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For two generations, the human-occupied submersible Alvin has helped scientists expand human knowledge of the ocean and inspired countless to learn more about the ocean. This year, Alvin turns 50, and we want you to help us celebrate all summer long. Upcoming events »
Celebrate Milestones Meet AlvinHelp wish Alvin a happy birthday with a personalized message. Record a video of you and your friends singing “Happy Birthday” or describing what Alvin has meant to you and submit it here.
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Special events and activities will help you celebrate Alvin’s golden anniversary and learn more about deep-ocean exploration.
Show everyone how deep you are with the latest Alvin gear available at WHOI’s Ocean Science Exhibit Center and in our online store.
Coloring pages, puzzles, and more help introduce your future ocean scientists to the world of Alvin and the deep sea.
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Artists of all ages are invited to submit original art that celebrates Alvin’s 50th and the sub's most memorable discoveries.
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Throughout the summer WHOI's Ocean Science Exhibit Center will host a series of activities to celebrate Alvin’s 50th and its many accomplishments.
Download photos of Alvin and its discoveries from the past 50 years for your desktop or mobile device.
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Alvin is the nation's only human-occupied deep-sea research submersible. It is owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the national oceanographic community and was commissioned in 1964. Since then, Alvin has made more than 4,900 dives and has enabled dozens of new discoveries and countless insights into the way the ocean and our planet work.
The excitement of seeing a small portion of the Earth never seen before, or possibly ever again, keeps me looking forward to my next day at the bottom of the sea.
— Dudley Foster, Alvin Pilot (1974-2006)