Washington State

NATURAL HISTORY INSTITUTES & TOURS

Here is a handfull of suggestions for finding natural history programs, exhibits, cruises and other outings.

• Island Institute, on Speiden Island in the San Juans, offers marine-related natural history cruises and camps.
• Snow Goose Cruises from Bellingham explore north Puget Sound’s marine natural history.
• Seattle Aquarium has natural history classes, tours, and field trips.
• Maritime Heritage Center in Bellingham has wide-ranging marine education programs for visitors, plus field trips and cruises.
• Woodland Park Zoo has wildlife rehabilitation programs open to volunteers, and several acclaimed naturalistic outdoor enclosures for animals to run “free.”
• The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor offers in-depth exhibits on the region’s marvelous orca, or killer whales.
• Many local park and recreation departments in Washington offer natural history classes, sea kayaking instruction and outings, bird watching field trips, and other programs.
• Olympic Institute and North Cascades Institute offer field trips, extended nature study camps and other natural history programs.