Marine Museum Need Questioned

On April 17, 1986, an article in the Los Angeles Times quoted Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) . . . as desiring a marine museum in the Venice area that would “give urban youngsters a chance to study displays about coastal life.”

I am one of more than 500 current Cabrillo Marine Museum Volunteers who are part of an 11-year-old docent program. We have toured and taught youngsters from all over Southern California--from inner city to suburban schools, from preschool through high school--at our facility in San Pedro. Last year alone, we guided over 91,000 students through the museum, with an additional 185,000 visitors participating in self-guided tours and a variety of marine education programs.

The Cabrillo Marine Museum is an educational, recreational and research institution devoted to promoting knowledge and awareness of the sea. We are located adjacent to the Los Angeles Harbor and near a peninsula rich in marine fossils. Through our exhibits and programs, we emphasize the diversity, adaptations and ecological relationships of local marine life. Our exhibits are arranged as a succession of marine communities typical of Southern California, and in each area, common animals and plants are shown, many of which are alive in our 35 aquaria.

As you can see, Cabrillo Marine Museum and its volunteer program are already doing the job Assemblywoman Moore wishes to have done. And since not everyone is aware of our efforts, we will be more than happy to inform and educate them.

HARRIET COHN

President, Cabrillo Marine Museum Volunteers