The exhibition is divided into four themed sections – One Ocean, The Climate Engine, Biodiversity and Ocean Anomalies – which help visitors explore the connections that regulate the ocean system. They each add a layer of understanding, showing how seemingly unrelated phenomena are all part of a single system. Every section opens with a visual essay that uses audio-visual storytelling to make these complex topics accessible, with supporting materials like photographs, maps, objects, data, infographics and multimedia content used to further support visitors’ understanding.

Case studies, showcased through reproductions and 3D models, provide even greater insight; these real, scientifically important examples turn theoretical ideas into empirical evidence, clarifying their meaning and implications. Each section concludes with the presentation of a SEA BEYOND project, which turns the content visitors have just explored into tangible actions for ocean conservation, spanning research, education and regenerative practices.

Designed to encourage younger generations to engage with the themes of the ocean and climate, the Ocean&Climate Village is particularly aimed at children of all ages, with an accessible layout that provides different levels of detail. Exhibition tables at a range of heights encourage adults and children to enjoy the materials together.

The One Ocean section introduces the idea of the ocean as a single, unbroken and interconnected global system, moving beyond the traditional representation of the seas as separate basins. The Spilhaus Projection, a map that places the ocean at the centre of how the planet is depicted, provides the key to understanding the entire exhibition, inviting visitors to adopt a new perspective on the relationships between the ocean, landmasses and human activities. One of the items on display is a 3D reproduction of the blue crab, a species originally from the North American Atlantic coast but now also found in the Po Delta, demonstrating the connections between marine ecosystems, environmental changes and human activities.

In The Climate Engine, the exhibition delves deeper into the role the ocean plays in regulating the Earth’s climate, illustrating the processes through which it absorbs and redistributes heat, stores carbon and moisture and contributes to the planet’s climatic balance, while also underlining the impact of human activities on this delicate equilibrium. The section also recreates an element of the field research conducted by the scientific team of Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari’s Follow the Ice project, which carries out ice-core drilling on glaciers in the Alps, the Arctic and the Himalayas. A hand-operated ice corer and a replica ice core, whose stratigraphy visitors can explore, bring the public closer to one of the most valuable archives for understanding the evolution of the climate.

Biodiversity explores the richness of marine ecosystems and the relationships that support ocean life, highlighting the role biodiversity plays in keeping the entire ocean system balanced. The display includes biological specimens that offer visitors a close-up look at the biodiversity of the deep ocean. In addition, photographs taken during the research of marine biologist and SEA BEYONDer Giovanni Chimienti show deep-water corals, which inhabit dark, cold, high-pressure environments.

The exhibition ends with Ocean Anomalies, dedicated to the transformations affecting marine environments today. This section tackles phenomena like warming waters, acidification, deoxygenation and rising sea levels, inviting the public to reflect on the consequences of human activities and the challenges of ocean conservation. It includes an immersive sonic experience that allows visitors to listen to the natural sounds of the sea, and a life-size installation dedicated to tropical coral ecosystems, which are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. 
The structure, which reproduces a section of coral reef, narrates the work carried out by Coral Gardeners to restore and regenerate the reefs.

Educational workshops, inspired by the principles of Ocean Literacy and designed as a natural extension of the exhibition visit, complement the event programme.

They aim to turn participants’ knowledge into direct experience and to foster a more mindful relationship with the ocean. Run by the SEA BEYONDers ̶ Goodwill Ambassadors of the project ̶ Enzo Barracco, Valentina Gottlieb, Carmelo Isgrò and Elisabetta Zavoli, the workshops focus on four complementary actions – observation, description, connection and representation – offering participants a variety of tools and languages for exploring the sea and understanding its value.

Activities range from observing organisms that contribute to the balance of marine life under the microscope to storytelling, which turns emotions and testimonies into tales that can bring about change; and from movement inspired by the rhythms of the ocean to artistic experimentation through cyanotype. These varied experiences enable participants to explore the marine environment through different languages and to understand the role that each of us can play in safeguarding ecosystems.

The programme also features contributions from Luna Rossa and Fondazione Prada with Accademia dei bambini. Luna Rossa entertains youngsters with a workshop dedicated to marine knots, a symbol of nautical knowledge passed down through the generations, while Fondazione Prada with Accademia dei bambini helps the children of Cagliari discover the invisible world hidden inside a drop of water, combining art and science in a workshop codesigned with the IOC.

The visitor experience is further enhanced by an outdoor photo exhibition by climate artist and SEA BEYONDer Enzo Barracco that is displayed around the outer perimeter of the Ocean&Climate Village, featuring a selection of images from his books THE SKIN OF ROCK | GALÁPAGOS and The Blue on Fire: Hawaii. His portrayal of the ecosystems of the Galápagos and Hawaii invites visitors to observe the wealth of natural heritage and to reflect on the importance of protecting it.

Following the strong interest generated by the opening day, the Ocean&Climate Village will remain open to the public until October 15, 2026, every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

With thanks to the following organisations for their collaboration: the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT) of the University of Milano-Bicocca; MEDSEA Foundation; the University of Cagliari (UNICA); Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari; the Department for Urban Ecology, Environment and Public Green Spaces and the Department for Public Education Services, Youth Policies and Equal Opportunities of the Municipality of Cagliari; and the SEA BEYOND Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Connecting People and Ocean

SEA BEYOND is a project by Prada Group conducted in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO since 2019 to raise awareness of sustainability and ocean preservation, contributing to the progress of ocean education on a global scale through a series of training initiatives for younger generations. Since its debut, the educational program has shared the principles of ocean literacy with more than 38,000 students around the world. Moreover, the “Kindergarten of the Lagoon” project – outdoor education activities for preschool children in Venice – was launched in 2023 to create links between kids and the lagoon ecosystem. While the main focus remains education, SEA BEYOND has recently extended its scope to new areas of focus: support for scientific research, community engagement activities and policy advocacy dedicated to the ocean. The commitment was further reinforced in 2025 with the launch of the SEA BEYOND – Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Connecting People and Ocean, designed to mobilize financial resources from a broad coalition of partners to help restore the relationship between humanity and the ocean. As of July 2023, 1% of the proceeds from the Prada Re-Nylon for SEA BEYOND Collection benefit SEA BEYOND. The list of products in this Collection is available at www.prada.com. 

Through SEA BEYOND, Prada Group has also trained its more than 14,000 employees worldwide on ocean literacy principles via VR educational content and the AWorld app, the official platform selected by the United Nations to live more sustainably.