The Ocean Explorium uses the Science on a Sphere as a point of departure for learning about the planet in all its variety. This is a particularly powerful mechanism for a community filled with citizens who have had little chance to travel outside their immediate region. The combination of high-tech information streams, living and non-living interactive exhibits, art and craft activities, and structured learning programs, represent a powerful prototype for informal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning. Through its various programs, the Ocean Explorium has helped families, students, and teachers explore new worlds.
By combining global data sets on our Science on a Sphere with local stories; relating the stories through the other exhibits and activities within the Ocean Explorium—our programs embody the idea of thinking globally and acting locally.