The Dauphin Island Sea Lab throws open its doors each spring for Discovery Day, an annual open house that lets the public step inside one of Alabama’s premier coastal research facilities.
This year’s Discovery Day was set for Saturday, April 6. Visitors got a guided look at the lab’s research and learned how the coastal ecosystem of south Alabama works and why protecting it matters.
A Coastal Science Institution
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab was founded in 1971 by the Alabama Legislature to provide marine science programs for the state’s colleges and universities. Today, 23 member institutions partner with the lab to offer undergraduate and graduate study.
Since its founding, the lab’s mission has grown to include K-12 education, professional development for teachers and a public aquarium, making it both a research hub and a place for the public to connect with the Gulf Coast’s unique environment.