Special Events

In addition to our Café Sci series and annual open house, Bigelow Laboratory regularly engages the public with its latest discoveries through events and series in the region. It’s vital to our mission that we share what we’re learning, and we hope to see you at an event soon!

Save the Date - Bigelow's Big Splash 2025

Help us kick off the next 50 years of bold science for our blue planet with this celebratory fundraiser in our new center for ocean education and innovation!

Come celebrate with us, festivities will include dinner, dancing, a live auction, and a program featuring award winning, film director & producer, veteran photojournalist (and member of our Advisory Board) Brian Skerry.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor for this event, please contact Michael Vilarello at mvilarello@bigelow.org or 207-315-2567 x126. You can also view our sponsorship materials here and make your commitment online.

Plankton in Our Midst Exhibit at the Rockport Library

Plankton in Our Midst: The Unseen Citizens of the Sea and Our Breathing Planet is a stunning collaboration between artists Krisanne Baker and Julie Crane and conservation writer Liz Cunningham. This exhibit explores the beauty of plankton and their crucial role in sustaining ocean health and all life on the planet. The creators worked with scientists from our lab and others to help inform the work, and we’re excited our community will get to enjoy it firsthand!

The show runs until Nov. 30, with a special panel presentation on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m., which includes senior research scientists Mike Lomas and Nick Record. It will be an inspiring and informative night, so don’t miss it!

For more on the exhibit: https://www.lizcunningham.net/plankton-in-our-midst/

Ocean On Tap - Monthly Talks

An informal, volunteer-led speaker series

Ocean on Tap is a social, informal speaker series organized by researchers from Bigelow Laboratory and hosted by Footbridge Brewery in Boothbay Harbor. The goal of the series is to bring our local community together over the fascinating world of the ocean.

The events feature speakers from various disciplines, each sharing their unique expertise and answering questions from the audience. Previous talks have included a wide range of topics — from parasites that eat the tongues of clownfish to the diverse array of gadgets scientists use to conduct research underwater!

To get a sense of what the talks are like, check out this article , which covers the origin of the series and the topics covered.

Each Ocean on Tap is announced about a month in advance. You can learn more and keep on top of the latest by following Ocean on Tap’s social accounts on Instagram (@oceanontap) and Facebook (Ocean on Tap). We also share them through Bigelow Laboratory’s accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

You can also join the mailing by adding your email to this form, or by emailing oceanontap@gmail.com.