Tybee Island Marine Science Center

About

Providing year-round programs for island visitors, scouts, and school groups on the beach, in the marsh, on the water, in the classroom, and the Coastal Georgia Gallery.

Story

The Coastal Georgia gallery is 750 square feet of Georgia! Baby alligators, polka-dot batfish, spider crabs, a loggerhead sea turtle hatchling, diamondback terrapins, a corn snake, box turtle, horseshoe crab and other creatures are waiting for you! Admission is $5 per person; kids four and under are free. The gallery is open daily from 10 to 5.

Mission

Our mission is to cultivate responsible stewardship of coastal Georgia’s natural resources through education, conservation, and research.

Products

Walks, Talks & Treks are each an hour long and cost $10 per person ($8 for members; kids four and under are free).

Reservations can be made up to one week in advance, either in person or on the phone. The science center is open daily from 10 to 5, at 1509 Strand Avenue. Phone reservations are available from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 912-786-5917.

Please understand that all times are subject to availability, based on the tides, program scheduling, and capacity limitations. Please call up to a week ahead to confirm your program and reserve your slots, 912-786-5917.


Fall 2015 SCHEDULE:
(September-December)

Mondays:
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-South

Tuesdays:
3:30 p.m. - Marsh Trek

Wednesdays:
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-South

Thursdays:
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-North

Fridays:
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-South

Saturdays:
10:30 a.m. - Beach Walk-South
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-South

Sundays:
10:30 a.m. - Beach Walk-South
3:30 p.m. - Beach Walk-South


Beach Walks: Guided walks on the beach to learn about coastal Georgia's tides, dunes, and the wildlife that live in and around the ocean. South beach walks meet at the science center. North beach walks meet at the north end of the island, near the lighthouse.

Sift & Seine: Discover the marine life of the intertidal zone by seining. Participants pull a ten-foot seine net through waist deep water to catch, examine, and release marine life. Various seining methods are used. Commonly caught organisms include juvenile pompano, silverside, mullet, kingfish/whiting, sea jellies, and various species of crab. After seining, participants further explore the marine life of the intertidal sandy bottom suing strainers to sift various organisms from the wet sand on the beach.

Turtle Talks: Join us for an intro into the lives of Georgia's nesting sea turtles. Learn about their nesting habitat and Tybee's conservation efforts.

Marsh Treks: Guided trek through Georgia's salt marsh. Explore in the mud, find creatures, and learn why the estuary is the ocean's nursery. Marsh Treks meet off-site, at the Spanish Hammock. For safety reasons closed-heel, closed-toe shoes are required. Directions are provided at sign-up.

Shark Jaws: Bulls, nurses, and tigers all have something in common. We'll jaw about the most misunderstood beasts in the ocean.

Jelly Jives: Jellies don't have a heart, but that's not why they sting. Understand the role they play in the health of our ocean.

Whale Tales: Georgia's coast is the calving ground for a 70-ton toothless whale. Hear these giants' tale and of local efforts to protect them.

Due to limited capacities, we ask for payment at the time of registration. Refunds can only be provided in the case of program cancellation due to inclement weather.

Larger group, school, and scout badge programs are available year round and are booked by request. Please call Cody at 912-786-5917 for more information or to book any type of program.