On a winter trip out from central Tianjin to Binhai, the first thing you may notice at the National Maritime Museum is the silver-gray roof projecting over the plaza. Inside, give two galleries your attention. Start with a question: what can a preserved shell tell you about an ancient sea, and what can a fish's body tell you about the ocean today?
Start small in the Ancient Ocean gallery
Find 远古海洋 on the museum map and spend time with the fossils and timeline. When you spot a patterned shell, follow its markings with your eyes before reading the label. Check its name, age and whether you are seeing a specimen or a reconstruction. With children, each of you can choose one object to remember and describe its shape in your own words. You will have something specific to compare with what you see next.
Look up in the Ocean Today gallery
In 今日海洋, find a suspended specimen or model. Stand back to take in its shape, then move closer to look at its mouth, fins and tail. Read which part of the ocean it lives in and compare it with another animal nearby. If the children still want to see skeletons, add 龙的时代 to the route and use the labels to tell apart the creatures of the sea, land and sky.
Plan the return from Binhai before setting out
Check the museum's current booking instructions, entry slots and gallery openings, including separate arrangements for any special exhibition you want to see. Allow time for travel both ways if coming from central Tianjin. If someone in your group tires easily, choose two galleries and take a seated break between them. On a windy day, spend your walking time indoors and confirm the return station or pickup point before stepping outside.
