Tybee Island Marine Science Center

What Tybee Island Marine Science Center does

Tybee Island Marine Science Center (TIMSC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) marine science education and research center incorporated in 1990 and headquartered at 37 Meddin Drive on Tybee Island, Georgia. The organization operates a 3,500-square-foot exhibit gallery at North Beach with live animal exhibits, touch tanks, resident sea turtles, a right whale exhibit, and a Ship Watch Loft, and it runs programming on beach, marsh, and ocean ecosystems accessible from the site. It is state-permitted to manage five conservation programs including the Tybee Sea Turtle Project, the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, Diamondback Terrapin Research, Shore and Seabird Rescue, and Marine Mammal Stranding Response, and it hosts the first Station Keeper AIS-based live alert system on the U.S. East Coast for whale conservation in the Savannah River shipping channel. The organization engages approximately 90,000 visitors annually and has served nearly one million participants cumulatively, with 50,457 Title I students reached since 2011 via the Sidewalk to the Sea program.

TIMSC generates revenue through a diversified mix of consumer and institutional streams. Consumer revenue includes walk-in and online tickets via FareHarbor (Adults $15, Children 5–12 $12, under 5 free), annual memberships across Individual ($50), Family ($100), and North Atlantic ($250) tiers, fee-based guided programs ($22 Beach Ecology Walk, $25 Sea Turtle Nest Excavation, $25 Toddler Thursdays, $400 Sea Camp week), and an on-site Discovery Gift Shop. Institutional revenue includes corporate sponsorships (Enterprise Holdings, Georgia-Pacific, IKEA Distribution, Georgia Power, Colonial Oil, Bank of America Charitable Fund, Matson Navigation, Wet Willie's, Blackbaud, Don Callahan Real Estate), school district contracts (transportation and lunch coverage for Savannah-Chatham County Title I schools), scout badge programming, and tax-deductible donations including the $50 Adopt-a-Hatchling program. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the physical site (Wed–Mon 9:30AM–5PM) complemented by FareHarbor digital booking, and engagement is reinforced through a podcast ranked #5 on FeedSpot's Georgia education podcasts and active Facebook/Instagram channels.

Strategic positioning rests on a regulatory moat (state conservation permits), a 35-year community ecosystem (volunteer patrol pipeline, corporate sponsor network, embedded school district relationships), and a beachside North Beach location that cannot be replicated. Operational management is led by Executive Director Chantal Audran with directors of Operations, Programs, and Communications/Marketing, governed by a Board of Trustees headed by President Tim Mescon. The organization is independently operated with no parent company.

Name

Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Legal name

Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Website

https://tybeemarinescience.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tybee Island Marine Science Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) marine science education and research center on Tybee Island, Georgia, offering exhibits, hands-on programs, and state-permitted conservation work serving tourists, families, schools, and scouts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Science Education and Conservation

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sea Turtle Nesting & Hatchling Tours (regulated night walks) (THAAAIAI), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC), Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Marine science education
• Coastal conservation programs
• Wetland ecology tours
• Sea turtle rescue
• Environmental education field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Tybee Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: General admission tickets sold to visitors for entry to the science center exhibits and galleries. Adults $15, Children (ages 5-12) $12, kids 4 and under free.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership tiers providing free admission, guest passes, and discounts on programs and gift shop purchases. Tiers include Individual ($50), Family ($100), and North Atlantic ($250).
3. Sea Camp Program Fees: One-week summer camp programs for children ages 6-11, priced at $400 per camper.
4. Group Tour Programs: Group tours for up to 15 guests at $210 total, with additional guests at $18 per person. Includes guided gallery tour, beach or marsh walk, and sand sifting or seining activity.
5. Guided Program Fees: Additional fee-based programs including Beach Ecology Walk ($22), Sea Turtle Nest Excavation ($25), and Marsh Ecology Trek available with general admission.
6. Toddler Program Fees: Toddler Thursdays program at $25 including materials and admission for one grown-up.
7. Retail Sales: Discovery Gift Shop selling toys, games, gear, books, magnets, bags, shirts, and plushies.
8. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support the nonprofit mission of cultivating responsible stewardship of coastal Georgia's natural resources.
9. Adopt-a-Hatchling Program: $50 donation program supporting sea turtle conservation with certificate, sticker, trading card, and Wall of Heroes recognition.
10. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships funding exhibits and programs, with various sponsorship tiers available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tybee Island Marine Science Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) marine science education and research center that provides hands-on educational programs, live animal exhibits, and guided ecology experiences focused on coastal Georgia's marine ecosystems. The center sells general admission tickets, fee-based nature programs (beach ecology walks, sea turtle nest excavations, sea camp), annual memberships, and operates a gift shop, while conducting state-permitted animal conservation programs including sea turtle and marine mammal stranding response.

Product overview

Tybee Island Marine Science Center operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) marine science education and research center offering a unified visitor experience combining general admission access to live animal exhibits and galleries with fee-based educational programs. The core product is general admission providing access to the West and East galleries featuring live animal exhibits, touch tank, resident sea turtles, right whale exhibit with Station Keeper alert system, fossil room, and scenic viewing areas. Fee-based programs include guided tours, Beach Ecology Walk, Whale Tales, Turtle Talk, Marsh Ecology Trek, Sift N' Seine, Sea Turtle Nest Excavation, Sea Camp, and scout/school programs. Supporting offerings include annual memberships (Individual $50, Family $100, North Atlantic $250), Adopt-a-Hatchling sponsorship ($50), and a gift shop. The center also operates a podcast and conservation programs including the Tybee Sea Turtle Project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tybee Sea Turtle Project: Volunteer program for sea turtle nest monitoring, dawn patrol, and conservation efforts during nesting season.
• Open-Air Coastal Classroom

Products and services

• General Admission Standard entry ticket providing access to marine science center exhibits, galleries, and touch tank. Adults $15, Children (ages 5-12) $12, kids 4 and under free, Seniors & Military discounts available.
• Beach Ecology Walk Guided walk on Tybee's north beach led by marine science educators covering barrier island dynamics, intertidal zones, tide forces, sand dune formation, and wildlife identification. $22 per person, includes general admission; 1 hour; all ages.
• Whale Tales Lecture-based program about North American Right Whales covering anatomy, adaptations, life cycle, and conservation efforts. Includes visit to right whale exhibit and pier for dolphin watching. Recommended for ages 6+.
• Turtle Talk Program covering sea turtle anatomy, natural adaptations, why sea turtles cry, natal beaches, and Tybee Island's conservation efforts. Includes feeding session with loggerhead sea turtle.
• Marsh Ecology Trek Hands-on exploration through Georgia's salt marsh searching for fiddler crabs, snails, and other organisms. Teaches about marsh ecosystem functions as nursery, filter, and food source. Requires closed-toed shoes.
• Sift N' Seine Ocean experience pulling a ten-foot seine net through waist-deep water to catch, examine, and release marine life including pompanos, silversides, mullets, sea jellies, and crabs. Recommended for ages 9+.
• Sea Turtle Nest Excavation Limited 15-participant program observing Tybee Sea Turtle Project volunteers excavate recently hatched sea turtle nests. Includes presentation and visit with marine debris ambassador turtle. Available summer season. $25 per person, includes general admission.
• Sea Camp One-week summer day camp for ages 6-11 providing hands-on marine science experience including classroom instruction, beach activities, field trips, dolphin tours, dock lab, arts & crafts, seining, marsh exploration, and beach investigation. Monday-Friday 9:30AM-4PM, $400 per camper.
• Coastal Georgia Badge Program Two-hour scout program for Boy and Girl Scouts meeting state requirements for earning Coastal Georgia Badge. Includes gallery tour, ecology walk, and choice of sand sifting or seining activity.
• Sidewalk to the Sea Hands-on marine science program for kindergarten through fifth grade students in Savannah-Chatham County Title I elementary schools. Two-hour program covering beach, marsh, classroom, and Coastal Galleries with stewardship components aligned to Georgia Standards of Excellence. School district covers bus transportation and lunches; the center waives program delivery fees.
• Coastal Classroom School field trip program offering outdoor learning experiences with classroom, field, and coastal gallery modules. Programs align to Georgia Performance Standards. Popular combination includes Coastal Gallery Tour, Beach Ecology Walk, and Sand Sifting or Seining.
• Island Ecology Experience (Group Tours) Customized group experience for up to 15 guests including guided gallery tour and choice of beach or marsh ecology walk plus sand sifting or seining activity. $210 total cost, additional guests $18 each.
• Toddler Thursdays Weekly program for toddlers ages 1-4 and their grown-ups introducing marine animals through activities, book readings, crafts, and games. $25 program includes materials and admission for one adult.
• Guided Gallery Tour Private tour of galleries led by environmental educators with up-close animal encounters and in-person interactions with exhibits and conservation programs.
• Annual Memberships Year-round membership program with tiered levels: Individual ($50), Family ($100), and North Atlantic ($250). Benefits include free annual admission, guest passes, shop discounts, early registration, and exclusive member-only programs.
• Adopt-a-Hatchling Program Sea turtle conservation sponsorship program for $50 donation supporting nest protection and animal care. Includes certificate of sponsorship, sticker, trading card, and recognition on Wall of Heroes.
• Exhibits & Wildlife Live animal exhibits and interactive experiences including West Gallery with live animals, East Gallery with fossil exploration, touch tank with hermit crabs and sea stars, resident sea turtles, right whale exhibit featuring Smoke the model, fossil room, and Ship Watch Loft with whale alert system. Accessed via general admission.
• Discovery Gift Shop On-site and online gift shop offering toys, games, gear, books, magnets, bags, shirts, and plushies. Members receive 20% discount.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 million participants engaged since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Georgia Ports AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner related to maritime operations and whale conservation alert systems in the Savannah River channel.
• IFAW US InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Fund for Animal Welfare partner supporting marine mammal stranding response and conservation efforts.
• Matson Navigation CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShipping company partner related to whale conservation in shipping channels.
• Musimatic Electronics InccoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner potentially related to Station Keeper whale alert system.
• Tybee Island Light Station & MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Beach neighbor offering reciprocal discount: show TIMSC ticket for $1 off Lighthouse admission, or vice versa.
• Association of Nature Center Administrators Reciprocal ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal program giving TIMSC members free/discounted admission to dozens of science museums and educational centers across the country.
• Save Sea LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal environmental organization that provided satellite tracker for Westie the loggerhead sea turtle, enabling public tracking of her ocean travels.
• Georgia DNRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that trains and permits TIMSC volunteers for sea turtle nest relocation and stranding response programs.
• Georgia ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner featured in Right Whale documentary panel discussion and ongoing whale conservation efforts.
• Caretta Research ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit loggerhead sea turtle research program on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge with 54 years of monitoring data; featured in TIMSC podcast episodes.
• University of GeorgiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner conducting genetics work with Caretta Research Project, building paternal family trees from embryo DNA.
• OCEARCHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShark research organization featured in TIMSC Coastal Classroom Shark Trackers program for tracking activity and research data.
• Savannah-Chatham County Public School SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for Sidewalk to the Sea program covering bus transportation and student lunches; science center waives program delivery fees.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Caretta Research Project: A 54-year-old nonprofit loggerhead sea turtle monitoring program on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge near Savannah, with which TIMSC partners and cross-promotes. Comparable in sea turtle conservation mission and regional scope but does not operate a public-facing visitor center.
• Tybee Island Light Station & Museum: The neighboring historic lighthouse and museum on Tybee Island, which shares reciprocal admission discounts with TIMSC. Comparable as a Tybee-based tourist education attraction competing and cooperating for the same local visitor foot traffic.

Direct peers

• Marine Mammal Center: A California-based nonprofit specializing in marine mammal stranding response, rehabilitation, research, and public education, with comparable volunteer-driven conservation programs and an educational visitor experience.
• Loggerhead Marinelife Center: A Juno Beach, Florida-based nonprofit marine science center focused on sea turtle conservation, rehabilitation, education programs, and research, with a similar mix of admissions, summer camps, memberships, and volunteer-driven conservation. It is the closest operational and mission analog to TIMSC in scale and programming mix.
• Coastal Discovery Museum: A Hilton Head Island nonprofit nature and education center offering admission-based exhibits, guided beach and marsh walks, school programs, and membership tiers. Comparable as a coastal Carolina/Georgia-area nature education destination with similar seasonal tourism dynamics.
• Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education: A North Carolina coastal education center delivering school programs, family exhibits, and conservation-focused experiences tied to regional species. Comparable as a state-supported small-format nature education venue with K-12 programming emphasis.
• Marine Science Center (Daytona Beach): A small coastal Florida marine science and nature center offering live animal exhibits, sea turtle and seabird rehabilitation, school field trips, and membership programs. Directly comparable in facility footprint, programming, and nonprofit education-and-conservation model.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Aquarium: The largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, headquartered in Atlanta, offering marine exhibits, conservation programs, and educational outreach across Georgia. While far larger, it competes for the same regional education, field trip, and conservation partnership dollars.
• Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center: A mid-sized regional aquarium and marine science center in Virginia Beach with stranding response, school programs, memberships, and whale/seabird conservation work, operating at a larger scale but on a directly comparable education-and-conservation model.
• South Carolina Aquarium: A Charleston-based nonprofit aquarium and education facility serving a similar Southeast coastal visitor base with broader exhibit scale, sea turtle care, and school programming. Larger and more diversified but operates on the same nonprofit/education/conservation model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TybeeMarineScience
• Instagraminstagram.com/tybeemarinesciencecenter
• Xx.com/marinetybee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tybee-island-marine-science-center

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tybee Island Marine Science Center