Description: Himself, Yours Truly, and our 11-year-old grandson visited the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre in hopes of learning a bit more about Nessie lore. What we found was something entirely different. To the diehard Nessie enthusiast, it will likely be a great disappointment. That’s because, as its name clearly states, the primary focus of the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre is on the loch itself—not the famous monster that is its namesake.
Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that Nessie isn’t mentioned. It’s a bit more subtle than that. What the Centre does is to explain the mythology surrounding the elusive beast in the light of scientific inquiry and exploration. So instead of viewing the evidence ‘for’ Nessie, the visitor is given a multimedia presentation on evidence that effectively argues ‘against’ her existence.
The Centre is housed in a Victorian structure that once served as hotel. The old hotel has been modified into a series of seven exhibit chambers, each with its own theme. The tour begins in the lobby in front of the fireplace, and I confess to wondering momentarily if I would be commanded to toss flue powder up the chimney ala Harry Porter. Instead, we stood in the middle of the room while we were given an introductory film projected on the wall above the mantle. The light in the room was not really suitable for this purpose, but that didn’t affect the narrative. The narrator and creator of the Exhibition was Adrian Shine, head of the Loch Ness Project, who has been exploring the mysteries of the loch since 1973.
In general, the subsequent chambers are arranged around specific topics related to the history and exploration of Loch Ness. These include everything from fossils, to photos and film footage, to authentic equipment used in the depths of the loch’s murky waters. Lighting effects include colored bulbs, backlighting, and reflections off surfaces coated with iridescent paint. The result was sometimes surreal and sometimes downright kitschy. On the whole it was more informative than entertaining, and our grandson would clearly have preferred a few hours at the more fanciful Nessie Land down the road.
We exited the Exhibition through an expansive gift shop—also featuring a maze of chambers—that quite possibly featured every Nessie-related souvenir currently known to man, woman, or child. After gathering our goodies, we took cold drinks to the small but pleasant garden next to the Centre. It is prettily landscaped with flowering plants and includes a few picnic tables. It also includes a small yellow submarine and what was probably a fishing boat, both used for exploring the loch. The nearby pond that once featured a statue of Nessie is now empty, and the statue has been moved to Nessie Land.
Do I recommend the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre? Yes, but rather reluctantly and with qualifications. For our grandson’s sake, we were chasing myth more than substance—a fairy tale, not a scientific explanation. This was not what we expected and not really what we wanted. Nonetheless, the attraction is rated 5 stars by the Scottish Tourist Board, and it is well organized and reasonably well done—if a bit garish at times.
Admission for the 2011 season was £6.50 for adults, £4.50 for children, and £5.50 for seniors (or concessions). Parking was ample when we visited in early July, but it might get a bit crowded during August. If you know what you’re getting and that’s your cup of tea, then it’s a good value. If you’re after the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, go elsewhere.
© BawBaw, LovesTravel, DAnneC - 2011
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