Nature and Wildlife

The Lake District Coast Aquarium

South Quay, Maryport, Cumbria CA15 8AB

Tel: 01900 817760

e-mail: info@ld-coastaquarium.co.uk

website: www.lakedistrict-coastaquarium.co.uk

The Lake District Coast Aquarium was built in 1997 using private funding with support from the European Regional Development Fund. It has a wonderful position on the South Quay of Maryport Harbour, affording views out across the Solway Firth to Scotland on most days. The harbour area has received substantial public investment from the mid 1980's onwards as part of a regeneration programme following the closure of local coal mining, steel making and shipbuilding, and tourism was seen as having a vital part in this.

The Aquarium is privately owned and not part of a national chain, and is the size of a typical modest Sea-Life Centre that most of the public are familiar with. The 45 displays that make up the live exhibition all contain local or Irish Sea species, as well as a wide variety of shellfish and invertebrates. It is rated as being one of the best places to go to see native sealife now that most other aquariums have diversified into being eclectic selections of world wide species.

In order to broaden the appeal of the attraction and make it possible to stay all day, there is a highly rated integral café overlooking the harbour, a well stocked gift shop, a 12 hole crazy golf course , a radio control boat pool and water cannon game, and an extensive adjacent free adventure play park run by the local authority.

It is open every day year round from 10-5 except on the 25th and 26th of December, and all admission tickets are valid for re-entry on the day of issue so that people can take advantage of the scheduled fish feeding demonstrations.

Click here to leave your feedback on this establishment - featured in The Hidden Places of the Lake District and Cumbria