DISCOVER THE MICROSCOPIC MARVELS OF THE OCEAN

Discover the microscopic marvels of the ocean at Galway Science and Technology Festival.  The Marine Institute and the Explorers Education Programme will showcase marine science at the 2025 Galway Science and Technology Festival. Families are invited to the Bailey Allen Hall at the University of Galway on Sunday 9th November from 10am to 5pm to learn more about phytoplankton species.

The exhibition includes fun interactive games, films, and quizzes that reveal the tools scientists use to study phytoplankton. Children will discover sea-sparkling species that cause phenomena like bioluminescence blooms along our coastline and learn about the chalk architects that have formed famous land formations. The event will also launch the new Explorers Phytoplankton Mighty Microscopic Marvels books and educational resources for children.

“We are excited to showcase our Phytoplankton Mighty Microscopic Marvels at the Galway Science Festival. Children and parents will get a hands-on look at a hidden microscopic world that lives in the ocean. Visitors will engage in fun activities using microscopes to see these mighty micro-species ‘supersized,’” said Cushla Dromgool-Regan of the Explorers Education Programme.

Dr Nóirín Burke of the Explorers Education Programme added, “We look forward to sharing how these tiny marvels sustain the entire marine food web and produce the very oxygen we breathe. We especially encourage teachers to visit our stand to explore how the new Phytoplankton module can be used in the classroom to create engaging STEAM projects that support ocean literacy.”

As part of the this year’s festival programme, the  Marine Institute’s exhibition ‘The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science’ at Galway City Museum is also offering tours and workshops for primary school groups from the 11th – 21st November. Students will uncover the secrets of historic shipwrecks and learn how modern technology helps us map our ocean floor in workshops facilitated by the Marine Institute’s Advanced Mapping Services team. In workshops delivered by Lindsay Deely of Toodleou Creativity Lab, students will create ‘mini worlds’ and explore biodiversity, habitats and the importance of balance in ecosystems. There are limited places remaining. To book please contact Galway City Museum on 091 532 460.

Free to visitors, the ‘The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science’ exhibition is open year-round and features seabed mapping, amazing scientific discoveries, and creatures of the deep. In the Remotely Operated Vehicle Simulator, explore ocean depths like a marine scientist and discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks, and a rare shark nursery.

The Explorers Education Programme will also be exhibiting at the Let’s Talk Science Festival 2025, in the Rediscover Centre, Ballymun, Dublin on the 8th November, as well as hosting an online workshop on ‘Exploring Food from the Sea’ on the 12th November and the workshop as Gaeilge on the 13th November 2025. To make a booking with the Explorers team please visit www.explorers.ie.

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