Open House

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science at Horn Point Laboratory opens its facilities up to the general public every year during October. This allows scientists to exhibit the research projects they are working on and how they benefit the Chesapeake Bay.

One of the highlights of the Horn Point Open House is the Oyster Hatchery Facility. The hatchery staff makes every effort to emphasize the oyster restoration work they are doing for the Chesapeake Bay. Past activities have included mock spawning events, microscope stations to closely examine oyster reef organisms, functional broodstock conditioning tables, touch tank, Adopt-a-bag, oyster tonging station, draw-a-mural station, oyster shell crafts, and a picture station. We also demonstrate many different aspects of the oyster hatchery through posters and video clips.