Exhibits

In 1972, exactly 100 years after the first national park was created, the nation made a similar commitment to preserving its marine treasures by establishing the National Marine Sanctuary Program. These sanctuaries protect more than 18,000 square miles of ocean waters and habitats, an area nearly the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. The Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which works cooperatively with the public to balance enjoyment and use with long-term conservation.

Increasing public awareness of our marine heritage, scientific research, monitoring, exploration, educational programs, and outreach are just a few of the ways the National Marine Sanctuary Program fulfills its mission to the American people.

Florida Everglades The cornerstone of this gallery is our wonderful alligator display, with a focus on the Everglades as a whole. We share the success story of the American alligator’s return from near extinction, and raise awareness of other issues facing the Everglades, such as habitat destruction and water quality. In addition to the alligators, there are two species of snakes and vinegaroons, which are a relative of scorpions found in the Everglades.

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is located 25 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The waters that swirl around the five islands within the Sanctuary combine warm and cool currents to create an exceptional breeding ground for many species of plants and animals.

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is located approximately 52 miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge at the edge of the continental shelf. Upwelling of nutrient-rich ocean waters and the bank’s topography create one of the most biologically productive areas on the West Coast. The site is a lush feeding ground for many marine mammals and seabirds.

Fagatele (Fohng-ah-the-leh) Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the only true tropical coral reef in the National Marine Sanctuary Program, and is located on Tutuila, the largest island of American Samoa. This complex ecosystem with its exceptionally high level of biological productivity is the smallest and most remote of all sanctuaries.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a complex marine ecosystem surrounding the Florida Keys archipelago, an island chain known worldwide for its extensive offshore coral reef. The waters surrounding most of the 1,700 islands that make up the Florida Keys have been designated a sanctuary since 1990. The Florida Keys marine environment is the foundation for the commercial fishing and tourism-based economies that are vital to southern Florida.

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is located about 110 miles off the coast of Texas and Louisiana. It harbors the northernmost coral reefs in the continental United States and serves as a regional reservoir of shallow-water Caribbean reef fishes and invertebrates.

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is located 17 miles off Sapelo Island, Georgia. It is one of the largest near-shore sandstone reefs in the southeastern United States. The rocky platform, some 18 to 21 meters (60 to 70 feet) below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface, is wreathed in a carpet of attached organisms. This flourishing ecosystem provides not only vertical relief, but also a solid base for the abundant invertebrates to attach to and grow upon.

Encounter animals from freshwater habitats in every region of the United States. Although many of the native freshwater fish lack the splendid colors of their marine counterparts, they have very important stories to tell. Many of the animals displayed in this gallery, such as the hellbender salamander and the black-banded sunfish, are on the brink of extinction due to habitat destruction and pollution.

The tanks are divided into small focus areas and highlight major rivers.

• North: See the bog environment with carnivorous plants and frogs.
• South: Visit the Rio Grande and see the beautiful Texas cichlids.
• East: Explore local environments, including the Potomac River, which include the invasive and interesting snake head.
• West: Discover the animals of the Colorado River, such as the bonytail chub.
• Central: View the gar of the Mississippi River and the only freshwater National Marine Sanctuary of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuaries.

Due to their unique biology and the habitats they live in, amphibians are very prone to depletion and mutation from pollution, habitat destruction, urbanization, and environmental change. Many of the amphibians in the United States are listed as endangered, threatened, or in need of protection. These animals, such as the eastern tiger salamander, are beautiful and rarely seen in the wild due to their elusive nature, but are now even harder to find due to dwindling populations. This gallery highlights salamanders, newts, frogs, and toads to display their amazing adaptations and biology.

The Amazon River basin supports some of the most diverse life on the planet. It is home to piranha, freshwater stingrays, tropical tetras, angelfish, discus, emerald tree boa, an electric eel, and an arrowana.