Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics

The Australian National Maritime Museum informs, challenges and nurtures conversations about how the nation has been shaped by the sea. One of the museum’s key pillars is Ocean Futures, taking in marine science and technologies, marine conservation and sustainability. There are a variety of ocean science events, exhibitions and educational programs at the museum that address the school curriculum in a fun and engaging way at our stunning location in Darling Harbour!

Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics is our newest excursion that has been designed for year 11 Biology and is part the museum’s commitment to improve ocean science literacy as part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021 – 2030). The excursion is a skills-based study day that takes place on the museum’s dynamic waterfront and in our learning centre. The museum is located on the foreshore of Pyrmont Bay which is used as the study site to investigate ecosystem dynamics in the ocean.

The program consists of three 1-hour, first-hand investigation workshops about water quality, marine biodiversity and ocean plastic pollution. Students collect water samples from the museum’s wharf and measure a range of abiotic factors such as temperature, pH, turbidity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate and phosphate levels. They compare their data to ideal water conditions and make conclusions about water quality and how it may affect marine life in Pyrmont Bay. Your class will also collect plankton from the water’s edge with a plankton net and observe samples under digital microscopes. Together with underwater drone footage, students will classify marine organisms and draw a simple marine food web of the harbour. Finally, your students will classify and quantify types of plastic pollution collected by Seabins (https://seabin.io/home) on the foreshore of Pyrmont Bay. They will analyse their data to determine how human activity influences plastic pollution and how scientific evidence informs environmental decision making. We also provide pre-visit activities to familiarise students with the location and history of the study site, and an online post-visit activity to further explore a transect sampling method.

Are you looking for a new and exciting depth study? Our excursion also satisfies the NESA requirements of a Depth Study by addressing the two Working Scientifically outcomes of Questioning and Predicting and Communicating, four additional Working Scientifically outcomes (Conducting Investigations, Processing Data and Information, Analysing Data and Information and Problem Solving), and further development of Knowledge and Understanding outcomes in Module 3 (Biological Diversity) and Module 4 (Ecosystem Dynamics).

The modular design of the program also means there may be the option to choose one, two or all three workshops for your visit. Access to the museum galleries is also included as part of your visit. There are some great science exhibitions available in 2025, including Ultimate Depth: a journey to the bottom of the sea and Ocean Photographer of the Year, that are sure to inspire your students.

Visit our website for more information about the program: https://www.sea.museum/en/learn/excursions/ocean-ecosystem-dynamics

Or you can make a booking enquiry at https://www.sea.museum/en/learn/make-a-booking. Our bookings team will do our best to accommodate your group size and length of visit.

More information about our science-based exhibitions in 2025 can be found at:

https://www.sea.museum/en/whats-on