educator's guidance, while family members watch and smile in the background

Teens participating in our Ocean Learning Adventures (OLAS) program enjoy unique unique hands-on learning experiences to strengthen their connection to the ocean.

Educators participate in free institutes and workshops to dive deeper into teaching issues like climate change and plastic pollution.

Thousands of students participate in our field trip programs every year.