Indoor
Oceans

The
Project

The oceans are essential to life on Earth. Yet, as the 2021 IPCC
report notes, they are imperilled by multiple, simultaneous crises.
What is more, these crises are complex. Our project, linking the
Department of Geography at Royal Holloway University of
London, UK and Marine Governance at the HIFMB in Oldenburg,
Germany explores the role of public aquariums in shaping
understandings of these crises through modes of curation and
encounter.

Often situated in contexts like cities – far removed from the seas
– aquariums are sites in which pressing global challenges are
made proximate to diverse audiences. Using mixed methods, the
project provides novel yet necessary insights into the role and
potential of aquarium spaces in fostering sustainable and
equitable ocean futures.

Team

2. Presentations and publications

Our
Approach

Our research employs qualitative methods, enabling us to
explore the in-depth and complex ways that aquariums
curate ocean worlds, and visitors encounter them. This
means we use techniques that allows us to gain rich
descriptions, perspectives, understandings and viewpoints of
those who work in, and visit, aquariums. To this end we use a
combination of textual analysis (of websites and other
materials), semi-structured interviewing (talking with people),
site visits and ethnography (immersing ourselves in
aquariums), and photography in the project. Our research
complies with the university ethics guidelines at Royal
Holloway University of London, where we hold ethical
approval for our work.

In collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society, we have created materials to be shared in ​key
stage 2 and key stage 3 classrooms across the UK. These materials may also be of wider interest to a
range of educational settings beyond this context.

The materials are designed specifically for teachers to engage students with oceans, which cover over ​
70% of our planet. As it stands oceans are taught almost exclusively ​through physical processes, such as
ocean currents, ​rather than as meaningful social and human places. ​Understandings of how people
connect with ​oceans, and their wider social significance are relatively absent. Our materials transform
how oceans ​are taught by introducing new ideas through a suite of ​innovative multimedia classroom
resources. You can find our key stage 2 and 3 scheme of work here.

Our podcasts can be access here:

In this first podcast, with Dr. Rachael Squire and Prof. Kim Peters explore our historic connections with
the oceans, how this can change, and the role aquariums have as a means to help us become more in
tune with marine environments.

In conversation with Freyja Thomson-Alberts - Ocean Engagement Manager for the Ocean Conservation
Trust (OCT) based at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, the second podcast explores the work
the OCT is doing and how communities can become more connected to their blue space.

Coming soon, a downloadable poster to support learning in the classroom.

You can contact us at our respective
institutional addresses:

Dr Rachael Squire:
rachael.squire@rhul.ac.uk

Dr Kimberley Peters:
kimberley.peters@hifmb.de

For queries about the website

please contact Dr Kristin Tietje:
kristin.tietje@hifmb.de