OPAS Program: Olympic Coast Exploration Center—Design in Progress!

OPAS Program: Olympic Coast Exploration Center—Design in Progress! Presenter: Melissa Williams, Executive Director of Olympic Coast Exploration Center Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. | Dungeness River Nature Center Free to attend; donations appreciated Note: Come early for cookies! Join us as Melissa Williams shares the latest design plans for the Olympic Coast Exploration Center (OCEC), including its signature live seabird exhibit. Melissa will highlight how the OCEC team is using conservation-minded design—bird-friendly glass, shielded lighting, and thoughtful landscaping, water, and energy choices—to support the wellbeing of birds and reduce human impacts. Melissa, Executive Director of Feiro Marine Life Center and former Vice President of Learning at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, is guiding Feiro’s evolution into this new aquarium and education center. She’ll also discuss how the OCEC will expand opportunities for community science, conservation, and connection to our coastal environment. Learn More Photo: Tufted Puffins by Dow Lambert