São Sebastião

CEBIMar/USP is one of the most important marine biology research centers in Brazil and, at the same time, one of the most unique scientific-educational attractions on the northern coast of São Paulo — literally located by the sea, with direct access to the rocky shore and the beaches of Cabelo Gordo, within a State Environmental Protection Area.

Origin and History
The history begins on February 14, 1955, when the Foundation Institute of Marine Biology (IBM) was created at the initiative of a notable founding group: Professor Paulo Sawaya, Erasmo G. Mendes, Domingos Valente, George A. Edwards and João Paiva Carvalho, with the endorsement of USP Rector José Mello Morais. In 1980, with the reorganization of university statutes, the institute was transformed into an Inter-units Center and received its current name — CEBIMar — consolidating itself as a Specialized Institute of USP alongside bodies such as IEA and IEB.

Science and Research
CEBIMar hosts research lines covering botany, physiology, ecology and zoology of marine organisms, with large-scale projects such as the Marine Biodiversity Research Center (NPBiomar) and the Brazilian Coast Monitoring System (SiMCosta). Its laboratories are equipped with continuous seawater supply systems, light microscopy and molecular analyses — resources that attract researchers and graduate students from USP and national and foreign universities. The image bank Cifonauta (cifonauta.cebimar.usp.br) freely provides photographs and videos of marine organisms for worldwide scientific outreach.

Public Visitation
One of the most accessible faces of CEBIMar is its free Guided Visit Program, which welcomes groups of any age from Monday to Friday (except holidays), by prior scheduling. The visit lasts about 2 hours and includes:

Excursion to the beach and rocky shores — with explanations about the ecology of marine environments and the impacts they suffer

Plankton observation under a stereomicroscope — see the invisible to the naked eye

Tank area with running seawater — where it is possible to touch live marine organisms

Virtual reality — a new visitation space with immersive videos about the marine ecosystem

The entire surrounding area — beaches, rocky shores and forests — is a state conservation unit, with a total ban on fishing, hunting and collecting animals and plants.

Contact Information

Address: Rua do Riacho, s/n — Pitangueiras, São Sebastião (ZIP 11612-109)

Phone: (12) 3862-8450

Website: cebimar.usp.br

Instagram: @cebimar_usp

Visitation: Free | Mon–Fri (except holidays) | By appointment only

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