Children brought marine life to paper at the Matís booth, and one lucky winner will see their artwork featured in the upcoming BioProtect comic book.
On Saturday, 26 September 2026, Researchers’ Night in Iceland opened the doors of science to families and curious minds of all ages. As part of the BioProtect project, Matís hosted a drawing competition for children at its booth, inviting young visitors to share how they see the ocean and the creatures that live in it.
Under the message “Verndum hafið” (“Let’s protect the ocean”), the Matís booth was busy throughout the event. Children gathered around the tables with baskets of markers and blank paper. They drew puffins, fish, squid, seabirds and colourful underwater scenes. Parents and grandparents stopped by to learn more about the project, and the young artists showed great imagination and enthusiasm for marine life.
Children’s artwork on display at Matís
The competition continues after the event. All the children’s drawings are now on display in the hallways of Matís, turning the corridors into a small gallery of ocean art. Matís staff are voting for their favourite artwork, and the winning drawing will be selected based on the votes received.
A prize for a future ocean guardian
The first-prize winner will receive a digital microscope camera, a tool that lets young explorers take a closer look at the natural world. Their drawing will also be featured in the upcoming BioProtect comic book, which will introduce children to ocean biodiversity and why it is worth protecting.
Inspiring the next generation
Activities like this show how science communication can start with a sheet of paper and a handful of coloured pens. By inviting children to draw the ocean, BioProtect and Matís gave young people a creative way to connect with marine biodiversity and to think about why healthy seas matter for all of us.
We warmly thank all the children who took part, their families, and the Matís team for organising this activity. Stay tuned: the winning drawing will be announced soon.
