History & Cultures | Smithsonian Ocean

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

The Cook islands banknote

Sharks and Humans

Explore the love-hate relationship between humans and sharks.

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A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

Article

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

two images cropped together of women at desks facing each other

Timeline

An Irrepressible Wave

Divers at a shipwreck site

Article

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

A walrus sits on top of ice.

Article

The Cultural Icescapes of the Arctic

Scientists are finding ways to preserve and study sunken warships

Video

Battle of the Atlantic

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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

An arrow-worm from the genus Spadella. Alvariño discovered and classified the species Spadella gaetanoi in 1978.

Article

Ángeles Alvariño: Woman of Many Namesakes

Master carver Douglas Chilton rides in the Raven Spirit canoe at its ceremonial launch.

Slideshow

Raven Spirit: A Native American Canoe's Journey

Narwhals with their long unicorn-like tusks.

Article

Native Knowledge of the Narwhal

This portrait of William Dampier hangs in London’s National Gallery in recognition of his contribution to natural history.

Article

William Dampier - The Pirate Who Collected Plants

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

Fish swim around the wreck of the HMT Bedfordshire, an Arctic fishing trawler that was converted into an anti-submarine warship during World War II, and sunk off the coast of North Carolina.

Article

Underwater WWII Wrecks – Pollution or Cultural Heritage?

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

Article

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

a red and white fish illustration

Article

Kako Morita: Bridging Art and Science Through Natural History Illustrations

A square of interwoven sticks and cowrie shells

Article

Navigating the Waters with Micronesian Stick Charts

Divers at a shipwreck site

Article

Wood Under Sand: The Search for A Slave Shipwreck

The siphonophores are an order of marine animals in the phylum Cnidaria (the same phylum containing jellyfish).

Slideshow

Prints from Ernst Haeckel

a woman beating a drum

Video

Celebrating the Raven Spirit Canoe Launch