Intrigued by her reputation as a person who could "make science interesting," producers at KCTS-TV, Seattle's PBS affiliate, approached Ray about hosting a weekly television program on marine biology. The show, "Animals of the Seashore", was a hit and helped propel her into the public eye beyond campus. Her growing popularity led to the Pacific Science Center extending an invitation to Ray to take over the nearly-bankrupt science museum for an annual salary of $20,000. Ray jumped at the opportunity and immediately began a top-to-bottom overhaul of the center, declaring "I'll be damned if I'm going to become a landlady to a hoary old museum." Under Ray's guidance, the Pacific Science Center was converted from a traditional, exhibit-oriented museum to an interactive learning center.