Ocean Wise brings whales to Fraser Valley libraries

July 23, 2026: Have you ever held a real whalebone, or asked an ocean expert what you can do to help BC’s whale population? This summer, families across the Fraser Valley can find out for free, as Ocean Wise brings its ‘Wonderful Whales’ tour to libraries in the Fraser Valley.

The Ocean Wise Mobile Education team is visiting 19 branches of the Fraser Valley Regional Library from July 27 to August 7, offering a free, all-ages program built around whales, the ocean, and the animals that call the Pacific coast home. 

Each stop opens with a 20-minute interactive presentation exploring why whales are critical to ocean health, why they hold deep cultural significance for many Indigenous nations across Canada, and how everyday threats like noise pollution, overfishing, and vessel strikes put them at risk. Families then move to hands-on Marine Mammals and Pacific Northwest artifact stations, where Ocean Wise educators help them explore real ocean-inspired artifacts and ask questions about the connections between whales, marine life, and healthy ecosystems.

No registration is required, and admission is free. The tour is sponsored by the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL).

Tour schedule:

July

• Abbotsford Community Library | July 27, 10am | 33355 Bevan Avenue, Abbotsford
• Aldergrove Library | July 27, 2pm | 26770 29 Ave, Aldergrove
• Pitt Meadows Public Library | July 28, 10am | 200-12099 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows
• Maple Ridge Public Library | July 28, 2pm | 130-22470 Dewdney Trunk Road, Maple Ridge
• White Rock Library | July 29, 11am | 15342 Buena Vista Avenue, White Rock
• Port Coquitlam (Terry Fox Library) | July 29, 2:30pm | 2150 Wilson Avenue, Port Coquitlam
• Mission Library | July 30, 10am | 33247 Second Avenue, Mission
• Clearbrook Library | July 30, 2pm | 32320 George Ferguson Way, Abbotsford
• North Delta (George Mackie Library) | July 31, 11am | 8440 112th Street, Delta
• Tsawwassen Library | July 31, 3pm | 1321A 56th Street, Delta

August

• City of Langley Library | August 4, 10am | 20399 Douglas Crescent, Langley
• Willowbrook (Muriel Arnason Library) | August 4, 2pm | 6470 201 St, Langley
• Sardis Library | August 5, 10am | 5819 Tyson Road, Chilliwack
• Chilliwack Library | August 5, 2pm | 45860 First Avenue, Chilliwack
• Fort Langley Library | August 6, 10am | 23430 Mavis Avenue, Fort Langley
• Murrayville Library | August 6, 2pm | 100-22071 48th Avenue, Langley
• Agassiz Library | August 7, 11am | 7140 Cheam Avenue, Agassiz
• Hope Library | August 7, 3pm | 1005 6th Ave, Hope

“Hands-on learning is one of the most powerful ways to build a connection to the ocean,” said Samantha Guerard Dimitraki, Manager of Education, Ocean Wise. “When a child gets to hold a real whalebone or ask an educator a question, ocean conservation stops being an abstract idea and becomes something they want to be part of. Programs like this allow us to build a future where more people are ready to take action for a healthy and flourishing ocean.” 

Find the full details for the tour here: https://ocean.org/event/fraser-valley-library-tour/

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About Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise is a global conservation organization on a mission to build communities that take meaningful action to protect and restore our ocean. Through research, education, innovation, and collaboration, we are turning the tide on three major ocean challenges: plastic pollution, overfishing and climate change. By creating communities of concern that include industries, governments, and everyday citizens, we create a future where our ocean and the people who depend on it can thrive.