A sea-rene backdrop for doodling at the National Marine Aquarium

Mary
Authored by Mary
Posted: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 - 10:00

This October half-term, visitors to the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth will be able to explore their love of the ocean with ‘Doodle Days’, designed to unleash creativity and enhance their physical and mental wellbeing.

Taking place from Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 October, visitors will be encouraged to get creative, drawing, sketching and doodling amid the Aquarium’s peaceful surroundings, drawing inspiration from the wonderful kaleidoscope of shapes, colours and patterns that can be seen in our oceans.

Younger visitors to the Aquarium will receive a free sketchbook as part of their visit, enabling them to create eye-catching memories of their trip and record their favourite underwater scenes.

Helen Gowans, Host Supervisor at the National Marine Aquarium, said: “We know from studies conducted by the National Marine Aquarium, in partnership with Plymouth University and the University of Exeter, that spending time viewing aquariums has a positive effect on physical and mental wellbeing, helping to calm, reduce stress and boost mood. That’s why we are hosting our ‘Doodle Days’ sessions to provide visitors, both young and old, with the ideal opportunity to relax and let their creative juices flow.”

Adding to the action, on Wednesday 25 October the Aquarium will be joined by Zoe Copeland, Training and Development Officer from Plymouth & District Mind. Throughout the day she will be running art and mindfulness workshops in front of the Eddystone Tank. These will be supplemented by a short presentation focusing on things like colour, process, mindfulness and mandalas, to help equip visitors with tips and tricks to help them relax in everyday life.

For those looking for a bit more bite from their visit, the National Marine Aquarium will be hosting a special ‘Sleeping with Sharks’ event on Friday 27 October. Sleeping with Sharks is an exciting way to see what happens in the underwater world when the lights go out and is the perfect precursor to Halloween.

For those who are brave enough, Sleeping with Sharks offers a unique experience to get tucked up in a sleeping bag, enjoy a combination of entertainment and education geared at learning more about our marine environment and watch the impressive creatures of the deep swimming silently overhead, as the rest of the country sleeps.

October half-term events at the National Marine Aquarium:

·         Doodling Days: Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 October, included with general entry tickets
·         Sleeping with Sharks: Friday 27 October

For more information or to make a booking, visit www.national-aquarium.co.uk

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