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Deck 3a

The Ship's Bell

Visitors can view the ship’s bell from the Coast Guard cutter Sweetgum, which served in the Gulf of Mexico. Also, a nearby panel offers key information for understanding the meanings of the “ship bell” sounds onboard the ship (on the galleries soundtrack).

The Crow's Nest

Inside the crow’s nest of a ship being tossed at sea during a heavy storm, visitors can experience 35mph winds, or about half the speed of a category 1 hurricane.

E.O. Wilson

Step inside E.O. Wilson’s Field Lab. This exhibit highlights his ground-breaking research of fire ants. While in this replica of Dr. Wilson’s lab, guests can observe the behavior of ants and the surprising link this invasive species has to the Port of Mobile.

Ocean Today

At this media kiosk, visitors can view selections from the latest video feeds issued by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) relative to maritime research and events that are affecting our ocean environment.

Deep Explorer

In this submersible, visitors can explore underwater “dive trails” in the Gulf through simulated environments projected on a large screen. Dive sites include shipwrecks and coral reefs. Each site is populated with marine life indigenous to that area in the Gulf. This simulator is based on a NOAA submersible that has been used extensively to explore the Gulf.

Marine Sanctuaries

This globe highlights the names and locations of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries, including Flower Garden Banks, the only sanctuary that lies fully within the Gulf and features the largest coral reef in the continental U.S. One other sanctuary — the Florida Keys — lies partially within the Gulf (and features the world’s third largest barrier reef).

Stream of Time

This exhibit focuses on the diversity of early Gulf residents viewed through the archeological evidence they left behind. An exposed riverbank reveals objects from the past. Open a door and learn about the object’s history. Visitors can view artifacts from the University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum from the region’s Prehistoric, French, Spanish, English and American periods.