Ocean Wonders: Sea Creatures of Nature & Imagination

February 4 – May 4, 2025

Teeming with millions of living organisms, the ocean covers over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface and is home to the planet’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. It is also the least explored part of our world due to the challenges of traveling miles beneath the surface in conditions hostile to humans. For centuries, the ocean’s mysteries have fascinated and inspired generations of explorers, scientists, writers and artists, and they continue to captivate public interest.

On view are volumes from the Athenæum’s special collections in natural history, travel, and literature, alongside specimens from the Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab at the Rhode Island School of Design. Together, they highlight our enduring curiosity about the ocean and its mysterious creatures.