Outreach

Mission

The mission of our outreach program is to educate grade K-12 Minnesota students—as well as the general public—about ocean ecosystems and offer them an interactive science lesson with live marine animals. Students are given the chance to see, touch, and hold marine invertebrates such as sea stars, horseshoe crabs, and brittle stars. We have developed grade-appropriate, standards-driven activities that can be modified for classroom needs.

What is the Traveling Touch Tank?

The Traveling Touch Tank is a custom-modified mobile aquarium created to maintain a safe aquatic environment as the animals travel to schools around the Twin Cities region. A three-stage canister filtration and water heaters are used to create an optimal environment. Animals are housed in separate flow-through containers for added comfort and security. The Touch Tank has visited several Twin-Cities elementary, middle, and high schools since 2014, and we have big plans for the 2021-2022 school year!