Visiting The Marine Mammal Center located in the Marin Headlands, is a great visual for kids to understand the impact mankind has had on our oceans and our sea life.
Three important words in today’s vocabulary are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These concepts are taught in school and at home to teach children the importance of ecology. But how well are these words really understood?
One way for children to understand the magnitude of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, is to see their impact and how to put them into action.
The Marine Mammal Center’s mission, “is to expand knowledge about marine mammals—their health and that of their ocean environment—and to inspire global conservation. Our core work is the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured marine mammals, supported by state-of-the-art animal care and research facilities, a corps of dedicated volunteers, and an engaged community.”
When visiting with your kids, please understand that this is a hospital for marine mammals, not a zoo or an aquarium. They do, however, offer engaging tours and events for families to learn about the importance of their mission.
The Marine Mammal Center offers Marine Science Sundays on the second Sunday of each month for all ages. This is a free one hour interactive class which will focus around a chosen theme, no registration necessary.
The theme for this month’s Marine Science Sunday class is in honor of Valentine’s Day, “Love is in the Air: Marine Mammal Parents and Pups.” During the month of March, the theme will center on the adorable furry Sea Otter.
Docent-led-tours are $7 per person, kids four years old and under are free, or you can enjoy a self-guided audio tour. Please make a reservation if you plan to have ten or more people in your group. Visit the website for pricing details.
In preparation for your visit to the center, talk to your children about the center’s purpose and mission. Explore their website and Facebook page. Ask your children how they think they should act around the sick and injured marine mammals while visiting the center.
During your visit be sure to take notice of the giant garbage monster sculpture. How many different kinds of trash do you see from your everyday life in this sculpture?
Can you distinguish between the different sounds of the sea lions and the elephant seals?
After visiting the Marine Mammal Center go over the events of the day with your kids. What can everyone do going forward to help prevent more sick and injured marine mammals? Maybe involve your kids in a beach cleanup day!
Most of all, be prepared for an enjoyable and informative visit!
The Marine Mammal Center is located at 2000 Bunker Rd. Fort Cronkhite Sausalito, CA 94965
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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