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| Bedford Institute of Oceanography |
It was truly fascinating for me, an astronomer from the city that is furthest away from the coast in England, to find out more about marine life. They have set things out very well, thinking about both the young and the old in their layout, with options for both when it comes to different groups. Children can find out about erosion, sand and even try to find Wally on more adult level posters.
People of all ages are interested in the Titanic exhibition, showing how the wreckage looked when first discovered and more recently. Onwards from that is the ‘fish lab’, where the public can watch scientists at work and see how the facility is actively trying to help endangered species and find out how to stop invasive ones from spreading. This is real science being done before your eyes, and you can put any questions you have to those who are working there.
What has to be the most fun is the ‘touch tank’, where visitors can even hold some of the specimens used by the institute. This is housed in a shed outside the institute and I got to hold a crab, a scallop and a sea cucumber, and was even introduced to an hermaphrodite lobster that was orange on one side and black on the other. A surreal experience!
At present the tours last one hour and are free; phone booking is essential however. What may come of it in the future I don’t know, because as the remit and facilities expand, an actual science centre may well be built. For now however it is a great way to show local people what is happening both in science and in the bay beside them in the simplest, friendliest way. Full marks for the employment of special tour guides and the opportunity to get down to the shop floor, so to speak.
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