Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

Sea Research Foundation, Inc.

The mission of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., which includes Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Learning, is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration.

Sea Research seeks to achieve this mission by:

• Creating thought-provoking encounters with marine life
• Presenting elements of human history as it relates to the sea
• Promoting the emerging science of deep-water marine archaeology
• Conducting research that advances aquatic animal husbandry and health
• Serving as an interpreter of marine science discoveries and conservation issues
• Sharing resources and expertise with the scientific and education communities
• Pursuing these endeavors with a commitment to excellence and innovation

Sea Research Foundation Activities

Education: To foster an interest in and understanding of the science and conservation of the aquatic world through formal and informal programs, written interpretive materials and exposure to living marine animals.

Research: To collect, evaluate and disseminate scientific data gathered through investigations and collaborations sponsored by the Aquarium and the scientific community. Such data will advance knowledge of aquatic animal husbandry and aquatic animal biology and behavior and promote a better understanding of our place in nature.

Exhibitry: To develop techniques that advance the art of live animal display and its role in stimulating interest in the aquatic world.

Deep-Sea Exploration and Preservation: To explore the deep seas in order to investigate human history, as it is recorded in the seas, and advance human understanding of the deep-sea environment.

Conservation: To promote the health and stability of natural habitats and the populations of marine life, particularly those of Long Island Sound and adjacent waters.

Institutional Leadership: To become a renowned national and international source of zoological, aquatic and marine-life science information within the scientific and academic communities.