Treasures of NOAA's Ark

On display at the Erie Maritime Museum in Erie, PA
May 8, 2024 - May 4, 2025

The Treasures of NOAA's Ark exhibit on display at the Tellus Science Museum in Atlanta, GA. Several cases are spread throughout the room, with maps, and charts, early scientific instruments, and other historical artifacts inside them.
The Treasures of NOAA's Ark exhibit on display at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, GA. (photo courtesy of Tellus Science Museum)

NOAA’s roots date back to 1807 when Thomas Jefferson established the nation's first scientific agency, the Survey of the Coast.

Today, NOAA enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep the public informed of the changing environment around them.

The Treasures of NOAA’s Ark traveling exhibit showcases heritage artifacts which tell the story of how people and technology shaped NOAA and its predecessor agencies over more than 200 years. NOAA’s responsibilities include preserving, protecting and promoting its own heritage while at the same time sharing this history with the public.

Through partnering with public institutions, the exhibit increases awareness about NOAA and provides examples of how the agency has impacted the everyday lives of citizens from coast to coast.

The Treasures of NOAA's Ark exhibit on display at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. Several cases are spread throughout the room, with maps, and charts, early scientific instruments, and other historical artifacts inside them. A group of people looks at the cases, including one man in a wheelchair.
The Treasures of NOAA's Ark exhibit on display at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon.

Visitors to the Treasures of NOAA's Ark exhibit will:

  • Explore NOAA’s history and how we are all connected to the environment and ecosystem.
  • See instruments used to chart the undersea landscape and keep navigation channels clear of hazards.
  • Learn about the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, one of the seven uniformed services of the United States.
  • Pay tribute to our wartime heroes with Weathermen at War, a recognition of four weather observers lost while onboard a Coast Guard vessel sunk by a German U-boat during World War II.
  • Experience how art and science come together with a display of cartoonist Jim Toomey’s cartoon strip, “Sherman’s Lagoon.”