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

The Sant Ocean Hall is the National Museum of Natural History's largest exhibit, providing visitors with a unique and breathtaking introduction to the majesty of the ocean

The Sant Ocean Hall Turns Ten

by Danielle Hall

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

Explore Map

Daily Catch

A humpback whale

A Humpback's Growth Spurt

A humpback whale has to endure a few growing pains on the road to massiveness. A humback calf will double in length during their first year and then will continue to grow until turning ten years old.

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