If you have ever wondered what a copepod looks like, how DNA is extracted, or how the ocean is changing, next Friday you will have the opportunity to find out.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences will open its doors to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, August 1 for tours, hands-on activities, and the opportunity to ask ocean science experts questions. The event is free and open to the public and all are invited to attend.

“This has become an annual tradition that all of us here at Bigelow Laboratory, and we are looking forward to opening our doors very much,” says Dr. Graham Shimmield, executive director of the laboratory. “It’s a chance for us to engage with the public and share what we are learning about the ocean. The day provides for a great exchange of ideas. This year, it promises to be even better with more hands-on activities to allow adults and children to be a research scientist for a day.”

The laboratory at 60 Bigelow Drive in East Boothbay, will open at 10 a.m. and the public is welcome to visit through 3 p.m. Guided tours will be offered on the hour, with self-guided tours at other times. Hands-on activities include plankton tows from the dock, microscope viewing, and experiments that range from “Ocean Acidification in a Cup” to “Fishy DNA.” A complete listing is available at www.bigelow.org.