Colorful illustrations of ocean invertebrates from Ernst Haeckel.

Books, Film & The Arts

Illustration of colorful nudibranchs from Ernst Haeckel.

Art Forms in Nature

Images of marine species from Ernst Haeckel, famous science illustrator.

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Featured Content

A piece of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibit.

When Art Meets Science: The Hyberbolic Crochet Coral Reef

A dish of halibut

America’s ever-changing relationship with seafood

Black and White photo of the Western Flyer on the ocean.

Western Flyer: A New Chapter

The colorful parrotfish sculpture is made entirely of ocean plastic trash.

Turning Ocean Trash to Treasure

“This shark was cruising low along the reef known as Alcyone. Her left eye was glancing up toward other hammerheads when I took this shot from below.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Studley.

Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D300; Tokin

Ocean Views from Nature's Best Photos

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.

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Books, Film & The Arts Articles

A screenshot from the video of a restaurant scene.

The No-Seafood Grill 2050

Screenshot of video with close up of a copepod.

Smithsonian Ocean: Our Water, Our World

X-ray image of a winghead shark

X-Rays of Fish Reveal Diversity

Image of two dinoflagellates seen through a microscope.

Dinoflagellates: One Species at a Time

Cover of the Book Citizens of the Sea

Citizens of the Sea

Screenshot of "Blue Planet" music video showing aerial view of Earth.

"Blue Planet" Music Video

Musician Sam Lardner and friends created the 14-song CD Oceans Are Talking to inspire kids and adults to help save the ocean and the creatures living in it.

Five Questions for Musician Sam Lardner

Screenshot from Census of Marine Life video of the bottom of a red-colored octopus in dark water.

Creature Feature from the Census of Marine Life

The People's Reef--Part of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef

A piece of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibit.

When Art Meets Science: The Hyberbolic Crochet Coral Reef

A coral has just spawned. Each of the hundreds of polyps releases a small pink bundle of sperm and eggs.

A Tale of Sex and Stress in the Ocean

“This shark was cruising low along the reef known as Alcyone. Her left eye was glancing up toward other hammerheads when I took this shot from below.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Studley.

Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D300; Tokin

Ocean Views from Nature's Best Photos

Banner Credit

Ernst Haekel