Whale trust opens new visitor centre on Mull
THE HEBRIDEAN Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) has opened the doors to its new visitor centre on Tobermory’s Main Street.
The newly renovated premises, funded by a grant from the Coastal Communities Fund, have become an informative hub, highlighting the different species of cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises – found in the Hebrides, as well as the conservation work of the trust.
Visitor centre manager Pauline Massey said: ‘The centre is generating a lot of interest and visitors are complimenting us on our new and improved look. The ‘underwater’ room is proving to be especially popular with our younger visitors.’ Ella Potts, visitor centre assistant, added: ‘This is such a fantastic space in which to learn about our local cetaceans – I think people will be amazed to learn about the diversity of species we have here through our free talks and workshops. We even have real bone, teeth and baleen samples to play with.’
There will be a large touchscreen facility allowing people to interact with data collected by the trust aboard its research yacht, Silurian, and understand its applications.
There is also a dedicated children’s room, with games and puzzles.
Throughout the season, HWDT staff and volunteers will run a series of programmes and events from the centre, including daily porpoise spotting tours, teaching participants how to scan and survey from land.
There will also be daily talks at 3.30pm and workshops running throughout the day in the centre or on the beach, as well as special events with guest speakers on Thursday evenings throughout the summer.
The centre is open seven days a week during the season from 10.30am- 4.30pm and entry is free, with donations welcome. Some specific events may have admission charges. To find out more email visitorcentre@ hwdt.org.