The Primorsky Aquarium observes Environmental Education Day
May 12 marks the annual celebration of Environmental Education Day - a holiday dedicated to cultivating environmental literacy - in Russia. It is our holiday since in its educational activities the Primorsky Aquarium focuses on teaching the public about the environment and the importance of caring for it.
“The state of the earth’s ecosystems is getting worse, and we may not ignore global environmental problems which can be solved only when the public’s attitude is changed to be more protective to nature,” said Olga Shevchenko, Chief of the Environmental Education Service. “All over the world, environmental education pays special attention to working with children because they always share acquired knowledge and new experiences with their parents, and if a child participates in a program, workshop or a fun quest, his or her parents will become involved too.”
Programs developed by specialists of the Environmental Education Service are intended for all those who are open to exploring something new, love nature and wish to improve the environment – for both young and adult guests of the Primorsky Aquarium. We offer our visitors overview and themed tours, series of public lectures and workshops with a focus on environmental protection.
The Aquarium implements a number of educational projects. For instance, during learning sessions under the Growing up at the Aquarium project held from October till May, children ranging from preschoolers to high school students learn about the environment through the scientific lens and are taught to treat the natural world with respect. Under the collaborative project called Research and Project Ideas Lab, school children and educators from across Primorye execute case studies including those with assignments related to nature protection. The Accessible Aquarium program is specially designed for physically challenged people and aims to educate them on a wealth of marine life and its care. Another project is a regional contest, Sea Reflection, whose participants communicate their feelings about biodiversity conservation and nature protection through their creative works – drawings, essays and videos.
One of the main features of the environmental education provided by the Primorsky Aquarium is that it takes advantage of a vast richness of the institution’s live and museum exhibits. When interacting with guests of all ages, we extensively use a visual teaching method, exploit the educational opportunities of the Aquarium’s collections and put emphasis on the necessity for conservation and protection of the environment.