On Dec. 13, the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum will host the grand opening of CERCA St. Thomas, a new science and safety center, with a free community event from 1 to 3 p.m.
CERCA, the Center for Education about Risks both Coastal and Aquatic, is designed to help families understand local environmental and marine hazards. Visitors will explore hands-on exhibits, preparedness stations, and demonstrations led by scientists and emergency officials. Grant funding will provide free admission not only for the grand opening but also for multiple CERCA events throughout 2026.
“At CERCA, hazard experts — including scientists, professors and local stakeholders — will engage visitors through live talks, multimedia resources and interactive activity tables,” said Amber McCammon, CEO of the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum and CERCA St. Thomas. “Guests of all ages will be able to deepen their knowledge of environmental risks and hazard-mitigation strategies while taking part in fun activities and even earning prizes.”
The center’s exhibits will give children and families practical, science-based tools for understanding hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, earthquakes, sargassum and other hazards that regularly affect the territory. Displays focus on preparedness, hazard awareness and how to interpret real-world data in ways that are locally relevant.
Visitors at the opening will meet scientists and hazard professionals from the Caribbean Green Technology Center, the Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System, Ocean Coastal Observing–Virgin Islands, VITEMA and other regional partners. Scheduled speakers include Regina Browne, VITEMA’s deputy director of planning and preparedness; oceanographers Roy Watlington and Lincoln Critchley of OCOVI; and representatives from CARICOOS in Puerto Rico, who will discuss local environmental conditions and the importance of coastal and aquatic safety.
After the opening, the museum will host CERCA Saturdays throughout 2026, offering free open houses on nationally recognized math and science days such as Pi Day (March 14), Infinity Day (Aug. 8), Worldwide Day of Play (tentative, Sept. 19) and Fibonacci Day (Nov. 21).
“Our CERCA Saturdays will align with other major math days happening all over the world,” McCammon said. Sessions will include guest scientists, demonstrations, hands-on activities and lessons connecting math, environmental science and hazard literacy. Children will learn to read wave and wind trackers, interpret oceanographic data and use early-warning tools commonly relied on by fishers, surfers and emergency personnel.
“A lot of our fishermen and surfers are accessing this information all the time. It is free, and CERCA St. Thomas is going to be showing people what these tools are and where they can access them on a daily basis,” McCammon said.
The new St. Thomas center joins four existing CERCA centers in Puerto Rico and is the first in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The initiative is funded through NOAA and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, with additional support from partners including the International Tsunami Information Center, the National Weather Service, Caribbean GeoTech Center, and other organizations.
For 2025, McCammon said CERCA St. Thomas will rely largely on infographics, videos and other materials already developed for CERCA sites in Puerto Rico, allowing the program to “hit the ground running.” Beginning in 2026, the museum plans to pursue new grants and partnerships to create content tailored specifically to the Virgin Islands, including local maps, charts and action plans that reflect the territory’s own hazards.
“The long-term goal is to keep building partnerships and resources that really help our children, families, and the wider community learn more,” McCammon said, noting that plans also include offering content in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole to better serve the territory’s multilingual community.
McCammon said early hazard education is essential because it reduces fear and panic during real emergencies. She said that with practiced knowledge, like knowing evacuation points or how to respond to earthquakes and tsunamis, children and families are far less likely to freeze or react unpredictably
McCammon said the CERCA classroom inside the museum will also serve as a pop-up learning space for school groups, summer camps and other visitors. Staff can open the room during field trips or special visits to introduce students to safety tools and hold guided discussions. In addition to these pop-ups, the museum will host free open-house days to “welcome as many people as possible.”
She emphasized that CERCA St. Thomas and VICM are designed to broaden access for the territory’s parents and children. Free admission for both the grand opening and future CERCA events will help to remove financial barriers. “So many people think everything’s for the tourists, but we are very much here for the locals,” McCammon said, noting that more than 80% of museum visitors in 2024 were local children and families.
Overall, CERCA’s educational programming will cover topics relevant to the Virgin Islands, including coastal erosion, storm surge, hurricane formation, tsunamis, flooding, earthquakes, sargassum, and water safety. Families will learn to interpret vital oceanographic data and understand evacuation routes, safety maps, and the role of local ecosystems like seagrasses, coral reefs, and mangroves in protecting the community. The curriculum also addresses the impacts of native, naturalized, and invasive species on environmental resilience.
McCammon said that by giving the community inclusive, hands-on learning opportunities, CERCA St. Thomas will help residents better understand local environmental risks. “The information and hands-on interactive content that community members can engage with at CERCA will deepen their understanding of local environmental risks and contribute to a more resilient and prepared Virgin Islands,” she said.
