Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Activities

Education and Public Outreach Activities

The Ocean Exposition Commemorative Park Management Foundation is involved in social contribution activities that lead to improved understanding and knowledge about marine life throughout Japan, through workshops held for human resources and education groups. For more information about the activities promoted by the General Research Center, please see the Ocean Exposition Commemorative Park Management Foundation Official Website.

Summer Parent-child Aquarium Learning Class

Held on August 23 (Sun), 2009

Aquarium Backyard Tour

Participants had an opportunity to examine the spare tank located behind the exhibit tank and machine room which houses a large pump and filtration equipment. Also, it was our hope that they would gain some understanding of the difficulties involved in keeping the water clean in such a large aquarium tank where whale sharks and manta rays live, by seeing up close the large scale water treatment facility in the Aquarium.

Lecture

We had about 90 participants from inside and outside of Okinawa. We invited a marine adventurer, Kojiro Shiraishi, to share his own valuable experiences using photography of the natural world under the theme, “Importance of Nature and Life”. In addition, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium staff gave a lecture on the ecology and role of coral.

Sea Turtle Release Party

Held on July 26 (Sun), 2009

We held a “Sea Turtle Release Party,” “Sea Turtle Hands-On Learning” and “Sea Turtle Exhibition” as part of a number of participatory events that gave participants an opportunity to learn while having fun, with the hope that they would become interested in Okinawa's marine environment through sea turtles.
At the “Sea Turtle Release Party,” the participants themselves released loggerhead sea turtles less than a year old at the Sea Turtle Pool Egg-Laying Site. Right after the Sea Turtle Release Party, participants who were chosen beforehand by lottery participated in Sea Turtle Hands-On Learning.

Mobile Aquarium in Okinawa City

Held on February 1 (Sun), 2009

We hoped that individuals who were sick or advanced in age, who had difficulty visiting the aquarium, would have an opportunity to become better acquainted with marine life. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium held this year's first “Mobile Aquarium” on February 1 at the nursing care home “Misatono Mori Casita” (in Matsumoto Okinawa). We were able to deliver “Close Encounters with the Ocean” to those located in nursing homes, their families and people in the community through an aquarium tank exhibit, a touch pool experience, a sample exhibit, and a mini lecture.

The Mobile Aquarium started in 2003 as a way to give individuals who experienced difficulties visiting aquariums due to various reasons an opportunity to learn more about marine life in the Okinawa Sea, through a partial aquarium exhibit and explanations by aquarium staff. This program has also been conducted at hospitals and in remote islands (Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island) throughout Okinawa prefecture.

 

*Please note that there are reading mistake.

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