Canoe hulls on a sandy shore are painted with traditional Alaskan figures.

Sharks and Humans: A Love-Hate Story

The Cook islands banknote

June 2016

Sharks and Humans

Explore the love-hate relationship between humans and sharks.

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Featured Content

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

April 2020

two images cropped together of women at desks facing each other

Timeline

An Irrepressible Wave

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

Divers at a shipwreck site

October 2017

The Cultural Icescapes of the Arctic

A walrus sits on top of ice.

March 2014

Scientists are finding ways to preserve and study sunken warships

Video

Battle of the Atlantic

Are You An Educator?

At Smithsonian Ocean, we have lesson plans, activities, and resources to help you engage your students in the wonders of our oceans.

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History & Cultures Articles

The Bay of Opportunity and Hope

Black men dredge for oysters in a boat

September 2023

From Mermaids to Manatees: the Myth and the Reality

A manatee swims in Crystal River, Florida.

March 2014

As soon as Dampier set foot in Australia, he began making observations and collecting specimens of plants, which he carefully pressed between the pages of books to be studied by the “ingenious” and “curious” upon his return to England. As Dampier conducted his investigations, his artist made detailed sketches like these.

Slideshow

Discoveries in Australia and New Guinea

From Sea to Shining Sea

Colorful fireworks go off over the water.

July 2010

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

Divers at a shipwreck site

October 2017

History and Modern Science Collide for the 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan

The Charles W. Morgan tallship

July 2014

Carrie Bow Cay field station sits in the blue and turquoise waters of Belize.

Timeline

A History of the Carrie Bow Cay Station

Archaeologists Study Early Whaling Community in Quebec, Canada

Two men each hold a ceramic vessel at the archaeological excavation

September 2011

During what is known as the Golden Age of Piracy, pirates reaped great rewards—and, if they were caught, faced terrible punishments. Here are some of the most legendary pirates of that time.

Slideshow

Pirates of the Golden Age

Unearthing History: Mary Anning's Hunt for Prehistoric Ocean Giants

Although in reality an ichthyosaur and plesiosaur would have likely never battled, this widely shared lithograph by artist, geologist and paleontologist Henry De la Beche even inspired author Jules Verne to pen a similar scene in his book, Journey to the C

March 2016

Is It Love? Why Some Ocean Animals (Sort Of) Mate For Life

An albatross soars over the ocean.

February 2015

a group of men in kayaks

Slideshow

A Kayak's Origin Story