Gray's Reef Exhibit at TIMSC

By Sara Buck Lane Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Exciting things are happening on the north end of Tybee Island! On April 1st, the new Tybee Island Marine Science Center opened its doors to the public at a brand new location on the north end of the island. The much anticipated opening came after months and months of delays due to the pandemic. While some of the center’s exhibits are still not yet completed, the newest completed exhibit is one you don’t want to miss.

Visitors to the Tybee Island Marine Science Center are now able to experience NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, virtually. From diving the live-bottom reef to observing the underwater creatures and getting up close and personal with a loggerhead sea turtle, it’s an interactive experience like none other in the area. The exhibit is the first of its kind in the region and features a multi-media gallery and touchscreen display that took approximately nine months to complete. Through the use of hydrophones placed in Gray’s Reef, visitors are also able to hear recordings of happenings at the reef.

“Visitors of all ages are in for a real treat. Our Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary exhibit is unlike any other in this area, as you can see what nature has formed over thousands of years at the reef without boarding a boat,” said Cathy Sakas, president of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center’s Board of Trustees.

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is located 19 miles off the coast of Georgia and is one of 14 national marine sanctuaries and two national marine monuments that make up the National Marine Sanctuary System. Gray’s Reef spans approximately 22 square miles and is currently the only protected natural reef area on the mid-continental shelf off the Georgia coast. Invertebrates provide food for many fishes that also seek shelter in the reef’s cracks and crevices, which gives the habitat of Gray’s Reef the “live bottom” name.

The Tybee Island Marine Science Center is located at 37 Meddin Drive on the north end of the island. The Center is currently open Thursday through Sunday, 10am-4pm (last ticket sold at 3:30pm) for self guided Behind the Scenes tours. Visitors to the Center will have the opportunity to experience the completed exhibits and engage staff as they work to complete the remaining exhibits.

For more information on the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, visit www.tybeemarinescience.org and for more information on the Center’s ongoing capital campaign, please visit www. bringingtheoutsidein.org.

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