Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce

RESEARCH LAB
(not open to the public)
701 Seaway Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34949
Tel: 772-462-6220
Fax: 772-461-8154

PUBLIC EXHIBIT
420 Seaway Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34949
Tel: 772-462-FISH

Who We Are...

The Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce, Florida is a research center specializing in
marine biodiversity and ecosystems of Florida. Research focuses on the Indian River Lagoon and the offshore waters of Florida's east central coast, with comparative studies throughout coastal Florida.

The Station, a facility of the
National Museum of Natural History, is part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and serves as a field station which draws scientists and students from the Smithsonian and collaborating institutions around the world to investigate the plants, animals and physical processes in the ocean and Indian River Lagoon. Information uncovered at the Marine Station is published in scientific journals and forms the basis for effective public policies, conservation efforts, and resource management.

Dedicated to the "increase and diffusion of knowledge", the Marine Station offers online resources including the Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory and a public exhibit, the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit, which features aquaria that depict five local marine ecosystems, and many events and programs for the enjoyment and education of the public.

The Station also provides logistical and administrative management of the Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Program (CCRE) based at the Carrie Bow Cay Field Station on the Meso-American Barrier Reef in Belize.

Aerial view of the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit and the Smithsonian marine Station with labels

What's Happening at SMS (Visitors, Tours, Seminars, Etc...)

Marine Science Lectures at Pelican Yacht Club

The Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce is pleased to once again partner with the Pelican Yacht Club to offer a Smithsonian Marine Science Lecture Series in 2017. As a part of the world’s largest museum and research complex, SMS hosts many of the Smithsonian’s most exemplary researchers in the natural sciences.

Thursday, February 16 | The United Oceans: Taking the Pulse of Coastal Biodiversity Around the World

Dr. Emmett Duffy, Director of the Smithsonian's Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network

The lecture will be held at 7:00pm in the Indian River Ballroom and will be followed by light refreshments. Admission is free and reservations are not required. Additional lectures will be held on March 2 and March 30, 2017. For more information, please contact Joan Kaminski at 772.462.6220.

Internship Opening - Marine Science Summer Camp

This unique paid internship will provide the opportunity to learn about marine and estuarine ecosystems of Southeast Florida by working with our day camps for ages 6-16. All camp sessions are heavily water-based and include activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, and seine netting in locations throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast region.

Interested candidates must submit application packages by Wednesday February 15, 2017. Please view PDF announcement for details.

Current SMS Newsletter

Bivalves and Brown Tides, Coral Reef Monitoring in Belize, Indian River Lagoon Science Festival and MORE...

Local Conditions at SMS

The Marine Station has been recording and posting water quality information from our dock location since 2006. We are now also providing continuous recordings of local atmospheric conditions. Instruments on a 25' weather tower are recording rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, UV radiation and total solar output, and the data is being fed to our website. Check out this online resource at Most Recent Weather and Water Info from SMS and Detailed Water Conditions at our Dock.

Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Research Station

Third Thursday of each month at 2PM - Free. Registration is required.

Once a month we open our doors to the public to share current Smithsonian research on the plants and animals of the Indian River Lagoon and marine environments throughout the Caribbean. Tours are approximately one hour in length and begin at 2pm in the Conference Room. Suggested age: 14+

Please register online by following this link: ONLINE REGISTRATION
Questions? Please contact Laura Diederick at diederick [at] si.edu.

Upcoming Tours: February 16, April 20, May 18.
*** Please note that there is no tour on March 16, due to the annual Open House. All tours will be self-guided that day.

Friday Afternoon Scientific Seminars

Our Friday afternoon scientific seminars are of a technical nature, geared toward members of the scientific community. They are held in teh conference room of the Smithsonian Marine Station at 3:00PM on Fridays (unless otherwise stated).

There are no seminars scheduled at the present time.