The Salish Sea School & Discovery Center

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The Salish Sea School & Discovery Center

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Explore the Wild with us! We have programs for ages 3 to 103 because it's never too late to go back to school! Explore and discover with us today! 🌊🦀🐋🦭🦑

Deepen your understanding of the sea and experience its beauty with our outdoor programs!

11/02/2026

Grab your favorite travel mug and cozy beanie—it's time for a Salish Sea Coffee Club field trip!

Join Salish Sea School staff and salmon biologist Craig Olson for a morning walk to view spawning salmon at Northern State Recreation Area! We will chat about salmon recovery in Washington State over fresh coffee and donuts, then head out on a short hike to learn how to spot stream nests, explore the role these fish play in our forest and marine ecosystems, and hopefully catch sight of spawning salmon along the way.

Saturday, Nov 21st from 10 -11:30AM at Northern State Recreation Area (25625 Helmick Rd, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284)

This event is 18+ and FREE to attend (RSVP required so we know how much coffee and donuts to bring; voluntary donations support marine education programs)!

Click here to RSVP: https://www.thesalishseaschool.org/event-details/salish-sea-coffee-club-salmon-viewing

11/01/2026

In this season of gratitude, we are so thankful for our Salish Sea community! Join us for a month of gathering and learning—from Intertidal Trivia Night and Salmon Night to our Winter Bird Walk and Small Business Saturday at the Discovery Center (Open 10 AM–4 PM).

We hope to sea you this month!!

10/30/2026

Happy Fun Fact Friday! Did you know that over 2,000+ tons of plastic waste are generated from Halloween costumes and treat wrappers every single year?

Let's combat this by having a green Halloween! 💚👻

Check out a few quick ways to reduce waste:
- Costumes: DIY, borrow, or buy second-hand.
- Decorations: Skip plastic spiderwebs that trap wildlife and decorate with natural fibers.
- Treat Bags: Opt for paper or fabric trick-or-treat bags instead of single-use plastic buckets.
- Candy: Ditch plastic wrappers by choosing treats in paper boxes or aluminum foil.
- Pumpkins: Use every part of your pumpkin and compost the remains!

A little ✨magic✨ is happening in downtown Anacortes just in time for Halloween! 🎃 Our Salish Sea School Puffin Outpost is having its soft opening! Come find us at 1016 ¾ 9th Street from 4-6PM on Saturday and grab some candy!

10/30/2026

Calling all little explorers!Join us for Family Barnacle Buddies, our Pre-K program designed to spark curiosity and wonder in our youngest marine naturalists! Bring your Pre-K kiddos out to explore the shore, investigate nature up close, and play by the sea!

Children must be accompanied by an adult & RSVP is required for all participants (adult and child)! Sign up here:https://www.thesalishseaschool.org/event-details/family-barnacle-buddies-7

10/29/2026

Ready to test your tide pool trivia? Join us for Intertidal Trivia Night on Thursday, November 12th from 6PM to 8PM at Terramar Brewstillery! Put your marine knowledge to the test, enjoy craft drinks and delicious food, and see how well you really know our local coastal sea life!

Free to play and all ages welcome!

10/28/2026

Join us and Dr. Cindy Elliser for an evening celebrating real conservation wins, from humpback whale recoveries to salmon habitat restoration, and see how local youth are driving real change in our waters. To wrap up the night, you'll craft a personalized luminary to take home as a symbol of your commitment to protecting our marine ecosystems!

Use this luminary to walk our Winter Solstice Walk on December 20th and if you're interested in representing one of our Southern Resident Killer Whales during our walk, click this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfL49A5liPCe9QJt4mxHKiZou84U9hhE5MTVYHvYKI24xAqng/viewform

Nov 6th 5:30-8:30 pm | The Discovery Center | Free & RSVP required

10/25/2026

There’s just something about fall on the Salish Sea 🧡 Looking back on our pre-Halloween festivities, we are overflowing with gratitude for everyone who came out to celebrate with us! Our Burrows Bay Boo Cruise was wonderfully spooky, the pop-up aquarium and dock walk were so fun, and our winter bird walk was a great reminder that some of the best birding happens right now in the cooler months.

A heartfelt thank you to Rosario Beach Marine Lab JA Fields | Salish Sea Art & Sci Comm and Skagit Audubon for collaborating with us to create such a magical weekend. Sharing these moments with our community means the world to us!

We hope you keep getting outside to enjoy the crisp autumn air this week. And as those cool nights set in, remember to practice lights out after dark to help protect our migrating friends!

If you’re out trick-or-treating in downtown Anacortes this Halloween, stop by the Salish Sea School table to say hi! We hope to sea you there!

Photos by Sydney Stevenson

10/22/2026

Every vote gets us one step closer to bringing local students out onto the water for hands-on marine science!

If you haven’t cast your vote for today yet, this is your reminder that you can vote once per day through Friday, October 23rd at midnight. Winning the Peoples Bank $10,000 Impact Grant will allow us to fund transformative, outdoor learning experiences for Burlington-Edison fifth graders—giving many their very first opportunity to explore local islands by boat and discover the wonders of the Salish Sea.

Click the link in our bio to submit your vote for The Salish Sea School today! Thank you so much for your continued support and for helping us share this mission!

10/20/2026

Join us on November 17th from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Anacortes Public Library for a wonderful evening celebrating Salish Sea salmon, featuring crafts, games, salmon dissection, and an immersive virtual underwater salmon-viewing experience!

Brought to you in partnership with Friends of the San Juans and Anacortes Public Library. Bring the whole family out for a fun, educational community night dedicated to our native salmon!

Address

2201 Skyline Way, Suite 101
Anacortes, WA
98221

Telephone

(703) 477-7432

Website

http://thesalishseaschool.org/

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