Milstein Hall of Ocean Life: Educators' Online Guide

key concepts & orientation

Seagrass meadow
© NOAA, Heather Dine
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Spanning two levels, the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life explores the diverse, complex web of life supported by the ocean and the vital interrelationships between human and aquatic systems. The Hall is organized around five main themes:

Origins and evolution of life. Life on Earth originated in the ocean about 3.5 billion years ago and continues to evolve over time. Some animals—including vertebrates, organisms possessing backbones—moved onto land about 350 million years ago. However, most of the major groups of life, or phyla, have remained in the ocean.
Biodiversity. The ocean has the greatest variety and abundance of life on the planet. While the ocean might appear homogenous, it is not. More than 95 percent of Earth's living spaces are below the water's surface. This diversity of habitats supports the great variety of marine life.
Physical setting. The properties of water affect marine life functions such as reproduction, locomotion, feeding, respiration, and sensory perception.
Conservation. The protection of marine life and habitats is essential to preserving the diversity and balance of life in the ocean. Though vast, the ocean is actually quite fragile and vulnerable.
Research and exploration. Earth's five great oceans (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic, and Arctic) form the interconnected World Ocean, which covers about 70 percent of the planet's surface. Yet scientists have only been able to explore a fraction of this connected ocean. Their ongoing research in areas such as the deep sea and ocean floor expands our knowledge of ocean habitats and the myriad of organisms that live there.

Nudibranch (sea slug)
© Ian Skipworth
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Mezzanine Level

Blue Whale and Open Ocean Ecosystem — The centerpiece of the Hall is a life-size model of the world's largest animal, the giant blue whale. Text panels on drifters, migrants, ocean exploration, and the food web can be found along the mezzanine rail.

An interactive on whale research and conservation introduces students to biologist Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, who shares his knowledge on humpback behavior, migrations, populations, songs, and whale protection.
Marine Ecosystems — Displays feature models, text, and graphics that illustrate information on eight major marine ecosystems, or communities of interacting organisms, and their physical environments. These eight ecosystems are marked on the map of the Hall. High- definition videos above the displays present images of each ecosystem.
Tree of Life Walls — Two cladograms, family trees that outline the relationships between groups of marine organisms and reconstruct the evolutionary history of a group of organisms, flank the left and right sides of the Hall's entrance. On one side an aquatic vertebrate tree stems from a single branch of a larger tree and represents 500 million years of evolution. The other side displays aquatic invertebrates, organisms without backbones, and plants. This broader marine tree covers about 1.5 billion years. The two trees fit together, but they show only a fraction of the many species living today.
Life in Water — Adjacent to the Tree of Life Walls, text displays and videos highlight the unique characteristics of life in water.
Ancient Oceans — An introductory panel, a fossil stromatolite, a fossilized seabed slab, and three displays about ancient oceans are located at the far end of the mezzanine.

Lower Level

Dioramas — Fourteen dioramas of marine animals that live in and adjacent to the ocean are displayed on the main floor. Some include touchable models such as a pearl oyster and a walrus tusk.

The Andros Coral Reef diorama spans two levels: the upper depicts the shoreline above a reef and the lower displays the coral reef. Near the lower level diorama a touchscreen video highlights past expeditions to the Andros Coral Reef, and introduces students to biologist Dr. Dan Brumbaugh and local researchers, who provide firsthand perspectives and current information on the conservation status of this reef.
Video Wall — Between the stairs to the lower level is a six-minute looping video divided into three segments: ocean formation, marine diversity, and critical connections between humans and the ocean.