South Carolina Aquarium breaks ground on Boeing Learning Lab

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The South Carolina Aquarium broke ground July 25 on renovations for their new multidisciplinary learning center, the Boeing Learning Lab at the Charleston Maritime Center.

The Maritime Center will be renovated to house a growing slate of education programming offered by the South Carolina Aquarium, according to a news release.

Situated along the waterfront of the Charleston Harbor and a short walk from the aquarium, the Boeing Learning Lab will comprise 8,500 square feet of educational space that includes four indoor classrooms, one open-air classroom, a broadcast studio to conduct virtual programs and office space for aquarium staff, the release said.

The South Carolina Aquarium was the first aquarium in the country to open with a fully formed education master plan with a mission of providing accessible STEM education programs to students. But the program has consistently faced limitations in space, the release stated.

The Learning Lab will double the number of students they can serve annually through their core education offerings, such as Dominion Energy School Programs (the aquarium’s free standards-based curriculum for K-12 students) and a slate of teen programs, including the High School Intern Program and Teen Science Cafes.

“When complete, the Boeing Learning Lab at the Charleston Maritime Center will be a beacon for inclusivity and engagement along our waterfront, serving school children with standards-based science curriculum and providing access to the waterfront for all,” Kevin Mills, president and CEO of the South Carolina Aquarium, said in the release. “And that experiential learning has already begun. This morning, we had a guest appearance from a bottlenose dolphin who had recently caught a fish, just beyond the dock outside the Boeing Learning Lab doors. Our high school interns quickly gathered in awe to witness this unforgettable encounter, where our educators took advantage of this opportunity to interpret the dolphin’s behavior for them. That is what the Boeing Learning Lab is all about — unlocking the waterfront and all the wonder that lies within, filling the minds of curious kids with knowledge and igniting a lifelong passion to care for our natural world.”

The Aquarium has plans to expand their education footprint with year-round opportunities at the Learning Lab, including summer and after school programming. Additionally, they are in conversations with other organizations to determine ways that the venue can serve as a space to host community dialogues and innovative programming.

In attendance at the groundbreaking were city officials, community leaders, legislators and aquarium staff and interns. The opening of the Boeing Learning Lab represents the advancement of Landmark, the Aquarium’s five-year strategic plan which prioritizes unlocking and animating the waterfront for families, students, residents and tourists.

The South Carolina Aquarium is home to more than 5,000 animals, from river otters and sharks to sea turtles and shorebirds.