Photo credit: Charlotte Coneybeer
A tiny mud crab scurries about in search of food, American eels burrow deep into the folds, and a green goby lays its eggs inside an empty shell. Oyster reefs of the Chesapeake Bay are home to hundreds of marine organisms, each with their own unique connection to the Eastern Oyster.
Situated in the last surviving historic oyster packing facility, of the McNasby Oyster Company, the Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park (AMM) provides the perfect backdrop for an in-depth look at one of the Bay’s most important and iconic natural resources, the Eastern Oyster.
The AMM’s award winning education center educates youth and adults about the Annapolis area’s rich maritime heritage and the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay through programs, exhibits and community events. The Education Center at the Museum’s new Back Creek Nature Park campus annually serves more than 10,000 program participants with the aim to help construct a connection between people and the environment by leading hands-on activities that foster positive outdoor experiences and help stimulate critical thinking. These experiences can help establish a foundation for future sustainable environmental decision making.
Join Kirsten Barbera and staff members of the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Education Center, as we explore the natural history of Crassostrea virginica, the Eastern Oyster. We will get our hands (and possibly our clothes) dirty as we dissect an oyster and venture out onto the docks to pull our oyster cages out of the water. By the end of this hands-on field experience, you will be an oyster expert!
Please dress warmly! And please contact Vanessa at vlubiner@marylandnature.org with any questions.