These magnificent marine mammals, found in all the world’s oceans, grow to more than 100 feet long and weigh upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant.
Blue Whale Project
Articulating the Noyo vision, bone by bone
In 2009, a lethal strike from a ship’s propeller off the Mendocino coast tragically killed a 73-foot female blue whale. This ship-strike, a leading threat to these magnificent mammals, has been turned into a story of Fort Bragg’s community coming together around the vision of the Noyo Marine Science Center.
At Noyo, we believe that the desire to learn about and protect our marine environment will only come with a powerful emotional connection to the amazing underwater world.
Our dream is to turn our blue whale bones into a world-class exhibit that will represent the Noyo vision to:
- Create a space in which scientists, artists and the public (of all ages) can work together, learn from each other and create multi-disciplinary opportunities
- Captivate and draw young minds toward a deeper level of inquiry and connection with the marine world
- Inspire our local population and attract visitors to the Mendocino coast
If you would like to learn how you can become involved in this exciting opportunity, please contact us.
The Story of Our Blue Whale
Turning tragedy into opportunity
More than 200 people walked away from their normal lives to help haul 70-tons of bones and blubber up a 40-foot cliff and bury the the whale out in the forest. It was a monumental task.
What’s Next for Our Skeleton
The art of skeleton articulation
Using modern artistic materials and cutting edge articulation techniques, we plan to create a dynamic, scientifically accurate and elegant display that will allow visitors to experience the intimate life and ecology of a whale up close.