Port Townsend Marine Science Center

09/02/2026

✨Seeking exhibit volunteers! ✨

We are looking for enthusiastic people to inspire curiosity, conservation, and connection with our local marine environment.

Come be a part of our volunteer team that helps over 20,000 visitors a year discover the wonder of the Salish Sea.

You don’t have to be a marine science expert to volunteer. We need people from all walks of life to make our exhibit the best it can be. As a docent, you'll welcome visitors to the PTMSC exhibit at Fort Worden, engage guests of all ages in hands-on learning, answer questions, and encourage exploration through inquiry and conversation.

Ready to get started? Fill out our volunteer application on our website here: https://ptmsc.app.neoncrm.com/forms/volunteer-application

Upcoming docent training will take place over three Tuesdays - September 15, 22, and 29, 6-8pm at the PTMSC Exhibit (502 Harbor Defense Way). Join us for a tour of the all-new exhibit, learn about kelp forests and Salish Sea ecology, and discover techniques for engaging visitors.

We hope to see you there!

09/01/2026

The Wooden Boat Festival is coming up in Port Townsend on September 11-13! We are excited to see you at the Marine Science Stage. 🐙

Come hear from experts on shellfish safety, European green crab, kelp forests, humpback whales, seabirds, porpoises, and more! PTMSC will have microscopes on hand all day for live plankton viewing so you can take a closer look at life beneath the hull.

Check out the full marine science schedule here: https://woodenboatfestival2026.sched.com/venue/Marine%20Science%20Stage

Artwork by Kyler Martz.

08/27/2026

We asked our staff and volunteers what they love about our new exhibit at Fort Worden State Park, and here is what they shared!

PTMSC volunteer Toni Davison loves to talk with visitors about bones! The bones of marine mammals like seals and whales show striking similarities to our own - we are all mammals after all! For example, we have a scapula (shoulder blade), humerus, radius and ulna (arm bones), and phalanges (finger bones), which you can also clearly see on our marine mammal specimens. Toni likes to point out these similarities to show that we are not so different from our marine neighbors and bring us closer to the Salish Sea. In our Exhibit, you can see the fully articulated skeleton of Hope the orca, as well as the bones of seals, sea lions, sea otters, porpoises, baleen whales, and more.

Come see our Exhibit for yourself Thursday through Monday, 11 AM - 4 PM at Fort Worden State Park. Our volunteers and staff are excited to share the new space with you! Admission and other info at the link in our bio.

08/24/2026

After a long wait, one of our shiner perch finally had her babies! 🐟

The interesting thing about shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) is that unlike most fish, they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs. The babies come out tail first and are immediately on their own. At only about an inch long, they take refuge in seagrass meadows while mom returns to deeper waters. Shiner perch grow rapidly in their first year of life, feasting on zooplankton, worms, small crustaceans, and even algae and fish eggs.

The babies are not on exhibit right now as they are in a separate tank while they grow. But you can see the rest of the shiner perch in our Exhibit at Fort Worden State Park Thursday - Monday, 11 AM - 4 PM.

08/19/2026

Marine Science Trivia Nights are coming soon! ✨ Convene your team and enjoy a fun night with marine facts, cider, and food.

We have 4 rounds of marine trivia sure to both challenge and amaze you! 🐙

Upcoming 2026 Dates:
September 24
October 29
November 19
December 17

When: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Finnriver Farm and Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum

Teams are encouraged to wear PTMSC apparel, marine-inspired apparel, and/or Finnriver apparel to the event.

Entry fee: sliding scale ($5 - $20 per team) with a limit of 6 people per team.

There will be prizes for the winning team!

All proceeds benefit the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. Contact Sara Aamodt at [email protected] with any questions.

08/19/2026

🚨 LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE! 🚨
Nominations are due THIS THURSDAY, August 20, 2026.

🌱 Nominate an environmental leader in your community!

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is seeking candidates for the 2026 Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award.

The award honors Eleanor Stopps, whose vision, advocacy and determination made a lasting difference for the environment and communities of the North Olympic Peninsula.

Established in 2005, the award recognizes a resident of Jefferson or Clallam County whose leadership, stewardship, advocacy, education or conservation efforts have made a meaningful contribution to our region.

Nominees may have:

🌿 Led a successful conservation effort that benefits the North Olympic Peninsula and its residents
🌎 Championed programs, initiatives or ventures that demonstrate a commitment to the future of our planet and its biodiversity
📚 Served as a model for future leaders in business or education
🌱 Helped move our communities toward environmental sustainability through leadership, advocacy or policy

Groups are not eligible.

📩 Nominations must be submitted by email by Thursday, August 20.

Download and complete the nomination form: https://bit.ly/EleanorStopps2026

Or email [email protected] to request a nomination form.

Help us recognize someone who is making a difference for the environment and our communities!

08/15/2026

Come see what’s new at Union Wharf! Three new information panels placed along the wharf illustrate the biodiversity of life in the marine environment and Port Townsend's unique place in the Salish Sea.

Learn about Coast Salish peoples, eelgrass meadows and kelp forests, and the many creatures big and small that call this place home.

Thank you to the Port of Port Townsend and City of Port Townsend, WA Government for supporting this project. And special thanks to Andrew Whiteman, interpretive content developer and designer, and local artist Timbul Cahyono.

While you’re there, visit the 42-foot gray Whale on the Wharf. This unique exhibit officially opened three years ago today and has engaged thousands of visitors and locals every year.

Visit Union Wharf at the end of Taylor Street, just a block away from our downtown store and gallery.

08/14/2026

Have you been in to the new exhibit yet?

PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Marine Science Center has opened a newly renovated exhibit at Fort Worden.

08/08/2026

Heading to the beach this weekend? ☀️ Before you dive in, check to make sure your local beach is safe to swim using the resources in our latest blog post.

As a local agency partner in the BEACH program, PTMSC takes water samples at Fort Worden State Park every week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Samples are sent to a lab to test for elevated levels of f***l bacteria. If levels exceed certain safety standards, beaches are closed. The BEACH program is led by the Washington Department of Ecology and Washington State Department of Health and ensures that our local waters are safe for recreation.

Learn more about the BEACH program here: https://ptmsc.org/how-to-swim-safe-this-summer-with-beach/

What better way to cool off on a hot day than taking a dip in the sea? As you plan your next beach trip, check that your local beach is open and safe for swimming and recreation. The BEACH Program (Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication & Health) monitors the safety of saltwater swimming beac...

08/06/2026

🚨STILL TIME TO NOMINATE! Nominations must be submitted by email by Thursday, August 20, 2026.🚨
Nominate an environmental leader in your community!
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is seeking candidates for the 2026 Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award.
The award pays tribute to Eleanor Stopps, whose vision, advocacy and determination exemplify the power and importance of community leadership.
From the 1960s through the 1990s, Eleanor Stopps was an active member of the Pacific Northwest conservation community. Stopps founded the Admiralty Audubon Chapter and took over the work of Zella Schultz to protect the nesting habitat for 72,000 pairs of seabirds nesting on Protection Island. She was also a tireless educator working with groups of students and Girl Scouts to raise environmental awareness.
Eleanor showed that one committed person can make a lasting difference. This award recognizes individuals whose leadership, stewardship, advocacy, education, or conservation efforts have made meaningful contributions to the environment and communities of the North Olympic Peninsula.
Established in 2005, the Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award continues to celebrate environmental leadership on the North Olympic Peninsula.
The Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award is given annually to a resident (groups not eligible) of the North Olympic Peninsula (Jefferson and Clallam counties) who has:
- Led a successful resource conservation effort that benefits the North Olympic Peninsula and its residents directly;
- Acted as a community catalyst for programs, initiatives or ventures that demonstrate a commitment to the future of the earth and its biodiversity;
- Become a model for future leaders in business and education;
- or have been an exemplary community member or policy maker who has implemented decisions that, though they may entail risks, have helped our communities take the next step towards environmental sustainability.
Download and complete the nomination form here: https://bit.ly/EleanorStopps2026, or email [email protected] to request a nomination form.
Nominations must be submitted by email by Thursday, August 20, 2026.