the skull of a mosasaur — Meals of the Mighty Mosasaur

Fossil mosasaur skull and partial skeleton sitting in what looks like the dirt it was excavated from. — If You Build An Ocean, Sea Monsters Will Come

a close up of a grey whale face — Nature's Best Photography 2018

Quicklinks

A satellite image of a hurricane.

Hurricanes Typhoons & Cyclones

Two penguins on a rocky shore.

Penguins

Mangrove roots stick out above coastal waters.

Mangroves

A colorful coral reef in blue ocean water.

Corals

A brittle star holding on to deep-sea coral.

Deep Sea

A giant squid at the surface of the ocean.

Giant Squid

A hammerhead shark swims just underneath the surface of the water.

Sharks

An iridescent jellyfish underwater.

Jellyfish & Comb Jellies

Featured Content

A Honduran small-scale fisherman on a boat setting out to fish.

Clever Measures Track Fishing Pressures

by Larisa Bennett

An aerial view of the Hawaii's shore with lava flowing into the ocean from Kilauea volcano.

Island Ecosystem Transformation via Lava

by Larisa Bennett

An opah at the Honolulu Fish Auction with a printed label attached that includes an ID number, bar code, the date, the receiver's ID number, the cart number, species name, vessel name, and weight of the fish.

“Storied Fish”: Why Sustainable Seafood Requires A Tale

by Marah Hardt and Colleen Howell

Explore Map

Daily Catch

polar ice melting during sunset

Nature's Best Comes to DC

“While leading one of my many expeditions to Svalbard, I was on a Zodiac cruise at sunrise and came across this amazing ice formation. I was struck by its familiar shape and photographed the ice backlit against the colors reflected on the water. People see different things in this image; I see a Siamese cat.”— © Andy Rouse / Nature's Best Photography Awards 2018

Around the Web

Dirty, Crevassed Glaciers in Alaska

Ocean Leadership

History and Seaports in Charleston

Ocean Leadership

Dry Season Fires in Australia

Ocean Leadership

The Eastern Caribbean Is Swamped by a Surge of Seaweed

Ocean Leadership

Roving Exhibit Highlights Ocean Plastics Problem

Ocean Leadership

Are You An Educator?

At Smithsonian Ocean, we have lesson plans, activities, and resources to help you engage your students in the wonders of our oceans.

See Lesson Plans