Noyo Ocean Science Center

A transformative coastal hub for science, sustainability, and community renewal.

The Noyo Ocean Science Center (OSC) is a visionary 47,000-square-foot project that will serve as a year-round destination for research, education, and public engagement along California’s Mendocino coast. EHDD is providing architectural and interior design services for this ground-up facility, which is being developed on a restored former mill site overlooking 90 acres of coastal parkland and the California Coastal Trail.

The Noyo Ocean Science Center will support marine research, coastal resilience, and regional revitalization. Program elements include marine research laboratories, a marine mammal triage center, interactive aquaria, and tidal exhibits. A highlight of the public experience will be a 73-foot articulated blue whale skeleton displayed as a centerpiece of the interpretive exhibits. The building will also include a lecture hall, flexible classrooms, a café, outdoor gathering areas, and a blue economy incubator to support sustainable marine industries.

Designed to be net-zero energy and environmentally resilient, the campus demonstrates best practices in coastal adaptation and regenerative development. Beyond its scientific impact, the project will provide significant economic and social value to the community—reclaiming a previously inaccessible stretch of coastline and generating local jobs and tourism for the first time in over four decades.

The Noyo Ocean Science Center is more than a facility—it is a landmark investment in the future of Fort Bragg and its relationship to the ocean.