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19-20.11.2011

OPENED DAYS OF THE NMFRI GDYNIA AQUARIUM EDUCATION SECTION

The NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium exposition houses 250 species of animals from all around the world. The significant activity of Education Section is, apart from exposition events, organisation of classes in the education rooms for the school groups.   During last year, 39 thousand participants from Poland and other countries took the classes. The participants were school youth, pre-school children or students - also those of the University of the Third Age.   Our main aim is to create the interest in biology and ecology of seas and their protection in the largest number of listeners possible. This is why we particularly direct the invitation to the families and individual guests usually visiting our zoological garden in regular ways.   On 19th and 20th of the November 2011, we would like to invite you to visit education rooms and to join common learning and fun with the Education Section workers.     In the program:

 

• The Early Education Room - the Land of Tropics, where there are games and competitions for the youngest, in the area of the coral reef life;
• The Water Experimental Room - the Land of Water, where each participant can become a scientist and test the water brought from home;
• The Multimedia Room of Marine Ecology - the Land of the Baltic, where we will present the world of the Baltic animals with the microscope;
• The Biology Laboratory - the Land of Knowledge , where we will present elements of our laboratory classes;
• The Cinema - the Land of the Earth, where we will present the movies on nature produced by BBC titled 'From pole to pole' and 'Ice lands' and one will have opportunity to find out what the employees of the Education Section really work on every day.

 

 

 

05-06.11.2011

The NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium would like to invite you to a family event titled "Feel the magic of the Orient"

The NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium prepared lots of attractions in a spirit of the autumn atmosphere. On the 05th - 06th November weekend there will be an occasion to meet the unusual inhabitants of the Indian Ocean. During these days dance workshop will take place. It shall be the time filled with music and dance. Beautiful costumes and colourful shawls will create fantastic colours which will allow us to feel the magic of the Orient. Everyone that would like to join us in the Aquarium during these days are welcome.   The event will be held at the Gdynia Aquarium Gallery at 11:00 a.m. to 04:00 p.m.   Program:   Eye to eye with the Indian Ocean, microscopic workshops where one will see the animals of the Indian Ocean; Colourful ocean, artistic workshops for the little ones; Dance workshops "Feel the magic of the Orient". Everyone visiting the Aquarium these days are invited to join dance workshops. The youngest participants as well as adults are also welcome. We will try to 'feel the magic of the Orient' in the rhythm of music. For the time of the workshop the participants will be given colourful shawls and sashes.   The workshops will be started at 12.00 p.m. , 01.30 p.m. and 03.00 p.m.

 

 

 

15-23.10.2011

European Shark Week in the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium

 

22-23.10.2010

During the second weekend of the action we collected over 300 signatures under the petition to protect European sharks. The petition was signed in total by 963 people. It is not always easy to convince our visitors that the protection of those predators is necessary though.

Certainly the movie titled 'the Stewards of the reef', telling us about current problem of the marine resources management with focus on sharks, moved large number of people. In the Cinema Room you could hear sighs and many of those who watched the film came to share their opinion. Such topics are quite rare in Poland, despite the fact that it is  known to the societies of the western Europe and the quests from foreign countries gladly signed the petition, willingly telling us about the situation in their homelands.

 

 

89 people filled the questionnaires during both weekends. Usually the questions related to sharks and stingrays were answered correctly but some were quite funny; e.g. 'What do the largest sharks of the world feed on?' were sometimes answered - 'On people'. The largest sharks of the world feed in fact on plankton. In the Polish television advertisements of medicine based on shark's liver oil have come up recently. It was probably the reason for most of the people who filled the questionnaires to consider the oil of the shark's liver as the most valuable part of the shark's body. The truth is that Europe became one of the biggest exporters of the shark's fin to the Chinese market during last years.

The kids also have their opinion in the topic. What is interesting they were often more familiar in the shark's theme than adults. Not all children could say that they like sharks but they all agreed to protect natural wealth of the oceans in the future. On the large sheets, the kids painted various shapes recalling sharks - or sometimes cats.

 

 

 

On the Sunday, the Aquarium was visited by the students of the III High School in Gdańsk. They declared to join the action. We keep our fingers crossed for them to succeed!

We often forget that it is not only about care for animals in the nature protection but also for the future people generations to survive. Maybe this argument will convince most Europeans to protect sharks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

15-16.10.2010

During October 15th-16th we proposed our quests to enrich their knowledge on sharks. Did they use such possibility? It turns out they did!

In the framework of the weekend, the Aquarium visitors filled up the questionnaires related to the general attitude to the sharks. Our quests chose the answers wisely. They already know that there are about 30 species of cartilaginous fishes in the Baltic and that one third of the European shark species is endangered. They also know that the largest species of sharks on the Earth feed on plankton. unfortunately it seems that the issue of shark finning is still not clear for our quests. Most of those who filled the questionnaires think that despite the fact we live in the country that does not share much with sharks, we still have influence on their fate. Such attitude helped us to collect almost 500 signatures under the petition for their protection.

 

The comments that say: "we're strong in the group!", "each signature under the petition is important" or "the campaign promoting sharks' protection raise awareness that such problem exists" mean that actions like European Shark Week are very important. They build awareness of delicate equilibrium of our world, eliminate stereotypes or give a possibility to speak to a larger group of people in the topic of global problems.

During the weekend, the Aquarium visitors could see the movie about current situation of sharks. The movie shows us how far people went in the extensive marine resources management, how close we are to fully exterminate many species of sharks, how low is the social awareness of such situation and what will be the consequences. Despite the fact that this time the topic is directed mainly to adults, kids also had much to do. They played with shark puzzles, compared a number of their teeth to a number of teeth in a shark's jaw and of course painted. A tooth of the Blacktip reef shark and a stingray's sting looks dangerously enough under the microscope.

Summing up, in the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium it was swarming of sharks during the weekend: in the discussions, photo exhibition, presentations, animations, colouring sheets and on the children's faces. But not all of our quests could be easily convinced to protect sharks. During this week we find out who is the biggest predator of all in the world. The answer is easy - human. You can sign the petition at: www.sharkalliancepetition.org.

 

15-23.10.2011

European Shark Week 2011, The NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium

Another European Shark Week is coming up. It is an event organised by Shark Alliance - an European net of non-governmental organisations, supporting the fight for the proper law care for the European sharks. Numerous museums and aquariums joined the action - the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium among them. During these days, many points of our exposition will be devoted to sharks. Find out what is the role of shark in nature, what does finning means, who is the most dangerous predator in the world, why shark species are endangered and how we can help them. Like every year during the event, the signs under the petition will be collected. The petition is directed to European politicians and indicate social support for the changes in law regulations considering sharks' fishing. The petition is also available online at: http://sharkalliancepetition.org/ .

 

EUROPEAN SHARK WEEK IN THE NMFRI GDYNIA AQUARIUM: 15-16/22-23 October 2011   10:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m. the Aquarium's entrance: Information point In the specially prepared information point, one can inquire about present European shark situation and speak for those animals by signing the petition directed to the Members of European Parliament. We would like to invite you to fill anonymous questionnaire on sharks perception. Statistical data will be available at the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium website after European Shark Week is finished.   10:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m. Cinema Room: "Stewards of the reef" Let's find out more on sharks and their fate. Visit Cinema Room, where you can see a movie at every full hour.   10:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m. Gallery   "Not as scary as they paint it!" - kids art corner. Everyone eager to get a picture of shark will get it here - on one's face! "Protect sharks" Would you like to know more? See multimedia presentation. "Shark's teeth" - one will be able to observe teeth and jaw of a shark with a microscope. Sharks' photos exhibition.     October 23rd, at 2:00 p.m. we will count the number of signs under the petition and display it for public information in the Gallery.   Kids of our Young Dicoverer of the Seas Club will also be able to show off. In the Gallery on 15-16/22-23 of October between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. there will be a possibility to create art pieces on sharks' protection. It is an occasion to collect another stamp to your Club's participant ID and to speak for shark situation. The best pieces will be rewarded with small prizes!   Adults can also help. Shark Alliance organize contest for photo and video materials in theme of shark protection. The best pieces will be rewarded and presented to Members of European Parliament. Gdynia Aquarium can accept pieces brought personally, send by traditional mail to:

 

 

26-27.03.2011

"Spring? Oh.. it's You!" with the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium and Da Vinci LEARNING

Gdynia Aquarium Sea Fisheries Institute in Gdynia department and educational channel Da Vinci LEARNING would like to invite you to the first weekend of spring on March, 26th-27th 11.00 a.m. to 04.00 p.m. - "Spring? Oh.. it's You!".

 

The 26th-27th of March is the first weekend of calendar spring, and is the last weekend of the month dedicated to the Baltic Sea at the same time. Therefore the events planned for the mentioned above weekend will be related to the nature waking up to life, especially to the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea

 

Weekends program:

26.03.2011 SATURDAY, 27.03.2011 SUNDAY;

11:00 - 16:00 the educational ground floor of the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium building

 

• The meeting with Marek Kamiński - the famous traveler, and the official ambassador of the educational Chanel DaVinci Learning, Saturday, 12:00, The Cinema Room;
  The most famous Polish traveler will persuade us that anyone can travel.

 

• Four Seasons of the Baltic Sea, 11.00 a.m. - 04.00 p.m., Biological Laboratory;
  Microscopic workshops will introduce us to the marine creatures that can be met during spring and will show us who is soon to be seen in our sea.

   

• Searching for the spring's signs, Saturday 03.00 p.m.; Sunday 12.00 a.m. and 03.00 p.m.;
  The open-air workshops with binoculars.
  We are off to look for the signs of the spring! To participate in classes you need to sign up - the list is available at the Education Section, at the day of workshops.

 

• Spring? Do it yourself, 11.00 a.m. - 04.00 p.m., Aquarium's Gallery;
  Artistic workshops, making of 'madders', spring flowers, catkins, spring reeds. and all that spring can put our minds on.

 

• Children faces' painting, 11.00 a.m. - 04.00 p.m., Aquarium's Gallery;

 

• Beach in the Aquarium, whole day, Aquarium's Gallery;
  The last chance to build a sand castle in the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium .
  A small beach appeared in the Gdynia Aquarium's Gallery on the 12th of March. It is a place where you can 'practice' building of castles before the summer comes. The 26th-27th weekend is the last moment to use such possibility.

 

 

 

26-27.02.2011

"THE WEALTH OF THE CORAL REEF" in the NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium

On 26th and 27th of February, the Gdynia Aquarium visitors got familiar with the wealth of the coral reef, which was introduced by the stilt walkers, small cinema, microscopic image and their own imagination that could be recognized during the artistic workshops and puns.

 

 

The pieces of works that were created during these days are remarkably artistic, as they would be painted by the hand of the famous Pablo Picasso.

 

 

We are delighted that the YOUNG SEA DISCOVERER CLUB gained more participants that are ready to fulfill the next tasks.

 

 

12-13.02.2011

10:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m.

"THE VALENTINE'S DAY IN THE NMFRI Gdynia Aquarium "

February is a month of coral reefs in Gdynia Aquarium. "Everything have started from love" was a key sentence of Valentine's Weekend and all attractions were related to love: Lovers' Bench, paper fantasies, childhood class game, a duo concert presenting love song of all times or family photos in sea horse photo-display.

We could observe a true love-nook filled with affection patterns of all animals, although it has to be confessed that sometimes it is very difficult to say who is he and who is she.

 

 

07.02.2011

The photography contest announcement "Baltic through the Camera Eye"

Those, who are interested in photography, are invited to take part in a photography contest "Baltic through the Camera Eye". For a month (February, 7th - March, 7th), we will be collecting contest pieces. The best ones will be awarded! The exhibition of all works will be opened in the Gdynia Aquarium Gallery for a month, starting on March, 12th, until the end of the month. The contest is directed to the residents of Poland.