Every Tuesday evening through Labor Day, enjoy an entertaining and educational presentation at the Museum of Coastal Carolina. The Sandbar Lecture Series brings local experts to speak about topics ranging from our coastal environment to Outer Banks history.
On Tuesday, Aug 30, join Sara Dousharm, Environmental Educator and Butterfly House Curator at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, to learn about the butterflies you can see in your backyard. Dousham will bring living specimens and talk about butterfly life cycles and adaptations. Get an up-close look at some of our butterfly species native to SE North Carolina! All of the species brought to the lecture can be seen in the butterfly house exhibit at Airlie Gardens. Dousham will talk about monarchs, black swallowtails, common buckeyes and more. We will also discuss the importance of pollinators and how to support pollinators in your own yard!
Sara Dousharm is an Environmental Educator and Butterfly House Curator at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, NC. She is a North Carolina native and has a degree in Biology with a concentration in Conservation from UNCW. She is a certified NC Environmental Educator and has worked in a variety of settings such as parks, nature centers, and museums.
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trap on a virtual reality (VR) headset and watch hundreds of sea turtles emerge from sand, heading toward the beach in our newest VR program, Sea Turtle Quest. This exciting program explores the life cycle of sea turtle including digging a nest, laying eggs, and returning to the sea. Through VR technology, explore a virtual science laboratory that brings the real world into the lab and teaches the process of science. Examine eggshells with a microscope, scale, and other common lab tools. Match the sea turtle tracks to the sea turtle who laid them by examining photos of turtle tracks. Learn why not all baby sea turtles survive and what you can do to protect hatchlings.
The Science in 3D program will feature Sea Turtle Quest on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1:00 pm through Labor Day. The Science in 3D program is hosted by Education Coordinator Jamie Justice, who will help launch each VR adventure and answer questions about the experience. This program is not recommended for children under 8 or people who experience motion sickness.
Children can test their ocean IQ and learn who really lives in the ocean while being safe. This program is designed to entertain and educate kids about sea life using a fun, interactive format. Kids will learn all about the sea life they are swimming with and the way the animals protect themselves. Safety while at the beach or near water will also be discussed across seven rules such as what to do when swimming alone, how to help someone in the water, etc. Kids will have an opportunity to make sea bottles (plastic bottles that they can fill with shells, crystal sand, and mermaid magic) that they can take home.
Judy Soboda facilitates the All Hands on Deck program. Judy received her Bachelor’s in Education from Bowling Green State University. She has lived on Ocean Isle Beach for the last 20 years and has been a dependable volunteer maintaining and caring for the fish and sea critters at the Museum of Coastal Carolina.
Take a look at the amazing world of sharks and what makes them unique to other fish. Learn about these powerful predators’ anatomy and bust myths and misconceptions about sharks. Ever wonder if sharks sleep? Are they really people eaters? How many teeth do they have? We’ll delve into these questions and more in this interactive program. Then we’ll discuss some “shark smarts” that will keep you and others safe while you have fun in the sun. Finish with some fun shark art and make a shark craft to take home.
Our Education Coordinator, Jamie Justice will present this fun, interactive program. Jamie received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
Our newest exhibit uses a virtual reality mobile classroom to bring you an exciting experience: flying inside Hurricane Maria. Strap on a pair of virtual reality headsets and become immersed in this unique environment.
The Science in 3D program will feature Hurricane Maria on Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 pm through Labor Day.
Learn about the diversity of life in the Green Swamp in this CSI program. Solve the mystery of a mysterious animal sighting by uncovering clues about animal tracks, habitat, and more!
Our Education Coordinator, Jamie Justice will present this fun, interactive program. Jamie received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
Do you know how many species of venomous snakes call NC home? Can you tell the difference between a venomous snake and a harmless snake? Matthew Bookout can tell you anything you ever wanted to know about NC’s snakes and other reptiles. He will bring along some of his favorite live animals. His program is sometimes preceded by a live snake feeding. Call the museum for weekly information.
You’re invited to get up close with some of the more familiar creatures found in our ocean.
Our touch tank pool allows you to gently touch marine animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, whelks, horseshoe crabs, and hermit crabs. These animals live in a variety of habitats and have developed many ways to survive the waves and predators. Volunteers are on hand to assist and teach you about these incredible animals.
Did you know, when a sea urchin “hugs” your finger if you gently touch its spines, it’s actually checking you out: Are you food or predator? If you’re neither, the animal will just gradually release you.
Strap on a virtual reality (VR) headset and watch hundreds of sea turtles emerge from sand, heading toward the beach in our newest VR program, Sea Turtle Quest. This exciting program explores the life cycle of sea turtle including digging a nest, laying eggs, and returning to the sea. Through VR technology, explore a virtual science laboratory that brings the real world into the lab and teaches the process of science. Examine eggshells with a microscope, scale, and other common lab tools. Match the sea turtle tracks to the sea turtle who laid them by examining photos of turtle tracks. Learn why not all baby sea turtles survive and what you can do to protect hatchlings.
The Science in 3D program will feature Sea Turtle Quest on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1:00 pm through Labor Day. The Science in 3D program is hosted by Education Coordinator Jamie Justice, who will help launch each VR adventure and answer questions about the experience. This program is not recommended for children under 8 or people who experience motion sickness.
Strap on a virtual reality (VR) headset and watch hundreds of sea turtles emerge from sand, heading toward the beach in our newest VR program, Sea Turtle Quest. This exciting program explores the life cycle of sea turtle including digging a nest, laying eggs, and returning to the sea. Through VR technology, explore a virtual science laboratory that brings the real world into the lab and teaches the process of science. Examine eggshells with a microscope, scale, and other common lab tools. Match the sea turtle tracks to the sea turtle who laid them by examining photos of turtle tracks. Learn why not all baby sea turtles survive and what you can do to protect hatchlings.
The Science in 3D program will feature Sea Turtle Quest on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1:00 pm through Labor Day. The Science in 3D program is hosted by Education Coordinator Jamie Justice, who will help launch each VR adventure and answer questions about the experience. This program is not recommended for children under 8 or people who experience motion sickness.