The research is focused mostly on the Indian River Lagoon and also on the offshore waters of Florida's central and east coast.
[2] The station is a part of the National Museum of Natural History, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to be a field station which will draw scientists and students from the Smithsonian and other institutions from around the world, in which they will investigate animals, plants, and physical processes of oceans and rivers.
[1] It also provides administrative and logistical management of the Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Program, that is based at the Carrie Bow Cay Field Station.
Other displays include living models of seagrass, mangrove, estuarine and nearshore habitats, as well as a deepwater Oculina coral reef.
There are several smaller aquarium displays and a touch tank where you can meet some local sea creatures.