Science center soft launches dry exhibit at Fort Worden

By Mallory Kruml

An exhibit featuring an interactive field guide to the Salish Sea is now open at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC) in Fort Worden State Park. 

It’s the first of a few new exhibits, and eventually tanks, visitors will see as the center works to streamline its visitor experience and move wet exhibits from the pier into the building across the street.  

“We are still moving the aquarium tank over, and that will probably take us the rest of the year to do, so we are kind of soft opening the phase-one part,” said PTMSC Executive Director Diane Quinn. “Those are the dry exhibits.”

The new dry exhibit features fish, marine invertebrates, seabirds, plankton, marine mammals, kelp, seagrasses, and a complete orca skeleton named Hope. 

“The big idea of the exhibit is to give visitors a way to think about what makes the Salish Sea unique,” Quinn said. “I think of it sort of as a three-dimensional field guide of the Salish Sea. It has a really great topographic map of the Salish Sea basin to help people look at not just the water outside our door, but how all that water is connected.” 

A family area is available as well, with microscopes, books, puzzles, and a listening station to identify birds and marine mammals of the Salish Sea. Those interested can find more information regarding the exhibit on the portico outside the museum. 

What to know: 

The exhibit is open Thursday through Monday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission to the museum, as the center’s team continues to work on infrastructure for wet exhibits, is free. Donations are encouraged.  A Discover Pass is required to park at Fort Worden.

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