Tampa, FL — June 16, 2009 - Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), pioneers in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration is pleased to announce its SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure exhibit will next drop anchor at Discovery Place in Charlotte, NC starting July 4, 2009. The exhibit will run through January 31, 2010, in the museum's newly-renovated, traveling exhibition hall.

In Odyssey's SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure exhibit, children and adults plunge into an interactive journey to learn about the history of some of the world's most fascinating shipwrecks while learning about the research, search, archaeological recovery and conservation techniques Odyssey uses in its quest to discover sunken treasures. Fascinating artifacts recovered by Odyssey from deep-ocean shipwreck sites bring to life the stories of sailors, passengers and the ships that carried them in ages past.

"We're thrilled to bring SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure to Discovery Place, which is one of the top science museums in the country," said John Longley, Director of Business Development for Odyssey Marine Exploration, "We're looking forward to presenting the research, archaeology and technology behind our shipwreck expeditions and sharing the artifacts and treasures we've recovered from the SS Republic and other shipwrecks with Discovery Place visitors. With North Carolina's rich shipwreck history, as well as plans for Odyssey to resume work on the North Carolina shipwreck project "Firefly" later this year, Discovery Place is a perfect match to host Odyssey's SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure"

At the SHIPWRECK! exhibit, guests can test their dexterity by picking up coins using a manipulator arm similar to the one on Odyssey's own Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ZEUS, experiencing the thrill of identifying artifacts as they are located on the sea floor. As visitors navigate through the exhibit, they get a taste of what it feels like to be on a deep-ocean expedition. They learn about the science and technology involved in the quest for deep-sea treasures and even battle the forces of nature in a 75-mph hurricane tube. Those that are brave enough can walk the plank to get an up-close look at the world of pirates, including the legend of North Carolina's own Blackbeard.

"SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure is the perfect exhibition to debut in the renovated section of the Museum," said John Mackay, president and CEO for Discovery Place. "This exhibition blends cutting-edge science with real-world history which is indicative of the kind of topical science we plan to present in this transformation of the new Discovery Place."

Authentic artifacts from many different shipwrecks are displayed in the exhibit, but the spotlight is on the treasures and artifacts of the SS Republic, which represented the greatest shipwreck treasure of the Civil War era. The Republic sank in 1865 while transporting a fortune in gold and silver and much needed supplies to rebuild the war-ravaged South.

Odyssey discovered the shipwreck of the Republic nearly 1,700 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 2003 and recovered more than 51,000 gold and silver coins, and approximately 14,000 additional artifacts in the world's most extensive deep-ocean archaeological excavation.

In conjunction with Odyssey's SHIPWRECK! exhibit, Discovery Place will feature several artifacts from one of North Carolina's most famous shipwrecks, Blackbeard's flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge on loan from the Knights of the Black Flag exhibition, currently featured at the North Carolina History Museum. A simultaneous display of SS Republic artifacts will be showcased at the History Museum of North Carolina. This artifact display loan between the History Museum North Carolina, North Carolina Maritime Museum and Discovery Place is made possible through Odyssey's partnership with Intersal, Inc., who discovered Queen Anne's Revenge along the North Carolina coast at Beaufort Inlet in 1996.

SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure is on display at Discovery Place from July 4, 2009-Jan. 31, 2010 and is free with Museum admission. Ticket pricing is: $10 for adults (14-59); $8 for children (2-13) and seniors (60+); and free for children younger than 2. Tickets can be purchased online at discoveryplace.org; in person at the Museum or by calling 877-849-4377. Group discounts and reservations are available.

NOTE: After this press release was issued with the approval of all museums associated, the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources requested that the Queen Anne’s Revenge artifacts not be loaned to Discovery Place for public display at this time. “I’m extremely disappointed that this opportunity for Queen Anne’s Revenge artifacts to be viewed by a wider audience has been missed,” stated John Masters, Director of Operations for Intersal Inc., the firm that discovered Queen Anne’s Revenge in 1996 and who then assigned potential salvage rights to the State of North Carolina.

About Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc.

Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX) is engaged in the exploration of deep-ocean shipwrecks and uses innovative methods and state-of-the-art technology to conduct extensive search and archaeological recovery operations around the world. Odyssey discovered the Civil War era shipwreck of the SS Republic® in 2003 and recovered over 50,000 coins and 14,000 artifacts from the site nearly 1,700 feet deep. In May 2007, the Company announced the historic deep-ocean treasure recovery of over 500,000 silver and gold coins, weighing 17 tons, from a Colonial era site code-named "Black Swan." In February 2009, Odyssey announced the discovery of Balchin's HMS Victory. The Company also has other shipwreck projects in various stages of development around the world.

Odyssey offers various ways to share in the excitement of deep-ocean exploration by making shipwreck treasures and artifacts available to collectors, the general public and students through its webstore, exhibits, books, television, merchandise, and educational programs.

JWM Productions is currently filming Odyssey's operations in the "Atlas" search area in preparation of a second season of Discovery Channel's "Treasure Quest" series. The 12-episode first season aired in the US and the UK in early 2009 and is scheduled to air worldwide throughout 2009.

Following previous successful engagements in New Orleans, Tampa, Detroit, and Oklahoma City, Odyssey's SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure is scheduled to open at Discovery Place in Charlotte, NC on July 4, 2009.

For details on the Company's activities and its commitment to the preservation of maritime heritage please visit www.shipwreck.net.

About Discovery Place

Discovery Place is located in uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. Convenient parking is available in the Museum's parking garage – the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex – at the corner of Sixth and Church Streets. For more information about Discovery Place, guests should call 704- 372-6261 or visit discoveryplace.org.

One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation, Discovery Place provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that foster experiences in areas that range from life science to marine biology. More than a half-million people from all over the United States visit Discovery Place, its IMAX® Dome Theatre and Charlotte Nature Museum each year. Discovery Place is supported, in part, with a Basic Operating Grant from the Arts & Science Council.

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Odyssey Marine Exploration believes the information set forth in this Press Release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. Certain factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are set forth in "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.