ENVIRONMENT | Protecting our natural resources
07 October 2008
Smithsonian Institution Opens New Ocean Exhibit Hall
Museum’s Ocean Initiative promotes responsible ocean resource management
Washington — Most livable space on Earth is ocean, but not everyone can enjoy its wonders firsthand. Now, a small piece of what blankets 71 percent of the Earth’s surface comes inland (and indoors) as the Sant Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History opens its doors to the public.
President Bush was on hand for the ceremonial opening of the 2,137-square-meter hall on September 26. He announced progress on his 2004 Ocean Action Plan. (See “United States Committed to Protecting World’s Oceans.”)
The exhibit hall, which is co-sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), opened to an eager public the next day. “It’s finally open!” said Caitlin Mackenzie, who had been waiting a year to bring her 4-year-old daughter, Lidia, to the hall.
“The ocean is a global system essential to all life, including yours,” said Elizabeth Musteen, project manager for the hall. More than 95 percent of the marine world remains unexplored, and the museum hopes to give visitors a glimpse of what else might be out there.
The Sant Ocean Hall is part of the Smithsonian’s Ocean Initiative, which includes a new ocean-centered Web site and a marine science research program.
“The Smithsonian Institution is uniquely positioned to not only bring the message of ocean literacy to new audiences, but also to have a positive impact on how we manage ocean resources,” said Roger Sant, chairman of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, in a statement marking his foundation’s $15 million donation to the ocean hall. “Through its world-class research and unparalleled collections, the Smithsonian will be able to help us understand the role we all can play in preserving the ocean for generations to come.”
Home to 674 specimens and models placed in 12 exhibits, Sant Ocean Hall, with its blues and greens, gives visitors a sense of being underwater. Gentle sounds of fish gliding through water are heard throughout the hall, which was restored to its original Beaux Arts character in the museum’s largest renovation. The scale of the room is meant to mimic the scale of the ocean. At the top of the 16-meter-high hall are 12 projectors that display the high-definition film Ocean Odyssey.
Sheila Shephard is especially fond of the film. “I like this loop that’s above your head that shows ocean activity,” she said. “There’s something to look [at] above and there’s something to look [at] below.”
A large “Science on a Sphere” globe created by NOAA rotates as images of the Earth’s atmosphere and ocean conditions move across the globe. Two Ocean Today kiosks, which are updated by NOAA, give the latest data on weather and ocean conditions.
OPERATION CALAMARI
Not all of the exhibits are beautiful: two giant squid are among the rarest specimens on display. They were loaned by Coordinadora para el Estudio y la Protección de las Especies Marinas in Spain, a marine preservation organization.
“The two giant squids were preserved in formalin, which is considered hazardous cargo, and you can only transport 60 liters of formalin commercially,” Musteen said. “They were in 400 gallons [1,514 liters], so we had a problem.” Someone suggested calling the U.S. Navy for help.
Initially skeptical, the Navy eventually accepted the mission. In what was dubbed “Operation Calamari,” the squid were loaded on a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane when the construction of the tanks was completed. “The Air Force pilots swore that the squid escaped from their tank and tried to take over the plane, but they fought them off valiantly,” Musteen joked.
At 7.28 meters long, the female is the larger of the two. It is suspended in 6,814 liters (1,800 gallons) of a clear, nontoxic liquid called Novec. The liquid, developed by the 3M Company, is an electrical insulator that is two and a half times thicker than water. It is the first time Novec has been used to preserve specimens, and so far it seems to be working well, according to Musteen.
The squid are exceptional discoveries, but the star of the exhibit is Phoenix, the 14-meter model of a North Atlantic right whale that scientists have been tracking for more than 20 years.
Named for the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes, Phoenix represents a rebound now under way in the population of the species, even though there were fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales in the ocean as of 2006. The real Phoenix weighed a hefty 862 kilograms (1,900 pounds) at birth, and fully grown will weigh about 63,500 kilograms (140,000 pounds).
Some specimens offer a historical look at the evolution of ocean life, but the coral reef provides living, breathing fish. “Nemos and Dorys!” shouted a group of children as they rushed over to the tank, a reference to the clownfish and blue tang fish made famous in the animated movie Finding Nemo. Up to 74 species of marine wildlife are housed in this model of an Indo-Pacific coral reef.
The museum displays just a handful of its 80 million marine specimens in the hall.
More information can be found at the Sant Ocean Hall Web site.
