A new museum exhibit that highlights creatures in the deep sea

The “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” exhibit at Harvard University’s Museum of Natural History looks at creatures deep beneath the sea.

The World

October 29, 2025

By Hannah Chanatry

What comes to mind when you think of a sea monster? Serpents? Loch Ness? The shark in Jaws, perhaps?

What about the creatures in the deep sea, more than a thousand feet down, where the sunlight doesn’t reach? Are they certified monsters? Or just creatures we don’t yet understand?

A new exhibit at Harvard University’s Museum of Natural History wrestles with the question of what is real versus imagined beneath the sea. It’s called “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination,” and it’s the brainchild of Harvard marine scientist Peter Girguis.

Harvard Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Peter Girguis visits the exhibit “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” at the Harvard Museum of Natural History at Harvard University.Courtesy of Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard University

This series of images captures some highlights from the exhibit.

A child looks at a display at the “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” exhibit at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History.Courtesy of Tony Rinaldo

Johnson’s Abyssal Seadevil (Melanocetus johnsonii), a deep sea fish found in the Atlantic Ocean, is recognized for its distinct appearance. This female specimen, identifiable by its size and structure, can grow over 15 cm, with sharp teeth and a lure for capturing prey. Observed during RV Sonne, Cruise SO285, South Atlantic Ocean, in the Benguela upwelling region off the coast of South Africa and Namibia.Courtesy of Solvin Zankl

A wall of maps is on display at the “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” exhibit at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.Courtesy of Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard University

A Map Of Cape Cod (1926), created by Mélanie Elizabeth Leonard of Massachusetts.Courtesy of the Harvard Map Collection, Harvard Library

A child points to a display at the “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” exhibit at Harvard University’s Museum of Natural History.Courtesy of Tony Rinaldo

Victor Nehlig (1830–1909) was a French painter known for his dramatic and narrative scenes. This illustration shows a giant squid attacking a boat, depicting the dangerous encounter between humans and a sea monster, with the crew fighting for their lives.Illustration by Victor Nehlig

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