Hatfield Marine Science Center
The Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is a research and teaching facility located on the Yaquina Bay estuary, about one mile from the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. HMSC plays an integral role in programs of marine and estuarine research and instruction, as a laboratory facility serving resident scientists, as a base for far-ranging oceanographic studies, and as a classroom for students.
The various marine habitats in close proximity to the Hatfield Marine Science Center are ideal sites for ecological studies and provide a rich flora and fauna for laboratory investigations as it the Yaquina Bay estuary provides a gradient from marine to freshwater habitats with extensive intertidal sand and mud flats as well as salt marsh areas.
Visitor Center Hours -
Summer: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day
Winter: Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
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Photos from flickr™ in and around Hatfield Marine Science Center (0.5 mile radius)
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Oregon's "Woods Hole" of Marine Science!
I found a lot of good tips on places to visit in Newport when I took a Sea Life Cruise with Marine Discovery Tours. They cheerfully pointed out their "marine science neighbors across the bay" at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, a branch of Oregon State University, and urged the group aboard to go check it out! Imagine - a resident scientist in Oregon who launched satellite tracking of whales!
Sure enough, when I got there, I found it to be very worthwhile. A Giant Pacific octopus is the first thing you see. The exhibits were a little on the serious side, but made for some good thinking on the coastal environment, from the micro sized to the macro (global) size. I also enjoyed browsing in their bookstore and bought a couple of guides for birdwatching.
Keywords: Local culture
Free!
Aquarium is good but a little pricey. Hatfield Marine Science Center is free and my sons loved it. Lots of hands on for the kids.
Keywords: Free, All year, Walking tour, Less than 3 hours, In the city, Everyone
Rainy on the Coast? Enjoy Hatfield
The Oregon Coast Aquarium deserves its reputation as one of the best places to stop on the coast, but right around the corner is another spot worth a stop (and at a much better price). At the Hatfield Visitor's Center, admission is free but donations are accepted. Anyone with interest in science, marine or not, could spend an hour or two here. With lots of activities and things to touch, kids will enjoy the Center.
If the weather cooperates, give the nature trail at the south end of the parking lot a try. This mostly paved, just over 1/2 mile trail gives you some of the most expansive views of Yaquina Bay on foot. Views from the path include spring and summer wildflowers and a tremendous variety of coastal bird life.
Keywords: Scenic, Free, Just you alone / As a single, With teens, Interesting, All year, Everyone, With a group, With kids, When it rains, As a senior citizen, As a couple, Beach / River / Lake, Easy to reach, Museum (Science)
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