8 Museums of the Deep Sea

Have you closed the hatch? We're below deck on the HMAS Onslow, a Cold War submarine of the Royal Australian Navy. This submarine is kitted out for long patrols and special missions, but these days it sits above water in Sydney Harbour, the highlight of the museums' exhibits. The submarine is in nearly working condition, so how about you take a look around. Just don't touch the control panel!

Did you know there's a Smithsonian in Florida? The St. Lucie County Aquarium is home to the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit. Habitats from the deep Atlantic ocean to the shallow waters of the Indian River Lagoon are represented in fish tanks and models.

Located on the historic Stearns Wharf of Santa Barbara, California, the interactive exhibits of this museum of natural history offer everyone the chance to encounter a bewildering variety of sea life up close.

As you enter London's Natural History Museum, you're greeted by the skeleton of a gigantic blue whale - believed to be the largest animal that has ever existed. The museum is also home to many of the aquatic specimens collected by Charles Darwin on his famous Beagle voyage.

For centuries the people of the city of Stralsund, on the north eastern coast of Germany, have roved the frigid Baltic sea. At the city's Ozeaneum you can learn how the sea was used for trading and fishing, and how scientists unlocked the secrets of its depths.