Current and projected future oceans pose a range of threats to marine organisms through altered environmental conditions that range from global- to local-scale processes. In this talk, I will outline some marine invertebrate research highlights including discoveries of latitudinal patterns from the tropics to the poles such as shell size trends across molluscs, echinoderms and brachiopods, and shell cost in molluscs. I will explore how global change processes such as ocean heating and acidification are likely to affect marine invertebrates into the future. While increased temperature and ocean acidification affect life-history traits and physiology, ocean acidification also alters behaviour in marine invertebrates across multiple trophic levels by interfering with a nerve receptor found throughout the animal kingdom. The alteration of key ecological behaviours could have flow on effects in ocean food webs over coming decades. Since threatened species already have an increased extinction risk, I will consider the interplay of global change drivers with local- to regional-scale stressors using giant clams as an example. I will share some insights from science and museum perspectives, including translating research into conservation, engagement and climate change awareness.