We're nearing completion of the museum remodel, and still offering empowering activities!
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River otters (Lontra canadensis) at play in the brightening spring waters of the Salish Sea.
Photo by PTMSC Volunteer Wendy Feltham
Octopress Online May 2025
Federal Cuts Affect PTMSC
As this issue of Octopress goes out, like many other nonprofits, PTMSC is grappling with unexpected programming disruptions due to the elimination of federal agencies and funding that support our work. A separate email is on its way concerning the recent termination of funding for the AmeriCorps program, what that means to PTMSC, and what you can do. I suspect many of you are already well informed and taking action.
In addition to the AmeriCorps funding cuts, we were notified in April that our $75,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services was terminated as that agency was being eliminated. These funds were awarded as part of the overall budget for the remodel of the museum exhibits at Fort Worden. While we can claim reimbursement for expenses for the first few months of the grant, we have no assurance that the total amount in our contract will be awarded. Our goal remains to complete this project by summer, modifying our budget and looking for other resources as needed. One wonderful opportunity was quickly provided by The Russell Family Foundation who awarded PTMSC a generous $20,000 grant to assist with this project last week.
Some promising news is that on May 1, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a temporary restraining order to block the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). More news can be found here.
We want our Octopress readers and our community to know that while these cuts at the federal level disrupt our plans, we are more committed than ever to continuing the critical work we do. Thank you for supporting PTMSC and keeping ocean conservation and the health of the planet a priority in your lives.
Diane Quinn
Executive Director
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
MARINE SCIENCE TRIVIA NIGHT
Thursday, May 22
5:30 p.m.
Drink some cider, eat some food, and test your marine science knowledge!
Join the Port Townsend Marine Science Center at Finnriver Farm & Cidery for a night of marine science-themed trivia! The entry fee per team is a sliding scale ($5 - $20/team) with a limit of 6 people per team. There will be four rounds of marine-science themed trivia (we are still working on the categories, but rumor has it that one of them is “otter”ly fun!). There will be prizes for the winning team. Teams are encouraged to wear PTMSC, marine animal themed, and/or Finnriver apparel to the event.
Join us for our free community gatherings in which people with repair skills share their time and talents to fix their neighbors’ belongings.
Limit of 2 items per person. If you know the specific part needed to repair your item, we ask that you bring it along.
Bring your toaster that no longer toasts, sweater with a hole in the elbow, and excitement to get these belongings repaired while also learning how they did it and ways you could do it yourself next time!
NEXT IN-PERSON REPAIREVENT:
Port Hadlock Repair Event
Saturday, May 24
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Jefferson County Public Library (Hagen Building)
Learn how to keep an eye out for invasive European green crabs by participating in a new citizen science project called Molt Search, run by Washington Sea Grant's Crab Team & Washington State University Extension.
These FREE hands-on trainings cover Molt Search protocols, crab ID, and green crab basics.
TWO TRAINING DATES:
Saturday, May 10
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
WSU Extension Classroom 97 Oak Bay Road, Port Hadlock
Aquarium classroom (on the pier) Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Fort Worden State Park (Discover Passes are now required for all areas at Fort Worden State Park)
Help Fort Worden S.P. document the wild at the park! By uncovering the diverse range of life within the park, we can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for its ecology.
The Fort Worden Spring BioBlitz is a two-day, self-guided event. It begins when the park opens (6:30 a.m.) on June 6th and continues until the park closes (9:30 p.m.) on June 7th.
No registration necessary! Bring your camera or smart phone to take pictures of plants, fungi, and wildlife as you hike trails and beaches and explore historic gun batteries! Download the iNaturalist app or Seek app on your smart phone to upload pictures and observations directly to the Fort Worden BioBlitz project page.
Join Kelsey, Fort Worden Interpretive Specialist, at The Commons on Saturday, June 7th from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. for an interactive celebration of citizen science and stewardship! Experts from various fields of science will have displays that showcase some of the unique flora and fauna of the park. Saturday is also a Discover Pass free day!
For more information about how to participate in a BioBlitz, please visit the iNaturalist project page or contact Kelsey, State Park Interpretive Specialist, at 360-344-4426.
At PTMSC, our summer day camps allow burgeoning young scientists and adventurers to spend a week exploring beaches, uncovering treasures hidden in our exhibits, playing games, making crafts, and hiking through beautiful Fort Worden State Park.
Camps are offered for ages 6-14.
Join us for a wet, sandy, adventurous, fun-filled week!
Visit our camps pageto register. Coastal Explorers and Junior Explorers still have spots open!
Nearly 70 percent of the nesting seabird population of Puget Sound and the Straits nest at these two islands, just outside of Port Townsend, including one of the largest nesting colonies of rhinoceros auklets in the world, as well as the largest nesting colony of glaucous-winged gulls in Washington. Protection Island contains one of the last 2 nesting colonies of tufted puffins in the Puget Sound area. About 1,000 harbor seals rely upon the island for a pupping and rest area.
These cruises are hosted by seasoned PTMSC naturalists and interpreters, who provide excellent commentary on the natural history of the island and the birds and wildlife sighted. Sign up for a cruise today!
If you missed out on any (or all) of this season's offerings, you can always check out out long running series on YouTube!
Our lecture series, The Future of Oceans, draws on the commitment of professional researchers and educators across all academic spectrums to help define and inspire the health of our oceans.
We keep a playlist of our lectures on our YouTube page. Subscribe to our channel to get the latest videos!
Thanks to the Darrow Family for their ongoing support
NOW SHOWING
at the Flagship Landing Gallery:
Aves:
Photographs of Birds
by Kerry Tremain
thru June 8
Friday - Sunday
12 - 3 p.m.
We are thrilled to be able to share Kerry Tremain's work in our gallery this spring. Kerry's photographs in Aves demonstrate the close, patient observation of the natural world that is required to capture a moment of a bird's life. His images are also detailed records of birds we may have seen, but never quite as beautifully as he saw them with his camera.
This show provides an ideal opportunity for PTMSC to connect visitors to the natural world, to see life in a new way, and we know people will be awed by what they see.
Join us for First Saturday Gallery Walk! May 3, open 5 – 8 p.m.
STORE AND GALLERY HOURS
With the Museum at Fort Worden State Park closed for remodeling until early Summer of 2025, we encourage you to check out our website (and future editions of this newsletter) for upcoming programs!
Downtown Port Townsend 1001 Water St.
Store
Thursday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday & Monday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Gallery
Friday - Sunday, noon - 3 p.m.
Join us for First Saturday Gallery Walk! May 3, open 5 – 8 p.m.
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