Unseen Oceans

Embark on a journey from the oceans’ white-capped waves to their inky depths as you discover the latest ocean science in an immersive new exhibition that will make a splash with the whole family.

Exhibitions Highlights

A floor-to-ceiling swirl of model biofluorescent fish and otherworldly plankton.

Pilot a submersible in an adventurous game navigating mysterious waters.

180° screens to watch life-sized ocean creatures swim by.

Tanks with live seahorses, jellies, and more.

An underwater image of a submersible with its headlights illuminating a rock formation.

The oceans’ sunlit zone is inhabited by plankton, organisms that sustain nearly all marine life. Despite their small size, planktonic forms are remarkably diverse. Here, visitors inspect larger-than-life models of unusual and beautiful planktonic species.
American Museum of Natural History. All Rights Reserved
Exhibition curatorJohn Sparks and colleagues recently discovered the widespread incidence of biofluorescence— the phenomenon by which organisms absorb light, transform it, and emit it as a different color— among marine fishes. Here, visitors examine a floor-to-ceiling array of model fishes and turtles that are now known to biofluoresce.
American Museum of Natural History. All Rights Reserved
Visitors try to match adults from a variety of marine species to their planktonic forms in a “Find My Baby Picture” game.
American Museum of Natural History
Visitors can standside-by-side with some of the largest animals that inhabit our planet today in this section featuring a 180-degree, high-resolution screen where animations of blue whales, giant squid, and manta rays swim by at true-to-life scales.
American Museum of Natural History. All Rights Reserved
Visitors try to match adults from a variety of marine species to their planktonic forms in a “Find My Baby Picture” game.
American Museum of Natural History. All Rights Reserved

Accessibility

Large Print Guides are available upon request in English and Spanish upon entry to the exhibition.

Strollers are allowed everywhere except ticketed special exhibitions such as Unseen Oceans, where stroller parking is available near the exhibition entrance. This requirement is not applicable for accessibility instances.

We understand that the Unseen Oceans exhibition can be overwhelming for some and if your visit would be better accommodated with the use of a sensory bag, feel free to visit our Visitor Center on the ground floor. These include various fidgets, sunglasses, headphones, and emotion cards we hope may better the Museum experience.