You are invited to join The Whale Museum’s 2026 Marine Naturalist Training Programs. The Whale Museum (TWM) in Friday Harbor, WA, has been training marine naturalists since 1994. Our marine naturalist training course is an intensive multi-day overview of the natural history of the San Juan Islands and the marine waters of Washington and Southern British Columbia (known as the Salish Sea).

Class days will be full days, usually running from around 9:00 AM–4:30 PM Pacific Time. The upcoming Spring Session will be fully in-person (with a mixture of about 50% classroom lectures and 50% field trips). The Summer Session will be hybrid with a portion that is fully virtual (lectures) with an optional weekend of in-person field trips here on San Juan Island. 

The main focus of the training is the ecology, current status, and conservation of Southern Resident killer whales and other local marine species as well as discussions about the environments they live in. The course includes presentations on cetaceans, pinnipeds, otters, intertidal invertebrates, seabirds, and a variety of other topics such as geology and marine conservation. Presentations will be given by highly trained local naturalists, TWM staff, environmental educators, and scientists. 

Both sessions will be dynamic, high-quality experiences that leave graduates qualified as regional professionals or volunteer naturalists after completing 10 practicum hours. Clock hours are available. Hands-on learning and field identification will be emphasized during the field trips. 

For both the Spring Session and the field trip portion of the Summer Session, field trips will include activities such as a marine wildlife boat trip; birding; a geology hike; visits to San Juan County Land Bank/False Bay/West side areas and Lime Kiln Point State Park; intertidal life exploration; and tours of The Whale Museum and Lime Kiln Point State Park Lighthouse. 

The Spring Session will take place from April 14–19 and the Summer Session will take place from July 7–11 (virtual portion) and then July 24–26 (in-person field trips). If interested, you can find out more info (including pricing) and register on The Whale Museum website. Apply for Spring by April 7 and Summer by June 30. 

For the virtual portion of the Summer Session, a limited number of scholarships are available to college/graduate students. Any questions can be directed to Tracie Merrill at tracie@whalemuseum.org .