Port Townsend Marine Science Center is the ideal place to learn about the diversity of life in the Salish Sea and why we love it. You can schedule a day of classes, a tour of our exhibits, or a custom multi-day program.
If you are interested in visiting the Aquarium and Museum, and not in scheduling classes, click here to learn more and book a tour of the exhibits at Field Trips For All Ages.
Unable to visit in person? Check out our Online Activities & Events webpage for activities and ideas for keeping you, your class, and your family connected to the Salish Sea.
Scholarships
Limited scholarships are available and granted based on student need and current availability of funds. You can request a scholarship application form when filling out the request form for classes, linked below.
| Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced Lunch | Percent Scholarship on Regular Programs |
| 25% | 15% |
| 50% | 25% |
| 75% | 50% |
Please Note: Current COVID-19 guidance could affect availability, size, etc. of classes. Masks are optional.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
Contact Gabriele Sanchez, Program Registrar, for more information, gsanchez@ptmsc.org.
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST CLASSES VIA AN ONLINE FORM
Salish Sea Science
A tuition-free field trip program for 3rd & 4th grade classes. Sessions are available in person and online. The program is available each year from January - March. To learn more and to get on the mailing list for next year's program, click here. Registration for this program is NOT available through the 'Request a Visit' link on this page.
Introduction to Marine Mammals
Whales, seals, sea lions, and more! The variety of marine mammals in the Salish Sea is extensive. Students define characteristics of mammals, and then further investigate marine mammal adaptations with the assistance of visuals such as photos, videos, bones, and pelts. Working in small groups, participants examine, make observations and sketch multiple marine mammal skulls.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grades: 4th to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
This eye-opening class never ceases to please! Plankton, the basis of the marine food web, is explored in this hands-on class. Students collect plankton, use their own microscope to discover the life teeming in a drop of water, identify different types of plankton, and sketch several of the organisms in their sample. Discussions touch on the role of plankton in the marine food web, adaptations, distribution worldwide, and the chemistry of plankton growth in the Salish Sea.
Plankton Lab is available March through October.
Class length: 90 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Grades: 4th to adult
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
Often considered the most interesting and colorful creatures in the Salish Sea, invertebrates are the focus in this class. Students explore aquarium exhibits filled with local invertebrates, observing and asking questions about the adaptations and strategies these organisms use for feeding, movement, and protection. Using their observations, students define the basic characteristics of the four major phyla. Creating a detailed scientific drawing is the wrap-up activity for this popular, interactive class.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grades: Kindergarten to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
This quiet, beautiful creature, commonly found in the waters of the Salish Sea, is the focus of this fun, interactive class! Students learn about the biology of the gray whale and its adaptations to live in the water as they assemble the complete skeleton of a juvenile gray whale. Students learn about the gray whale’s life cycle, natural history, feeding behavior and migration route north and south along our coast. Older students reflect on functional anatomy and relate the skeletal structure to the animal’s muscular attachments and movements, and if time permits, compare it to an adult, female orca skeleton in our Natural History Exhibit.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grades: 4th to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
Explore the wonders of the beach! During this guided exploration, students walk to a nearby beach to investigate the rocky shore at low tide. By turning over rocks or lifting algae, students discover the complicated web of life and compare organisms found low and high on the beach. Making observations of the needs and challenges plants and animals face in this environment and learning why marine creatures live in distinct zones are central in this experience. Students are able to hone their identification skills, and walk away with a greater appreciation for the Salish Sea coastal environment and its inhabitants. This class is dependent on and scheduled to coincide with low tides (call for optimal dates and times).
Class length: 90 minutes
Grades: Kindergarten to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
You got it! This class is about fish – from tails to scales! Fish in the Salish Sea come in all shapes and sizes, each with specific adaptations for living in different habitats. After learning the basics of fish anatomy, students identify fish in our aquariums using field guides. Differences and similarities between fish species and how adaptations help fish live in varied habitats are considered. Lastly, students create a detailed scientific drawing, labeling the basic anatomy and specific habitat needs of their fish.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grades: 3rd to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
While so many of us enjoy consuming crab, few of us know much about this common marine invertebrate! Students observe a variety of local crabs, comparing and contrasting the different characteristics. Using PTMSC aquarium exhibits, students embark on a scavenger hunt to find multiple crab species. Students share observations and brainstorm a list of their own questions about crabs. These questions form the basis of a discussion about the biology of crabs. Drawing detailed sketches of a living crab and describing its traits is the final part of this class.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grade: 3rd to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $230 (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $300 (April 1 - August 31)
Fly, walk, swim! They do it all! In this class, students participate in an entertaining simulation of bird adaptations and work with prepared study skins including a glaucous-winged gull, tufted puffin, rhinoceros auklet, and more. Students discover ways these birds are modified to living in the marine environment, both in body design and behavior. Weather permitting, students use binoculars to observe marine birds in the wild.
Look at a fish eye under the microscope, or follow the path from a fish’s mouth to its exit route! Students learn the role and importance of forage fish in the marine food web, specifically the Pacific Herring. The bodily functions of herring are discussed while students examine and make detailed drawings of both the external and internal anatomy. Important internal organs are discussed and located. Microscopes are utilized to observe the fish’s gills, scales, and eyes. Students are encouraged to think about how the organs of this animal work together to meet the needs of this ecologically significant fish.
Class length: 90 minutes
Grade: 4th to adult
Maximum Group Size: 26 students, 4 teachers/chaperones
Regular Season Cost: $260* (September 1 - March 31)
Peak Season Cost: $330* (April 1 - August 31)
*lab fee included
