For centuries, humans have been drawn to the ocean's beauty and majesty, finding solace and inspiration in its vastness and power. This opening gallery is a metaphorical representation of the great body of water that covers more than 70% of our planet's surface and a reminder of our interconnectedness with the natural world. Beyond its physical presence, the ocean has also a deep connection with us as human beings. From the moment we are conceived in the womb we are surrounded by fluid, much like the saline environment of the ocean. Our bodies are made up of roughly 60% water and our mutual connection extends beyond our physical composition. As the birthplace of life on Earth, the ocean is part of our genetic makeup, and its rhythms and cycles are intertwined with our own. Source of both sustenance and a force of destruction, the ocean shapes the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world.
From the air we breathe to the food we eat, the ocean plays a critical role in our daily lives providing us with oxygen, regulating the climate, and supporting a vast array of marine and terrestrial species.
However, human activities such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change are threatening the ocean's health and its ability to sustain life as we know it. It calls on us to take responsibility for our actions and to work towards the protection of this fragile ecosystem for our own and future generations.