As the CTC Center for Marine Conservation continues to grow, collaborating with international conservation educators gives our team the chance to expand our knowledge base to ensure we are prepared for challenges and utilizing the most effective engagement strategies. The team behind conservation and visitor engagement at the Seattle Aquarium visited the CTC Center for Marine Conservation to share their stories on providing a space for ocean education, and learn from our team’s experiences in community engagement.

The Seattle Aquarium team spent three days with CTC, from 18-20 November, including a visit to the Nusa Penida MPA to see our conservation projects in action and meet with local community leaders. They visited Pura Dalem Ped, learning about the importance of local customs to the MPA, and met with the MPA Management Unit. They also visited the community eco-tourism projects CTC supports, such as the mangrove tours in Nusa Lembongan.

During their two days at our Center in Bali, the Seattle Aquarium team shared their experiences with CTC. This was a fantastic opportunity for the CTC team to learn from an established center for marine education and apply their lessons learned to our growing Center. The CTC team also shared our vision for our Center, and how it has already grown to engage with communities, amplifying our impact. The Seattle Aquarium team conducted a Nature Interpretation session, in which methods for interpretive planning and exhibition design were explored, as well as visual thinking strategies. As CTC moves towards the final phase of construction at our Center, applying these strategies to our new exhibition spaces and public engagement plans will help to strengthen our capacity to inspire the diverse groups who visit our Center.