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Our vision for the future
Why we’re doing it
Scotland's amazing marine wildlife and our marine environment are of international importance. However, they are facing increasing pressure and threats. The Scottish Government has launched a National Marine Plan and designated a number of Marine Protected Areas, recognising the importance of Scotland’s coasts and seas. The project will enable us to increase wider understanding of the importance of the marine environment and wildlife, and create more opportunities for people to get involved.
Since opening in May 2000, our staff, volunteers and trustees have worked hard to deliver an award-winning visitor experience as well as inspiring education and conservation programmes. We receive a huge amount of interest from schools and visitors about Scotland’s coasts and sea life and our aim is to build on that interest with the 'National Marine Centre'.
Click HERE for an amazing video of the hidden world beneath the waves, created by Scottish Natural Heritage and partners.
Click HERE for the BBC's Making Scotland's Landscape: The Sea.
What might it look like?
The existing Education Centre building will have an additional floor added to accommodate the demand for school visits. In addition, the existing Centre will be enlarged and enhanced to create vital additional space for exhibitions and events.
We shared designs for the buildings earlier this year at several community consultation sessions: feedback on the building designs included suggestions that there should be a stronger architectural link between the Education Centre building and the existing Seabird Centre with its iconic sweeping copper roof. It was felt by many that a pitched roof on the Education Centre and the Observatory would look better, and be more in keeping with the other buildings in the area. These suggestions have been taken into account for the revised plans.
The amount of glass in the Education Centre building has been paired back as this was also recommended through the public consultation process. This has been replaced with local red stone and wood.
Click HERE for the ground level plans.
Click HERE for the lower ground level plans.
What will be delivered?
The project will deliver a variety of new programmes, events, exhibitions and activities. Here’s just some of what we’re planning:
Education
• New education programmes about marine heritage. This will include outreach activities across Scotland which will bring exciting and dynamic marine education programmes to communities and classrooms all over Scotland.
Exhibitions
• The development of new and upgraded exhibition space will enable the Centre to more fully interpret the marine environment and wildlife, creating a wide range of interactive and changing exhibits that will inform and inspire visitors about their marine heritage.
New partnerships
• We’re planning on working in partnership with other organisations, including universities, to share insights from local, national and worldwide research.
How are we delivering this?
We have a full-time Project Director, a part-time Project Officer, and a Fundraising Manager at the Centre, as well as a Strategic Group which includes trustees. We also have wider support from other key organisations. In addition, a Marine Advisory Group has been set up to provide specialist advice and expertise to the project team on marine-related content and activities.
We are currently running a major fundraising campaign to secure the £5.5million required for the project.
When will the National Marine Centre open?
We hope that construction work can start in late 2018 with the new centre opening to the public in spring 2020 – the Year of Scotland’s Coasts and Waters.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions or would like to find out more about the project, please get in touch at nmcproject@seabird.org
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