Calvert Marine Museum

On Friday we spent a couple of hours at the Museum on Solomons Island. The museum had been recommended by a couple all the way back in upstate New York, and it didn't disappoint.
We dinghied over from our anchorage to their dinghy dock and "parked".
Once inside, we were given a quick verbal outline from the front desk, then set off to explore. The first display was a tank with stingrays and skates. We learned that although these two organisms initially appear the same, they are actually quite different. There were skate egg cases, also known as "mermaid's purses" at various stages of development which were interesting to see (pictures will be loaded once we have wifi).
Then came the discovery room, which had a touch tank with starfish, sea urchins, snails, a turtle and horseshoe crabs in it. There was also a fossil-hunting corner, where the girls could dig through sand and see what they could find. Madeline found a sand tiger shark tooth, and Jessica was lucky to find an intact Ecphora shell. A volunteer helped them identify their choices and they were allowed to take one specimen home.
There was a fairly extensive display of local maritime history, and an outdoor marsh walk. We didn't spend too long outside on account of the rain, but did spend a few minutes watching the otters play in their outdoor tank.
We went back inside and toured the aquariums of local marine life, including beautiful comb jellyfish with unbelievably long tentacles!
Our last indoor display was the paleontology section, where the girls got to step into the lab and get to see first-hand the extraction of a fossilized baleen whale skull.
Outside, we got to tour the Drum Lighthouse, which was originally constructed in 1883, and moved to the museum in 1975. What I found most interesting about it was that it had been decorated for the museum by a woman based on her childhood memories. She had been born in the lighthouse in the early 1900's, when her grandfather was the lighthouse keeper.
Overall, it was a great day to spend (another) rainy day. We are hoping for sunnier skies soon!