Join us as we celebrate 150 years of Botanical Surveys on Penikese Island!
Discover how this small island has played an outsized role in shaping American biology and continues to inspire environmental stewardship and scientific inquiry to this day.
Event Information
Join us for a reception at the Marine Biological Laboratory to celebrate and share a remarkable story of local botanical history. Hosted by the Penikese Island School, showcasing our new mission of environmental education for all ages.
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
5:30pm - 7:00pm
MBL Meigs Room in Swope
FREE EVENT​: Food + drink, plants + history!
Questions? Email info@penikese.org
Vicia cracca (Bird Vetch) specimen collected on Penikese, July 1923
The Birthplace of American Field Biology
In 1873, Penikese Island became home to the Anderson School of Natural History, establishing itself as the first field station in the United States. This pioneering institution laid the groundwork for hands-on, observational science that would influence generations of researchers.
Anderson School of Natural History on Penikese, circa 1874
A Legacy of Scientific Discovery
Did you know that botanical surveys have been conducted on Penikese Island for 150 years? This remarkable continuity of scientific observation provides an invaluable record of ecological changes over time, offering crucial insights into environmental shifts and species distribution.
A Catalyst for Scientific Institutions
The impact of the Anderson School extended far beyond its brief existence. Alumni, inspired by their experiences on Penikese, went on to found several prestigious scientific institutions:
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Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, MA)
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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Cold Spring Harbor, NY)
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Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station (Pacific Grove, CA)
It's truly incredible that just two summers on Penikese Island sparked such a profound and lasting impact on American scientific research!
Continuing the Legacy
​The spirit of scientific inquiry and that began with the Anderson School of Natural History in 1873 lives on through the Penikese Island School's current immersive environmental education programming.
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Field Trips: Local Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard students discover the unique ecology and natural history of Penikese Island, deepening their connection to this coastal region. As they explore the island's rich ecosystems, they echo the work of early marine biologists who once studied here.
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Summer STEAM Camp: Our camp inspires the next generation of female scientists, carrying forward the pioneering spirit of the island's early researchers.
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Hands-on Field Studies with MBL undergraduates: Students engage in ecological research, continuing the tradition of immersive, experiential learning established 150 years ago.
We invite students of all ages to be part of this ongoing story, where every visit to Penikese is an opportunity to contribute to a 150-year tradition of learning and discovery.
The Penikese-MBL Connection
​The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Penikese Island share a rich, intertwined history that spans nearly 150 years. This connection exemplifies the enduring impact of Penikese's role in shaping American biology.
"If the Penikese school may be said to have died with its master, it was, as everyone must concede, the inauguration of a new era in our system of education, and the opening of this Laboratory bears witness to our enduring faith in the same idea."
MBL’s First Annual Report, 1888
​The MBL's founding in 1888 was a collaborative effort involving multiple scientists, educators, and organizations. Alumni of the Anderson School of Natural History on Penikese Island played important parts in the MBL' history, carrying forward the vision of hands-on, field-based biological research. Charles Otis Whitman was the first director of the MBL, Charles Sedgwick Minot was an incorporator and a trustee, and William Keith Brooks was also a trustee.
Women in Science
Another exceptional feature of the Anderson School on Penikese was its coeducational nature, providing women with post-baccalaureate education when it was not a formal option for them. About one third of the students at the Anderson School were women.
Cornelia Clapp was another Anderson School student and pioneering figure at the MBL. Her experience on Penikese was profound and liberating. Clapp was a zoology researcher and an influential teacher. She was the first woman to earned a Ph.D. in biology in the United States and was the first female researcher at the MBL. Clapp also served as the institution’s librarian and trustee.​
"I had an opening of doors at Penikese.
I looked and saw a thousand new doors. Everybody was talking. Discussions in every corner... I felt my mind going in every direction. I had never heard much theoretical discussion before... I had a turn about face the next year after Penikese. I wanted to teach then."
Cornelia Clapp, interview 1921
Cornelia Clapp with zoology lab students at Mount Holyoke College, 1890
Botany and Botanical Surveys
​For many years, the MBL Botany courses conducted surveys on Penikese Island, maintaining a continuous thread of scientific inquiry that began with the Anderson School. Penikese served as an invaluable outdoor laboratory for MBL researchers and students, offering unique opportunities for ecological and botanical studies.​
Photo Gallery: MBL Botany Class field studies trip to Penikese, 1951
​Both the Anderson School of Natural History and the MBL have championed the principles of experiential learning with a strong marine focus. The proximity to diverse marine ecosystems was foundational for the Anderson School, and it continues to be a cornerstone for research at the MBL as well as for current educational programs on Penikese Island.
Today, the Penikese Island School continues this tradition of experiential environmental education, while the MBL stands at the forefront of biological research.
This event celebrates not just 150 years of botanical surveys, but also the enduring scientific legacy and connection between MBL and Penikese Island. As we gather at the MBL for this celebration, we honor the visionaries who saw the potential in a small island to revolutionize biological education and research. Their legacy lives on in every student who sets foot on Penikese and every researcher who makes a breakthrough at the MBL.
MBL Botany Class collecting specimens on Penikese Island, 1895