It began in the 1930s as a...

It began in the 1930s as a collection of shells on a card table next to a lifeguard stand on Venice Beach.

Later the Cabrillo Marine Museum acquired more spacious accommodations in a converted San Pedro bathhouse. But it was not until 1981 that the museum moved to its present beachfront home in San Pedro.

This weekend, the popular museum celebrates its 10th anniversary at the site, and officials are using the occasion to urge South Bay residents to visit the museum and observe how it has grown.

Museum founders hope to increase the knowledge and awareness among schoolchildren regarding the environment and marine science.

Each year, more than 200,000 students visit the museum, which is the only large-scale saltwater aquarium in the Los Angeles area. For many of the students, it is their first chance to experience the wonders of the sea, study marine science and environmental conservation, and discover first hand the role humans must play in conserving and protecting the environment.

The exhibits allow students to share the realm of the octopus, moray eel and spiny lobster as well as explore the 35 museum’s aquariums.

As the museum enters its second decade, it is planning a special March 1 whale-watching trip around Catalina Island, a route rarely traveled by whale-watching boats.

“It’s like the dark side of the moon,” museum official John Eells observed.

And the museum’s “Meet the Grunion” program begins March 7, with evening programs and a chance to watch live grunion.

The museum receives funding for basic operating and maintenance costs from the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department but gifts, grants and memberships support exhibit development, enrichment programs, educational materials and capital improvements.

Cabrillo Marine Museum is located at 3720 Stephen White Drive in San Pedro. (Take the Harbor Freeway south and exit at Gaffey Street in San Pedro.) The museum is open Tuesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed most Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is free.