About Us
Our Mission
The Ocean Project advances ocean conservation in partnership with zoos, aquariums, and museums (ZAMs) around the world.
Organizational Overview
Our aim is to help our Partner ZAMs effectively educate and communicate for action with their visitors and the public, helping to change attitudes and behaviors for conservation.
Since its formation in the late 1990s, The Ocean Project has grown from a handful of founding North American aquariums into the world’s most extensive network for advancing ocean education and action. Our growing network includes approximately 1,700 partner aquariums, zoos, science, technology, and natural history museums, and other education and conservation organizations, agencies, and institutions in all 50 U.S. states and 80 other countries that together serve more than 400 million visitors each year. The Ocean Project seeks to complement and build upon the work of existing institutions and organizations.
Strategies for Achieving our Mission
Through cutting-edge communications research and building strong collaborations with ZAMs, The Ocean Project aims to spur a significant increase in successful ocean and climate conservation efforts. Our Partners are the leading gatekeepers in providing the public with experiences that engage them, inspire them to take action at home and in their communities, and increase their understanding of science and conservation. Thus, we focus our resources on reaching and leveraging frontline ZAM staff, challenging and helping them to more effectively communicate and educate with their onsite and online visitors for conservation outcomes. Specifically, we:
• Lead a cutting-edge communications research initiative on public attitudes and motivations regarding the ocean, climate change, and related environmental issues
• Develop new methods and campaigns for measurably increasing ocean awareness and conservation action among ZAM visitors and the public, especially youth and minorities
• Build the communications, education, and outreach capacities of ZAMs to effectively reach their global audiences for conservation outcomes
• Broker connections and fosters networking among ZAMs and other organizations in our global partner network
• Provide additional services to our partner network to help them achieve their conservation missions
• Lead global efforts in support of World Oceans Day
• Empower our growing partner network to build a stronger global ocean conservation movement
The Ocean Foundation serves as the fiscal sponsor for The Ocean Project.