Canoe hulls on a sandy shore are painted with traditional Alaskan figures.

History & Cultures

The Cook islands banknote

Sharks and Humans

Explore the love-hate relationship between humans and sharks.

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This portrait of William Dampier hangs in London’s National Gallery in recognition of his contribution to natural history.

William Dampier - The Pirate Who Collected Plants

Divers at a shipwreck site

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

A walrus sits on top of ice.

The Cultural Icescapes of the Arctic

Scientists are finding ways to preserve and study sunken warships

Battle of the Atlantic

Jeweler Palovi Baezar with her first set of lionfish earrings, which she made in the summer of 2013.

When Life Gives You Lionfish…

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 all lesson plans see lesson plans about oral traditions

History & Cultures Articles

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Illustration of a giant squid versus a merman.

From Mermen to Architeuthis, Our Fascination with the Giant Squid

During what is known as the Golden Age of Piracy, pirates reaped great rewards—and, if they were caught, faced terrible punishments. Here are some of the most legendary pirates of that time.

Pirates of the Golden Age

As soon as Dampier set foot in Australia, he began making observations and collecting specimens of plants, which he carefully pressed between the pages of books to be studied by the “ingenious” and “curious” upon his return to England. As Dampier conducted his investigations, his artist made detailed sketches like these.

Discoveries in Australia and New Guinea

The siphonophores are an order of marine animals in the phylum Cnidaria (the same phylum containing jellyfish).

Prints from Ernst Haeckel

Master carver Douglas Chilton rides in the Raven Spirit canoe at its ceremonial launch.

Raven Spirit: A Native American Canoe's Journey

A map of the early European whaling site at Hare Harbor in Quebec, Canada

Archaeologists Investigate an Early Whaling Community

A screenshot of the launch of the Raven Spirit canoe.

The Official Canoe Launch

A screenshot from the video of a carver using traditional tools to shape a canoe.

Carver Douglas Chilton at Work

Screenshot from video of a diver swimming with an underwater camera.

The Trouvadore: A Story of Deliverance

the titanic underwater

The Titanic Wrecksite

a woman beating a drum

Celebrating the Raven Spirit Canoe Launch

Scientists are finding ways to preserve and study sunken warships

Battle of the Atlantic

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Misty Smith