Sea, Sand & Stars will again be open to public in June & July

Sea, Sand & Stars will again be open to public in June & July

Thanks to funding approved by the Orange Beach City Council, the Sea, Sand, & Stars Science and Nature Center at Orange Beach Elementary School will be open to the public for free for the third summer in a row.
The center will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 11-28 and July 9-26. Staff members will offer the public a rotating schedule for guided tours, night sky presentations and IMAX type movies in the planetarium.
Reservations are not required for the summer season opening, but are highly recommended if individuals plan on taking the guided tour or have a group of 10 or more. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to make a tour reservation, call 251-981-5690. A $5 per person minimum donation is always appreciated. Info: seasandandstars.com.
The facility features a 6,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, 1,500-gallon marine life touch tank, 800-foot nature boardwalk with a weather station, the planetarium, a microscope lab, a library and a gift shop.
Steven W. Baker Sea, Sand, & Stars Science and Nature Center first opened in 2007. More than a decade ago the seeds were planted for a hands-on facility for island school students to learn about the natural resources of the area.
The idea soon drew the interest of several prominent business and civic leaders. With their help, the Sea, Sand and Stars interactive facility became a reality. In addition to the beautiful aquarium with a large variety of Gulf fish, the touch tank, the center’s 38-seat planetarium has a Digitarium Alpha II Projector, allowing visitors a real-time window into space.