About the MaST Center Aquarium
Mission Statement
To promote understanding, appreciation, and preservation of the marine environment through hands-on research, education, and community activities that highlights the beauty, complexity, and importance of the South Puget Sound ecosystem.
Historical Overview of the MaST Center
1960s – 1990s
The Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center was first built in the 1960’s by Highline College for an Undersea Diving Program. This program taught students to be commercial divers. Graduates of the program traveled the world and have worked in many distant, and sometimes not so distant, locales. The program was phased out in the early 1990’s and the facility was closed.
1990s – 2003
In the mid 1990’s, several instructors brought students down to the facility to gain direct interaction with the marine environment. The facility was used to support Puget Sound water quality research, and as a biology lab for Highline College. At that point there was no running water or working computers.
2003
Over the next several years, Highline and multiple work parties cleaned up the facility, painted the aquarium building, and installed the first generation of our tanks, which were either built or found as surplus from other facilities. In 2003, the MaST Center was officially opened as a teaching center for Highline College. Plans to renovate for a new facility began.
2006
The MaST Center was closed for construction in 2006. Highline College began renovations to make the facility a permanent fixture of the school. The old MaST Center was dismantled and cleared out and the animals were released or taken to the Seattle Aquarium.
June 16, 2008
After the complete remodels, the MaST Center official re-opened its brand new facility. The new aquarium was expanded to hold over 3,000 gallons of water in various tanks, and designed with an open flow through system that pumps approximately 250 gallons of sea water per minute through the system. This means each tank receives a 100% water change at least every 10 minutes. THe facility is entirely ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) compliant and was built to be a vibrant community resource.
Before Renovation
After Renovation
Present Day
Now operating as a multi-purpose facility, the new and improved MaST Center Aquarium now has many new attractive features:
- An aquarium containing approximately 3,000 gallons of sea water in multiple tanks which display over 250 native Puget Sound species.
- A 38 foot Gray Whale skeleton mounted in the entrance of the main facility.
- A classroom and laboratory for college level courses available to students of Highline College. These students also have the opportunity to get involved in volunteer opportunities, work study programs, and partake in internships.
- Research space with a flow through seawater pump system available for scientific experiments.
Events and Community Involvement
The MaST Center Aquarium also hosts frequent events that allow any member of the community to experience the facility:
- Community members are welcome to enjoy the MaST Center Aquarium for Discovery Days on Saturdays for free
- A yearly summer day camp is available to ages 8-14 years old.
- Volunteer opportunities are readily available to the public through the MaST Center Aquarium, including but not limited to participation on the Marine Mammal Stranding Team, hosting outreach booths and more!
