NOAA Open House

Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
NOAA Science Center
Free and open to the public.

Please join us in the NOAA Science Center, located at 1301 East-West Highway in Silver Spring, MD, for these fun and educational activities. Public parking available. Located near the Silver Spring Metro Station. Adults please bring a photo ID to enter this federal facility. Free.

Build a Buoy – Design, build and test your very own buoy—all while learning how NOAA uses buoys to study oceans and estuaries.

Ocean Exploration Command Center Tour – Want to see an example of an animal different from all other life we thought existed on Earth? Visit NOAA's Ocean Exploration Command Center where you'll also see videos of animals on the ocean floor near Indonesia. You'll also learn how scientists ashore can participate virtually in distant ocean explorations at sea.

‘Cool Catch’ Organism Game – Discover facts about diverse organisms found in the Atlantic Ocean by playing a memory game and examine pictures taken from a NOAA research ship at various locations in the Atlantic. Also, learn about NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program.

Spin the Whale Wheel – Celebrate 40 years of the Marine Mammal Protection Act with NOAA Fisheries. Spin the “Whale Wheel” to learn about different types of marine mammals in the ocean and what NOAA is doing to protect them.

Meet Sanctuary Sam – Don’t miss this chance to meet Sanctuary Sam, the National Marine Sanctuaries Spokes-Sea Lion. Also, be sure to stop by the National Marine Sanctuaries table for your whale tail hat. Made of recycled construction paper, it’s custom fitted for you right on the spot!

Origami Whales and Sea Turtles – NOAA works to protect whales and sea turtles in their habitat. Make a folded paper animal and learn more!

Suit Up for Survival – Boating safety starts with having the right gear, including life jackets, first aid kits, locator beacons and nautical charts. Learn how to stay safe at sea and try your hand at suiting up in a bright orange survival suit!

Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure Game – Master the game, master your fate! Learn how to protect yourself, loved ones and your property in the face of dangerous weather.

Ocean Acidification Demonstration – Decades of ocean observations show that carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater, a process called ocean acidification. Learn how this change in the ocean's chemistry will affect life in the ocean and those who depend on it.

It is Rocket Science – Learn about NOAA satellites and how they provide critical information that helps us understand our environment, make accurate weather forecasts, and save lives.

Your Nose Knows! – A hands-on, nose-on table demonstration of how NOAA Fisheries inspectors check seafood quality. Put your nose to the test to see if you can tell “What’s that smell?!”

Also, check out an early tide prediction machine that doesn’t use computer chips, see how nautical charts were once produced, learn about seafood safety, see a real undersea lab, and more!

Click here for directions to NOAA in Silver Spring.

NOAA Heritage Week Contact Information
For the latest information about NOAA Heritage Week events, check preserveamerica.noaa.gov for updates. Questions about NOAA Heritage Week or Gateway to NOAA may be emailed to GatewaytoNOAA@noaa.gov or call 301-713-7671.

NOAA Heritage Week Inclement Weather Policy
NOAA follows the federal government’s operating status. To find out if the federal government is open or closed due to snow or other severe weather, click here