Man in the Sea Museum Celebrates Diving for Deep Sea Restoration
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Announcing two new, complementary exhibits, The Man in the Sea Museum is set to host a celebration of the exhibit on Friday, April 4 from 12:00 - 3:00pm, which is free and open to the public. Celebrate the official opening of the exhibits with a ribbon cutting at 12:00pm. The festivities continue until 3 PM with educational games, giveaways, and opportunities to engage with restoration experts, NEDU divers, and museum staff. Be one of the first to experience the exhibit and enjoy activities for ocean lovers of all ages!
The exhibits exploring how skilled divers are helping to restore habitats in the mesophotic, or “twilight,” zones of the ocean. One new exhibit highlights the mesophotic and deep benthic communities that live in the Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico), which include fish, corals, and other invertebrates, and how dedicated teams are working to restore them after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The second new exhibit showcases how highly trained divers from the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), located right in Panama City, contribute to this restoration and other challenging work beyond the reach of recreational scuba divers.
These exhibits were made possible through a grant from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, with funding to restore natural resources injured by the 2010 oil spill from the DWH Open Ocean Trustees. The new exhibits showcase ongoing restoration efforts by the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities projects and the dedication and skills of the NEDU.
Features in this new exhibit include:
- Stunning photos of mesophotic corals, deep-sea diving gear in action, and divers conducting restoration efforts on the seafloor.
- A video of restoration work by the Saturation Detachment of NEDU.
- An interactive kiosk that allows guests to identify species along the seafloor and learn about deep-sea habitats and technology.
- Hands-on educational activities for kids.
The Man in the Sea Museum is located at 17314 Panama City Beach Pkwy, Panama City Beach, FL, 32413. For more information on these exhibits and others, visit Home | Man In The Sea.
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