Program Evaluation Climate Change and the Oceans: From Awareness to Action

PROGRAM EVALUATION OF Climate Change and the Oceans Initiative: From Awareness to Action [2011] Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA The Monterey Bay Aquarium contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to evaluate four new programs that were part of the Climate Change and the Ocean Initiative: From Awareness to Action. To increase awareness of the impact of climate change on the oceans, the Aquarium developed three live shows and trained guides to engage visitors in discussions about the issue. The guide-visitor interactions occurred in Hot Pink Flamingos: Stories of Hope in a Changing Sea, a 7,000-foot special exhibition (5,092 sq. ft. of public space) that explores how climate change is affecting ocean life and recommends changes to help solve the climate crisis. Two outdoor theatrical presentations for young children and their families presented, through song and dance, ways that small lifestyle changes can have a big impact, while the 15-minute auditorium show presented inventions inspired by ocean life that can help people take action to reduce carbon pollution. This evaluation documents the effectiveness of the new programs against the Aquarium's goals and objectives and identifies other significant findings that may affect future projects.