Exploring Biodiversity in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

Winning art from the Massachusetts Marine Educators 2017 Marine Art Contest

Harbor Seals (below) by 11th grade student Linda Palominos was one of more than 50 works of marine art on display in the Whaling Museum’s San Francisco Gallery as part of an exhibition featuring winners of the Massachusetts Marine Educators (MME) 2017 Marine Art Contest for K-12 students. The exhibition focused on the marine biodiversity of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which covers about 842 square miles at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay. Stellwagen Bank has become one of the world’s premier whale watching destinations. The area supports one of the most biologically diverse assemblages of marine creatures in the Gulf of Maine.

The MME is a grass roots organization of teachers, informal educators, students, educational institutions, and others. Its goal is to develop a marine literate society and promote awareness of the ocean world by integrating marine studies into existing curricula.