Building community one sea creature at a time

The UO’s marine biology field station (OIMB) is celebrating a remarkable 100  years of education and research! Part aquarium and part museum, the Charleston Marine Life Center (CMLC) is the public outreach facility of OIMB. 

Located on the water on the edge of the Charleston Marina, the CMLC is both a resource for UO students and an exciting place of discovery for local families, K-12 students, and tourists. This centennial marks a wonderful time to ensure that education reaches out into the community. Your generosity will help CMLC provide rich opportunities for all ages to learn about the remarkable diversity of marine life off Oregon, and of UO research in marine biology.

Live animals and interactive exhibits stimulate curiosity and exploration. Aquaria highlight different coastal habitats and animals with a mesmerizing variety of life from octopuses to colorful sea slugs. Visitors can reach into touch tanks and feel the grasp of an anemone’s tentacles, and if they’re patient, touch a fish. Several whale skeletons can be examined face to face. Underwater videos of Oregon’s marine reserves and undersea volcanoes reveal the remarkable diversity of life offshore, while spotting scopes allow visitors to spy on seabirds, seals, and sea lions from the center’s windows. Those windows also provide an opportunity to soak up the activity of a working fishing harbor, with close-up views of the day’s catch being unloaded a few feet away, complementing exhibits on both traditional fishing practices and today’s commercial fisheries.

The CMLC opened in 2016, and hosts about 15,000 visitors/year. Its mission is to serve as a science education resource for the UO, and for area students, teachers, families, and individuals through public hours, preK-12 student programs (in person and online), mentoring for youth exploring careers in science, community programming, and lifelong learning.

With your gift, the CMLC can continue to provide these opportunities to learn about the remarkable diversity of marine life off Oregon, and of UO research in marine biology.