Ocean Explorer Centre

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Ocean Explorer Centre This small and free marine science visitor centre is open daily 10am to 4pm. We also offer annual passes to locals - at the cost of a single entry.

Explore how the oceans works and how researchers and educators at the Scottish Association for Marine Science contribute to making the marine environment more sustainable. The centre includes a main exhibition area with displays on life in the ocean, the seabed, plankton, biofuels from algae, ocean currents and the Arctic. Additionally it has an observatory where you can operate a camera underneath the pontoon and listen to the sounds in the Firth of Lorn. We also have a super cool (polar themed!) small cinema, where we show short films about the marine environment and marine science. A cafe with a little shop concludes what we have on offer at the moment, but we have plans to expand into the garden! By the way, you can come into the cafe on its own without having to pay to come into the centre. We do want you to come back and visit often! Finally, we are a lot more than just a visitor centre. We offer lots of workshops for schools or community groups, put on events relating to the sea (from talks and walks to films and workshops) and allow community groups to meet in our facilities after hours. We are keen to consider any suggestions from our friends about future developments.

15/08/2026
18/07/2026

As the rights of nature are increasingly being recognised, the Scottish Association for Marine Science is the latest organisation to make the ocean a trustee

What a spectacle! Somebody has lost their glasses on the beach near our Ocean Explorer Centre. If you recognise these, p...
15/07/2026

What a spectacle! Somebody has lost their glasses on the beach near our Ocean Explorer Centre. If you recognise these, please pick them up at the OEC reception today before closing time, or Monday-Sunday between 10am-4pm.

11/07/2026

A warm Oban welcome to the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race participants and their supporters.
We've been following the race closely, particularly the Team Scotland yacht, of which we are a minor sponsor.

👩‍🔬👨‍🔬 As part of the Clipper celebration in Oban, SAMS is hosting events that allow you to be a marine scientist for the day on board our research vessel Seòl Mara. We are also offering tours of our institute and labs.

Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/clipper-meets-marine-science-in-oban-2026-4838802?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=odclsxcollection

(Shared via The Scottish Association for Marine Science)

The boats have arrived and so have our Clipper Week events! Whether you would like to become a marine field scientist fo...
11/07/2026

The boats have arrived and so have our Clipper Week events! Whether you would like to become a marine field scientist for a day, tune in for a workshop on marine pollution, or just have a cuppa at our cafe, we are sure to offer something for all ages and backgrounds.

Ocean Explorer Centre and Beach Cafe open every day 10am - 4 pm!

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is the UK's oldest ocean research and education charity (established 1884) based near Oban, Argyll, on the European Marine Science Park. It is a founding partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands teaching a range of undergraduate and p....

Well worth a watch this evening! Find out more about the Challenger Expedition and Sir John Murray here in the Ocean Exp...
20/05/2026

Well worth a watch this evening! Find out more about the Challenger Expedition and Sir John Murray here in the Ocean Explorer Centre and browse our selection of Challenger books in our shop. We can't wait to watch this fascinating programme!

(Season 2 Episode 3 of 4): The Chairman of the Board of Trustees pays a visit. Natural History Museum: World of Wonder airs on 5 at 7:00 PM, Wednesday 20 May. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees pays a visit

We have a new fun family activity at the craft table in the OEC all about SEABIRDS! Guess the seabird in the egg, make y...
07/04/2026

We have a new fun family activity at the craft table in the OEC all about SEABIRDS! Guess the seabird in the egg, make your own bird peg egg, play seabird pairs or do some quizzes. All part of our Easter holiday spring programme 🪺 🦅 We hope to see you soon 😃

We have a new craft to make at our activity table for our theme of Springtime in Scotland’s seas. Pop in and make a simp...
10/03/2026

We have a new craft to make at our activity table for our theme of Springtime in Scotland’s seas. Pop in and make a simple cute jellyfish to celebrate the new life appearing in our oceans and around the coastline at this time of year 🪼🌊🐳 Thank you for the beautiful surprise jellyfish left by one of our lovely visitors yesterday ❤️

Address

Dunbeg
Oban
PA371QA

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+44 (0) 1631 559123

Website

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