MACDUFF MARINE AQUARIUM, BANFFSHIRE
Public Aquarium on the southern coast of the Moray Firth, Scotland

- opened its doors to visitors and locals in the north west of Scotland on the shores of the Moray Firth at Macduff near the fishing port of Banff on Friday 18 April 1997.
 The official opening by the Princess Royal took place on 29 May 1997.
 

Macduff Marine Aquarium presents the sea life of the northern seas of Britain in some spectacular and unique displays. The centrepiece is a circular aquarium which is 10 metres in diameter and 5 metres deep; the system contains over 400,000 litres (88,000 gallons) of seawater. It is the only successful living kelp aquarium in Britain which is possible because this main tank is open to the sky. This living community tank tries to create the undersea community normally only seen by divers.
 
 

Animals of the Moray Firth are the main exhibits and these will include species that are not usually found in other Public Aquaria with the Wolf-fish (or Catfish), Anarhichas lupus, as a regular exhibit as well as the Lesser Octopus, Eledone cirrhosa, Conger Eels, Lobsters, and rays which are housed in a special display tank. There are 'touch pools' which are always popular with the younger enthusiast as well as a special 'wave-surge' tank, which attempts to mimic the movement of the waves.
 

Feeding Displays

If you are present at the special feeding times you can watch the fish being fed by divers through one of the deepest viewing windows in British aquaria. There are 18 display tanks.
 Staff are present to answer queries from the public, with information boards and leaflets, and education programmes are planned that will probably be available by the time that you read this. There is also a separate tableau featuring the wildlife of Moray Firth. There is a fully equipped audio-visual theatre.

Manager: Witek Mojsiewicz  (BMLSS member)
Curator:
Education: Clare Matthews
Proprietors: Aberdeenshire Council

Tel: 01261 833369
Fax: 01261 831052

Address: Macduff Marine Aquarium, 11 High Shore, Macduff, Banffshire, AB44 1SL.

Opening Times

Macduff Marine Aquarium will open daily all the year round, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years day and 2 January.

In summer the opening times are:
Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Saturday & Sunday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm.

Adults - £4.75
Children (3-15 yrs) - £2.25   (Under threes are free)
Seniors (60+) - £2.75
Family - (2 adults and 2 children) - £12.75

Concessions and guides available for groups - phone to book and confirm.

How to get there

Macduff is about 50 miles north of Aberdeen. Buses are available from Aberdeen, and at Elgin, which has a railway station. The road from Aberdeen is the A497.

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