Bournemouth Attractions & Family Entertainment

Bournemouth Eye

For a different view of Bournemouth and the east Dorset coast take a balloon ride from the Lower Gardens! The Bournemouth Eye is a tethered balloon that will take you up to 500 feet for views stretching for 20 miles around Bournemouth, the English Channel and surrounding countryside.

The Bournemouth Eye can take up to 30 passengers in the enclosed gondola beneath the helium filled balloon. It is also accessible for wheelchairs and can take three at any one time.

You can book online, link right, by telephone: 01202 314539 or from the Lower Gardens Box Office direct.

The Bournemouth Eye runs from April-September from 7.30 in the morning until 11 at night - weather permitting.

• Bournemouth Hotels
• Hotels in Bournemouth
• Bed and Breakfast in Bournemouth

Bournemouth Oceanarium

Bournemouth Oceanarium is a popular family attraction on Bournemouth's seafront. You can find out all about the underwater wildlife from all over the world. Different display areas feature animals from their respective watery habitats including the Amazon, The Ganges and the Great Barrier Reef. There are touch screen games, feeding demonstrations and talks and a walk-through underwater tunnel.

The Oceanarium is open daily from 10 am throughout the year except Christmas Day. You can purchase tickets online or when you visit. The displays are on two floors and are accessible by lifts. Wide gangways make the Oceanarium accessible for all and there are disabled toilet facilities.

Oceanarium, Pier Approach, West Beach, Bournemouth BH2 5AA. Tel: 01202 311 993

• Guest Houses in Bournemouth
• Bournemouth Accommodation
• Accommodation in Bournemouth

Waterfront Imax Cinema

Down on the seafront is The Waterfront Imax Cinema. This is a 400 seat tiered theatre with a screen taller than four double-decker buses and a six channel surround sound system pumped through over forty speakers!

Films are shown in both 2D and 3D and take you on journeys that imitate the real experience such as scaling Everest, the world's tallest mountain and "Ski to the Max" showcasing skiing, snowboarding, sports action powder skiing in the Himalayas and Alaska.

Check the weblink right for up-to-date listings. The Waterfront can be booked for private functions and large groups.

• Bournemouth Guest Houses
• Bournemouth Holiday Parks
• Hotels in Bournemouth

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

On top of the hill in East Cliff is the imposing Victorian villa that houses the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. It's a mix of Italianate villa and Scottish Baronial pile set in landscaped grounds that include a Japanese garden.

The villa was created and decorated by Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes who were keen art collectors. The villa itself is open to visitors where you can see some of the vastly luxurious decoration including hand-painted stained glass and covings featuring Japanese inspired swallows and peacocks. In the main hall you'll find the sun design mosaic fountain that reflects the stunning zodiac sign stained glass in the skylight above.

There is a mix of permanent and regularly changing exhibitions in the art gallery. Check the website, link right, for details of current exhibition themes. There is also a cafe and shop on the site and you can book on guided tours.

Entrance to the house, museum and the majority of the exhibitions is free, but donations are welcomed for the upkeep. Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Russell-Cotes Road, East Cliff, Bournemouth BH1 3AA. Tel: 01202 451858 or 01202 451800 (24-hour answer-phone). Email: r-c.enquiries@bournemouth.gov.uk. Group visits can be arranged in advance by contacting the Gallery on the phone numbers above.

• Luxury Hotels Bournemouth
• Budget Hotels Bournemouth
• Hotels in Bournemouth Dorset