Ocean and Me, an original exhibit, recently opened at the Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM), and will run through August 31, 2025. The exhibit gives children opportunities to explore under-the-sea themed activity stations and dive into reading in a literacy bubble.
Ocean and Me was designed to promote playful learning and inspire a love for discovery and exploration in children,” says Dr. Stewart Burgess, CMOM’s CEO. “This year, we’re adding another element – the literacy bubble – which encourages children to learn more about real-life concepts like oceans and marine life. Additionally, this exhibit combats summer reading loss by providing fun ways to engage in learning, like reading, counting, sorting, and practicing critical thinking.”
Photo by Craig Thompson
"Ocean and Me" Exhibit at Children's Museum of Memphis
Included in the exhibit, young learners can get comfy in their inflatable chairs and swim through new and beloved books, including favorites like The Sea Below My Toes, Ida and the Whale, Out of the Blue, Dive!, and The Secret Life of Oceans, among others. Once they’ve enjoyed these ocean-related stories, they can venture outside the literacy bubble to investigate various activity stations.
All About the Puffer Fish teaches children how this sea creature protects itself.
Sunken Ship explores numbers – like how many sunken ships and treasures are in the ocean – and encourages children to complete "valuable" challenges.
Submersible engages children through playful, imaginative fun and sound.
Deep Sea Diver demonstrates how deep the ocean actually is.
Surfer Photo Op lets children pretend to be a surfer, posing for a fun photo on the surfer stage.
What Items Belong in the Ocean prompts critical thinking skills by sorting items that are good – and not good – for the ocean.
Fish Wall displays the difference between a school and a shoal of fish and illustrates them on a fish wall.
Make plans to stop by and dive into all the fun with Ocean and Me. Access to this exhibit is included with the price of admission — free for Museum members and children under age one. For full details about the exhibit, visit cmom.com/events/ocean-and-me/.
The Children’s Museum of Memphis is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of inspiring children to explore, imagine, and create, growing their minds and filling them with endless possibilities. To learn more, visit cmom.com.