Plymouth Sound

From our shores your adventure begins

Start your journey by taking a new look at Plymouth Sound, an internationally important marine environment in the heart of our city. Just take in the view from our windows and you'll get a taste of the wide range of activity on, in and beside the Sound. But Plymouth Sound is much more than a shipping lane; let us show you around beneath the surface to explore this vibrant and varied undersea landscape.

In the shallow waters of Plymouth Sound you'll find an array of animals that would grace the finest rockpool you could hope to find - Hermit Crabs and Lobsters; the ubiquitous Tompot Blenny; a colourful collection of Anemones, Starfish, Sea Fans and even small Sharks. Elsewhere in this zone you'll find a clutch of cephalopods including Octopuses and Cuttlefish and a surprising variety of shellfish.

Talks - The Rockpool Feed daily at 12 noon

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside!

Hopefully your visit to the Aquarium will inspire you to get out and explore our shores for yourselves. It's no wonder, with all this amazing marine life to discover, that spending time by the sea is Britain's favourite day out, with 61% of us choosing the seaside as our favourite day trip destination.

With more than 25 million trips to the UK seaside each year it is important we learn more about our marine environment, so we get the most out of our visits and ensure we protect it for others.

Go out and embrace our fabulous coastline, but please follow this simple advice when you do so.

• Before venturing onto the shore check the tides, and ensure that you can get back before the tide cuts you off. It is best to go down a shore as the tide goes out.
• Look at any cliffs to check for possible rock falls and do not get too close to them.
• Shores are rough and often weed-covered. Accidents easily happen, so never go alone.
• Don't use fishing nets in rockpools; you will damage the delicate plants and animals that make the pools so attractive. If you sit and watch a rockpool, you will see more than you would by pushing a net around.
• If you do catch animals, keep them in water, out of the sun, and return them to where they came from.
• Turn over rocks and boulders carefully so that you do not harm yourself or the creatures living on their undersides.
• Return weed and rocks to how you find them.
• If collecting empty shells or weed, carefully check that there aren't any animals on or inside them. A dead Hermit Crab is a sad reminder of a great day at the beach.
• Litter is a danger to us and to wildlife; do not leave any on the shore - did you realise that 35% of rubbish on beaches comes from visitors? Make sure that you take all your waste home with you, including cigarette butts.

TAKE NOTHING BUT PHOTOS; LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS