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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Featured Content

A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

two images cropped together of women at desks facing each other

An Irrepressible Wave

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

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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History & Cultures Articles

Eugenie Clark collecting specimens on a dive.

Eugenie Clark - The Shark Lady

Narwhals with their long unicorn-like tusks.

Native Knowledge of the Narwhal

A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

a group of men in kayaks

A Kayak's Origin Story

Nancy standing by the ocean

Corals to Communication: Nancy Knowlton’s Success Focusing on the Imminent

a woman's hands close a tin of sardines near a pile of empty cans

Nimble Fingers: the Women Behind Maine’s Canneries

a Māori woman in a navy blue fleece holds the skull of a beaked whale

Tohunga Tohorā’s Intuition Reveals New Whale Species

a woman beating a drum

Celebrating the Raven Spirit Canoe Launch

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Misty Smith