Tap the water to make waves

Poke the sea.
It pokes back.

Welcome to Tidepool — a hands-on marine discovery center where the water really ripples, the sea stars are real, and every rock hides a surprise. Roll up your sleeves.

Three ways to get wet

Exhibits you touch, not just watch.

No glass between you and the shore. Our naturalists are always nearby with a fun fact and a steady hand.

The Touch Tank

Shallow, sun-warm, and full of gentle characters. Dip a finger and a sea star might inch onto your palm; a hermit crab may peek out to say hello. Staff-guided, always kind to the critters.

Sea starsHermit crabsSea cucumbersMoon snails

The Rock Pool Trail

A boardwalk winds over our re-created rocky shore. Lift a (fake) rock, log what you spot, and earn a naturalist sticker. Low tide, all day, every day.

63species logged by visitors this month

Into the Kelp Forest

Duck into our cool, swaying tunnel and look up. Light dapples down through nine-metre fronds while garibaldi and señorita fish flicker past. It smells like the real ocean, because it is.

9mof living kelp, swaying overhead
For curious kids

What's in the pool? Flip a card to find out.

Tap any critter to turn its card over. Each one hides a genuinely weird, totally true fact.

Tide Pool Trivia Score 0 / 0

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For schools

Bring the whole class to the shore.

Curriculum-linked programs for ages 5–14, led by marine educators. Book a half-day and we'll handle the wellies.

1

Shoreline Scientists

Ages 5–8. Sorting, counting, and naming — a first field notebook and a real hand-lens to keep.

2

Tide & Time

Ages 9–11. Why the sea breathes twice a day: moons, gravity, and a wave tank they control.

3

Guardians of the Coast

Ages 12–14. Microplastics, warming water, and a real survey that feeds our conservation dataset.

A school day, sorted

  • Up to 60 pupils per session, split into pods
  • Free planning visit for lead teachers
  • Indoor rain-plan and a warm lunch room
  • Fully accessible boardwalks and hoists
Request a school pack
Plan your visit

Hours, tickets, and one big friendly map.

We're right on Gull Cove pier — follow the smell of salt and the sound of laughing kids.

Opening hours

MondayClosed (creature rest day)
Tuesday – Friday9:30 – 17:00
Saturday9:00 – 18:00
Sunday9:00 – 17:00
School holidays9:00 – 18:00 daily
Under 3s free Little Explorer
£9

Ages 3–15. Includes every exhibit, a touch-tank session, and a sticker to earn.

Family Rockpool
£29

Two grown-ups, up to three kids. Best value, endless splashing, one nap guaranteed on the way home.

Come make a splash with us.

Questions, group bookings, or just want to say hi to Nigel the resident lobster? We're all ears (well, we don't have ears, but you get it).

hello@tidepool.example