Gearing up for a Christmas to remember with the National Marine Aquarium

The National Marine Aquarium is gearing up for a Christmas to remember with its exciting ‘Christmas Lights’ theme set to shine a spotlight on all things bioluminescent throughout the school holidays.

Starting on Saturday 21 December, the Aquarium will be twinkling with lights from the Ocean, with visitors given the chance to take part in a special trail and to discover what it really feels like to be thousands of metres below the surface by stepping inside its magical bioluminescence cave.

All correctly filled trail sheets will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a secret Christmas prize. Not only that, but there will also be a chance to see Santa taking the plunge into in the Aquarium’s Eddystone exhibit during daily dive shows.

Children will be invited to write letters to him at the North Pole and post their Christmas wish lists into a special mailbox, the contents of which will be delivered directly to Santa so that he knows what to fill their stockings with this year.

As well as a fun and festive experience during the daytime for all the family, the NMA will also be holding the latest instalment of its popular ‘NMA Lates’ series. ‘Pints, Pies and PhDs’, which takes place on 4th December at 6pm, promises to be an evening of inspiration and fascination, with a line-up of four speakers on hand to discuss their Ocean-themed PhD research projects - all washed down with a pint and a mince pie, of course! Tickets are still on sale for this exclusive event and are priced at just £5.00.

With the NMA set to be decked out with beautiful festive decorations and of course, the customary Christmas tree, it’s a great time of year to come along and discover this fascinating underwater world – as well as to find out all about why the NMA and its parent charity, the Ocean Conservation Trust – want everyone to start to ‘Think Ocean’ in their daily lives. Inspiration for a New Year’s resolution?

With daily talks, feed, shows, plus over 4,000 animals waiting to meet you, it’s a great place to spend a day out with friends or family this Christmas, come rain or shine. Whilst you’re visiting, why not pop into the NMA’s Ocean Gift Shop and browse for some unique Christmas gifts? With a range of trinkets, toys, stationery and more to choose from, as well as a hugely popular range of eco-products that are just perfect for those who Think Ocean, it’s a great place to find a special gift for all of those ‘special someones’ in your life.

Find out more about the National Marine Aquarium and Ocean Conservation Trust.