Get involved at the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Open Weekend

GET INVOLVED

Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Open Weekend

Important information to help you make the most of your day

To help you make the most of your visit we’ve pulled together this handy list of FAQ’s What’s happening?

This weekend is all about celebrating the National Marine Park and giving you the chance to find out more about the amazing things that happen in, on, under and next to the water. We’re keen to know what you think and what you’d like to see from the people’s park in the sea so look out for the different ways that you can give your feedback through video, drawing, sharing images or completing our surveys.

Alongside the usual amazing National Marine Aquarium exhibits you’ll find stands and activities from a wide variety of different organisations and groups spread throughout the venue. Check out our map to find out where everything is – and don’t forget to get your park designer passport stamped as you go around to receive your park designer certificate!

Where are the toilets?

All this talk of water made you need the loo? Don’t panic! You can find toilets just before the entrance to the Plymouth Sound exhibit, and between the Atlantic Ocean and Eddystone Reef exhibits.

Is there food and drink available?

Food and drink will be available in the cafes around the Aquarium and you’re more then welcome to use the NMA garden picnic area for your own packed lunches.

How long can I stay?

We’ve timed tickets to help as many people as possible visit throughout the weekend. All ticket holders have a three hour time slot to enjoy what’s on offer.

If I leave am I able to re-enter?

Yes, as long as it is within your allotted time-slot. You will need to re-join the queue and will be asked to provide proof of identity to re-enter using the same ticket.

What are the accessibility measures in place?

The National Marine Aquarium is committed to providing Access for All and is accessible by ramps and lifts throughout. There are a number of disabled parking bays on site, as well as drop-off points for minibuses and coaches. We also have a limited number of wheelchairs available on site, free of charge and on a first come, first served basis.

What do I do if I need help?

If you need help, are lost or are looking for some assistance please speak to a member of the National Marine Aquarium or Plymouth Sound National Marine Park support staff who will be on hand throughout the weekend.

WELCOME

to the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Open Weekend!

We’re absolutely delighted to be welcoming you to the National Marine Aquarium this weekend to mark the start of our year of listening to design with you the UK’s first Park in the Sea. We’re creating the UK’s first National Marine Park in Plymouth Sound, and have received £9.5million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help bring the Park to life. We are very grateful to the National Lottery players as without them this just wouldn’t be happening!

Plymouth Sound is an amazing marine environment that has played an important role in history that has defined our city and its people for centuries. The waters of Plymouth are a unique place where the largest naval base in Western Europe and fragile sea grass beds live side by side. Plymouth Sound is the starting point for some of the greatest adventures in the world and where fishermen today still leave for the daily catch.

We hope that Plymouth Sound National Marine Park will provide a national opportunity to completely reimagine how we can work together with the natural environment to make positive change for people and for the place we live.

This weekend is all about showcasing the many amazing organisations, people and wildlife that already work to make Plymouth Sound a thriving and exciting

place and getting all your ideas on how together we can make things even better.

Throughout this weekend we’d love to hear your views on what you’re interested in, excited by or concerned about and your ideas for the Park so that we can co-design the NMP with you.

Our aim is to create a 21st century park that enables new relationships between people and the ocean. We want to improve access to our world class natural environment and historic landscape of Plymouth Sound. And we want to support new employment opportunities and ways to access future ocean jobs.

With your help we want to create a people’s National Marine Park that gets everyone in, on, under and next to the water, looks after the amazing wildlife in the Sound, supports business and give everyone a chance to be part of the Park.

Have a fantastic time exploring all that is on offer, and don’t forget to visit each of the areas to see all of the amazing talks, exhibits, craft activities and information available. Use your Passport to the National Marine Park on the back cover of this guide to collect all the stamps to receive a National Marine Park designer certificate.

Find out more and share your views at plymouthsoundnationalmarinepark.com

GET INVOLVED

There’s lots to see and do across the Aquarium this weekend – here’s our handy guide to what’s happening

Shows and Workshops Time

Activity

Location

10:30 11:00 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30

Rockpool Talk and Feed* Meet the Sharks The Secret Life of Coral Meet the Divers Meet the Sharks Explore our Local Shore The Secret Life of Coral

Plymouth Sound Atlantic Ocean Great Barrier Reef Eddystone Atlantic Ocean Eddystone Great Barrier Reef

*no Rockpool feed on Sunday

As well as awesome shows and fun workshops the following organisations will be providing information and hands on activities each day.

Horizons Bar

Here you’ll find On Course South West, Marine Management Organisation, the South West Coast Path Association and Port Navy showcasing the variety of ways you can engage with water related learning and business opportunities

Plymouth Sound

Discover more about marine wildlife and monitoring with Plymouth Marine

Laboratory, the Marine Biological Association, and Dolphin Watch UK. And get hands on to see what wildlife is living in and around the beaches and rock pools of Plymouth with The Rockpool Project and Wembury Marine Conservation Area.

Eddystone

Find out all about the various National Marine Park anchor institutes and projects in the Eddystone Reef with stands and activities from Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre, Mount Edgcumbe House & Country Park, The Box, Plymouth City Council, Ocean Conservation Trust and the University of Plymouth. Don’t miss

our National Marine Park information stand planting and learn all about this exciting with opportunities to give your views on and amazing project to ‘rewild’ the what you’d like to see from the park – and seabed. your chance to win a great prize.

The Wreck

Discover the wrecks lurking beneath the waves with the SHIPS project and their amazing virtual reality in the Wreck exhibit. Learn about the ways in which the SHIPS project and the Human Interface Technologies Team are bringing the mysteries of the seabed to light.

Aqua-Lab – Virtual Reality

Using the NMA’s ground-breaking virtual reality headsets, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself beneath the waves of the National Marine Park – without getting wet!

You can also watch some incredible 360o footage filmed around Plymouth Sound, exploring seagrass beds, rockpools and rocky reefs!

Rockpool Room – Meet the Mermaid

There’s a resident shoal of mermaids here at the Ocean Conservation Trust, who are ready to share their amazing tales of the Ocean, helping you to feel the magic of storytelling. Get creative with arts and crafts and make you own magical starfish wand to show off to Marina and friends in our specially designed Rockpool Room, which is the perfect mermaid cave to get comfy.

Biozone

In the Biozone you’ll be able to learn all about the ReMedies project and how we’re working to replant the Seagrass meadows in Plymouth Sound to support biodiversity and tackle climate change. See how the seagrass seeds are prepared for

Great Barrier Reef

Unwind after a busy visit and join in with some wellbeing activities with the Barbican Theatre. Here you can take part in their shadow puppet workshops whist exploring the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.

More ways to get involved!

Photography Exhibition: May See Plymouth Sound’s past and present as part of the Plymouth History Festival Sea in the Park: May - August Look out for the National Marine Park across the city as we bring the blue to a green space near you!

Give it a go: July Our give it a go programme will give you lots of opportunities to get involved and try out new activities.

Look out for the Big Blue Splash event 23-24 July and SailGP Inspire programme leading up to the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix on 30-31 July.

And that’s not all! We’ll have an exciting programme of schools activity, community engagement and volunteer ranger programmes too!

Head to... plymouthsoundnationalmarinepark.com or follow us @PlymSoundNMP on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information on all events as they are announced

2

HAVE A QUESTION? We have team members all around the Aquarium who are happy to help

Toilet

1

Stairs

Lift

1

Waves Café

2 Aqua Lab, Rockpool Room and Horizons Bar

3 Plymouth Sound 4 Outdoor Garden & Café 5 Loola Land Soft Play 6 Eddystone Reef 7 Ocean Drifters 8 Coral Research Station Atlantic 9 Ocean 10 Biozone 11 Loop back to Café 12 Seagrass Lab 13 Great Barrier Reef 14 Ocean Gifts Shop 15 Exit / Start Again

3

Plymouth Sound British Coasts

Start

4

6

SEA-CRET GARDEN Snack Shack

Atlantic Ocean

Loola LAND Soft Play

5

7

8

9

Blue Planet

10

13

11 12 15

Entrance

14

Passport to the National Marine Park Become a National Marine Park designer and explore all that’s on offer.

Head to each of the main locations and enjoy the activities and stands to find the stamps to complete your passport

Horizons Bar

Eddystone

Learning Zone – Aqua Lab

Plymouth Soun

d

The Wreck

Learning Zone

– Rockpool room

Great Barr

Biozone

ier Reef

Hand in your com pl passport when yoeted leave to receive yo u National Marine Paur designer certificat rk e!

Name

Age

Postcode